Dear Pediatricians

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Childhood obesity is a result of adult behavior. 

And the adults most responsible? Parents.

And the adults who come into contact with parents on a regular basis who are in the best position to advocate on behalf of their children? Pediatricians.

Based on my experiences over 25 years working in the weight loss industry, pediatricians wait way too long to have “the conversation” with parents, and when (if!) they do, often tell a parent nothing more than their over-fat kid should “eat less and move more.”

If could send a mass-broadcast public letter to all pediatricians, it would read like this:

⭐️

Dear Pediatricians,

Please uphold that part of the Hippocratic Oath that states, “I will prevent disease whenever I can, for prevention is preferable to cure.

Preventing fires is easier than putting them out.

In order to best prevent and deal with obesity in your patients, let me suggest the following:

✅ Talk to parents as soon as a child’s weight exceeds their height on the percentile charts. It doesn’t matter if the kid is “just a little” overweight. Overweight is overweight. Don’t wait. I often hear from parents, “The pediatrician said he’d be happy if my son lost 20 pounds.” And my reaction is, “Of course he would . . . because 20 pounds less is better than where he is now, but your son needs to lose 50 pounds.” Be 100% totally candid as to the ideal healthy weight that a child should be. Don’t sugar coat it. Don’t give parents a false sense of just how overweight or obese their kid is.

✅ Often, when their weight and size does bother them, overweight and obese kids do NOT bring their feelings and concerns to obese parents because they don’t feel they’ll get guidance or support to make changes. So let your patients know that as they age and their bodies change, if they have any questions, concerns or fears, you are there to listen and to help bring about needed changes, including having a three-way conversation with their parent(s).

✅ It’s a fact that overweight and obese doctors of all disciplines are more reluctant to have a conversation with an overweight or obese patient. It’s also a fact that overweight parents are often defensive and combative about their children’s weight. So, while it’s never easy to bring up this sensitive issue, it’s even more so when a pediatrician expects a parent to take seriously any guidance about weight and health that he or she doesn’t follow themselves. If you’re overweight or obese, lose weight. You’ll be better able to meet the potential challenge of a parent conversation head-on with the advantage of personal experience, and you’ll be more inclined to initiate these conversations earlier on.

We all know how precious children are, and the profound responsibility parents have to raise them. Pediatricians, however, are gifted with an opportunity to also have a lifelong and positive effect on children’s lives as they guide them from infancy through adolescence and teens to become healthy and happy young adults. I believe you have a responsibility to do all you can to prevent them from becoming obese, to prevent the long list of medical conditions, emotional scars and socialization issues that are in their futures otherwise.

Pediatricians should be straightforward and honest, with less regard for a parent’s feelings and how they may react and only with regard to the health and wellness of their patients.