Everyday Systems

A researcher in Denmark has found a way to significantly address childhood obesity. Not surprisingly, it involves the whole family (rectifying issues with children usually does).

The way it works is that the family and the doctor create a tailored plan. The sample plan has 17 recommendations (most plans have 15-20 recommendations (!!!) I think most of those recommendations, except for those involving exercise, could be covered under No Sweets, No Snacks, No Seconds except sometimes on days starting with S.

I'll be honest, the plan sounds rather grim. I feel sad that we have so lost our way that kids bear the cost of our insane and unhealthy food culture.

I'm with you. If my mother had taught me "no snacks" instead of "any time you're hungry snacks" I would never have developed a weight problem at all as I am not a big meal eater. Trying to get a child with or without the whole family to "diet" is pretty grim and doesn't usually work with unhappiness all around. Best to follow a plan like this that teaches a lifetime skill that naturally keeps the weight in check.

Did I read it right that the rest of the family does the plan, too? One sweet, one snack, and fast food once a week? I wouldn't have lasted on No S with such limitations. But the results of the plan are impressive, especially the longevity: 70% maintained the loss for four years. When people are motivated (the doctors sound very serious, which I guess is warranted), and there is support, a lot can change. I was amazed that the average time for medical consultation was only five hours! These families must have really stepped up. Perhaps the fact that there were so many of them helped. I'd be curious to know if there was any way they worked together on it.

So true. This is No S, just a lot more nitpicky. (Ex: I only ever have OJ on S-days anyway, and I pour no more than about 250mL in my shorter glasses, so that's exactly the rule... But I never got that exacting about it.)

My child is almost two (just a few days until his birthday) and I'm thinking we'll set the habit of one snack, which is at a set time daily. When he's a bit older and going to school, it can be when he comes home from school. We tend to eat dinner a little late because of my husband's hours, so it will bridge the gap for him.

I have been told multiple times I ought to eat more than 3 times daily (by doctors, confound them) and I might just adopt that one "licensed" snack time myself. If I treat it like a meal, I am far more likely to prepare something with a balance of foods, since I will be more likely to plan what ot use, and part of my doing it is to set a better example for kiddo.

12 - Cycle or walk to school

13 - Organised physical activity eg dancing, handball or gymnastics

14 - Free physical activities like walking/biking after school, walking the dog or trampolining

15 - Screen time (television, computer or tablet) limited to two hours per day

16 - No television/computer access until 5pm

17 - Set a regular, early bedtime

These are not bad ideas, but some thoughts:

12) It is my understanding that local kids in our area are not allowed to walk or cycle anymore. Bussing only, for everyone. Clearly the helicopter parents have not yet overrun Danish schools?

16) I am wondering why TV and computer is after 5pm. Did I miss an explanation of that?

Never heard of not permitting walking or biking to school. Is it a dangerous neighborhood? Maybe terrible traffic? If not, that is a terrible shame. To take away the chance to develop the habit of walking for transportation. Aaargh! But maybe it's a safety issue.

I assumed the "no computer time until after 5" is so that children take advantage of being outdoors and active until then.

The French, who have been until recently 3-meal-a-day-ers, do let the children have a snack around 4 p.m., as they tend to be late diners, by our standards. So your intuition to let your child have a snack in later years dovetails with a tried-and-true tradition.

oolala53 wrote:Never heard of not permitting walking or biking to school. Is it a dangerous neighborhood? Maybe terrible traffic? If not, that is a terrible shame. To take away the chance to develop the habit of walking for transportation. Aaargh! But maybe it's a safety issue.

To my knowledge (and casual Googling), there has been no spate of child abduction or crazed murderers aiming their car at school kids etc., it's just that the town is part of a larger school board, and the city people to the south don't think it's safe for younger kids to go out alone.

I did try to verify these points as facts using the school's website, because it's been a couple years since I looked into the matter. And ugh, another circular government website! The school's policies and procedures page points to the Board policy and procedure page. The Board policy and procedure page are all about the school making its own policies and procedures. Which are apparently nowhere online.

I'm not sure I'm patient enough to be a parent... It's not the kids, it's everyone else I'm now required to deal with...

That's funny about the TV rule. I have made a similar one in my house!!! I kick them outside from 4-5, then they can come in an play X-box until dinner. All electronics go off at 7 and everybody in the family reads until 8. Read to ourselves, or each other. It's been working great this year, and I've tried lots of methods. This is the most.... peaceful to implement.

I should mention that in the summer we have a different schedule because it stays light out so late and kids in our neighborhood sometimes play outside until 9!

I've never been allowed to walk to school as my mother was very concerned. However, I was allowed to run around in our own neighbourhood as much as I wanted. I lived in the country side so I still developed a habit of walking.

I think if you can't let your child walk to school alone - could you consider walking with the child (I know this might be impossible for all kinds of reasons!)?

Or alternatively just make sure there is a lot of walking post-school.