mariz

Is this the case lately? I see still many people eating fast food and getting their kids hooked on the kid meals, but can this not always be from the family gene pool? I am seeing some overweight kids but not parents and vs versa.

grandma2twins

If you mean that being overweight isn't always hereditary, that's absolutely true. Genetics can play a role in whether we gain weight easily or not and in whether we have a fast or slow metabolism. Genetics isn't the whole cause of obesity, though. Easier access to a wider variety of junk food is one contributing factor. Another is the more sedentary nature of television and computers. Kids and adults both are doing less active exercise and just doing passive activities like watching television, playing video games and chatting at MySpace.

Cham

Grandma, you are correct! Heredity is just a part of a child's physical make up. There are so many factors for a child to become obese. Here are some of the things that I know that could affect the child's weight: heredity, metabolism, genes, food, and appetite. So it doesn't mean that when the parents of a child are obese that the kid would become obese too or vice versa.

Aboyade

My childhood was spent looking like a twig off a tree branch. My mother's and father's families were both small. My second daughter starting getting really plump. The reason? Her paternal grandmother watched her while we worked and would slip her mashed pototoes and the like when she was only three months old. I would argue with her that not only was it not necessary but also dangerous for her developing digestive system. Of course, I was given the "and how many children have you raised" spiel. I had to get feisty to get her to stop.

misty

Sometimes the grand parents and other relatives do mean well, they just want the child to be happy, but usaully at the expense of a proper upbringing. You just continue to do your job well.

PurpleFDU

Its definitely not only hereditary. My mother-in-law and father-in-law are both stout people, as are their parents, although some of the cousins are thinner. My husband on the other hand looked like a praying mantis until almost the end of high school. He's only gained weight since he got a job that requires little exercise.

3littlecuties

Weight is so complicated, both being overweight or underweight. If you see overweight parents and you know they eat in a healthy manner, and the children are overweight, it's most likely heredity. But how about the overweight people you see at McDonal's with their overweight children? It must have an environmental or behavioral element then, right?

twilight_01

I believe to a certain extent you can get a tendency to put on weight within your genes. However that is still no excuse, if excersise is done and the child eats properly everything should be fine.

Yes some people have to watch their weight more than others, but I still know alot of thin people out there who are prone to put on weight who manage to stay in good shape. All about self control

DaisyJo

I think it's more what you eat than who you were born to. Heredity can be a good excuse though, to not try to eat healthy and excercise. Certain genes can affect the metabolism and such, but I think eating junk has a far bigger impact.

1wahmom

I don't think it is completely hereditary by any means, but I do think that it can play a part in it. My mother was an overweight child, I was an overweight child, and both my children were and one still is. My 14 year old son started getting taller and really slimming down the summer after his 6th grade school year. Now, he looks healthy, but not too heavy or not too slim. My daughter is still overweight and is only seven. I have had her checked for thyroid problems and diabetes and thankfully the tests turned out negative. I have just always felt like our biggest problem was that we don't live in an area where it is possible to get out and get alot of exercise. I'm hoping we can move closer to town in the next few months so we can start taking daily walks and get healthy.