Researchers at Telemark University College and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health found overweight kids do eat healthy foods like fruit, vegetables, and wheat bread. They just eat too much of it.
The study followed the eating habits and weight of 924 fourth graders (9-10 year olds) in the county of Telemark between 2007 and 2010.
Children's eating habits were assessed by survey; asking how often the child had eaten a variety of foods, both for meals and snacks. The researchers used this to identify eating patterns that reflect which foods are often eaten together, which provides a more comprehensive picture of a child's diet than investigating their intake of foods individually.
Public health nurses at the schools weighed and measured the children, while their parents answered questions about their own weight, education and occupation in addition to their children's eating habits and activity level.
The analysis took into account other factors relevant to children's eating patterns and weight, i.e., parents' educational level, income and employment, and if the parents themselves were overweight.
The results were interesting:
Overweight children reported eating healthy foods: fruit, vegetables, fish, wheat bread, potatoes, low-fat cheese and yogurt, like the normal weight kids.Normal weight kids reported eating junk food like burgers, sausages, biscuits, processed pizza and sweets, like the overweight kids.
Both overweight and normal weight kids reported drinking juice and sweetened sodas.
So if these kids have similar eating habits, why aren't they all the same size?
The overweight kids ate more frequently than the normal weight kids.
Additionally, the normal weight kids were more active than the overweight kids and more likely to have normal weight parents.
The good news is, the study also suggested both parents and children have increased awareness of food choices when children are overweight.
"It is positive that parents and children emphasize healthy food choices. However, it is important to note that the amount of healthy foods must be adapted to a child's activity level to limit further weight gain," said researcher Anne Lise Brantster at the NIPH.
