Why is Gen Z so obese?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because gentle parenting doesn't believe in teaching your kids healthy eating or restricting food in any way. Whereas most older generations were definitely told to "stop snacking before dinner" and "no, you can't have a 2nd dessert." Kids are never told to eat their vegetables.

I watch it a lot with my niece. She isn't forced (or even encouraged) to eat her healthy dinner, but then she's starving before bed and gets snacks and desserts instead. It's such an unhealthy cycle.

No, even kids whose parent's prioritize healthy eating and sports are finding that some (but not all) of their kids are struggling with weight. We can't blame parents for everything. Something else is "in the water".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think obese parents are the problem.

It is rare to see families with overweight kids but two thin/athletic parents. Often kids with obese parents are thin up until a certain age then they start putting on weight.

I have seen families where the kids were totally normal weight as children, but then something happens and the kids gradually start putting on weight. It's like biologically the kids bodies were thin and they were healthy, but the parents' chronic overfeeding makes them obese?

IDK.

I have seen obese parents constantly push food on their kids even when the kids aren't hungry. I've seen parents offer a snack even though they could hold off and just wait for the next meal. I have also seen parents pile huge portions on their kids plates. I feel like parents are the problem.

What about athletic parents with one overweight kid out of 4 in the family? You don't think maybe that kid has something genetic going on that the rest of them didn't inherit?

[Anonymous]

I can't think of more than a couple overweight older teens (age group of my kids), everyone else is thin and athletic. So there must be some huge varieties in where/who within that group.

[Anonymous]

Of course there is a genetic component. My kids are all super skinny - in fact one of them has been told they need to gain weight because they are in the 3rd percentile in weight. We don’t have any special diet in our house that would be considered super healthy, our kids use screens, and they aren’t super athletes- although they do play sports and get some physical activity daily. Meanwhile, my friends with overweight kids stress themselves out trying to keep them on diets, getting them exercise, even going to the gym. My kids can eat whatever they want and not gain a pound. This is how I was and I’m still thin in perimenopause. Obviously there are multiple factors involved, but a big one is genetics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The title should say "Why are Gen Z and Gen Alpha so obese?"

Yeah, there’s no cutoff. Alpha might be worse.

It is obviously food, and more specifically sugar. It is straight up addictive and food conglomerates know this and put it in everything in high quantities.

But there are other factors. A bunch of kids are on antidepressants/anti-anxiety meds which have weight gain as a side effect.

I have an Alpha who is overweight. My wife nixes attempts to restrict food because she doesn’t want our daughter to get a complex about food like she did. I still try to be smart about it, but it is unreal how so much of American society is built around eating as a reward/celebration.

As a pediatric dietitian who works with many kids in this population, I hope you can convince your wife how wrong she is. This is not about her. It's about a little girl who needs parental guidance and to be taught how to eat in a healthy manner. Kids are not born knowing this.

[Anonymous]

I’m wondering if the obese Gen Z clusters by ethnicity and/or location. We are in Northern California, mostly Asian, white and some Hispanic kids. The Asian and white kids are skinny, some of the Hispanic kids are heavier but certainly not obese.

It’s been awhile since we were in the DMV but I don’t remember seeing any obese kids or parents, in fact everyone was skinny to normal at best. The elementary school teachers and principal were very obese which was surprising.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m wondering if the obese Gen Z clusters by ethnicity and/or location. We are in Northern California, mostly Asian, white and some Hispanic kids. The Asian and white kids are skinny, some of the Hispanic kids are heavier but certainly not obese.

It’s been awhile since we were in the DMV but I don’t remember seeing any obese kids or parents, in fact everyone was skinny to normal at best. The elementary school teachers and principal were very obese which was surprising.

Teachers have really bad health habits.

[Anonymous]

The decline in recreational sports and increase in pay to play is driven by a few factors and one of them is the lack of parent volunteers to coach the teams. So they have to hire coaches.

Both DH and I work full time and have one 6 yo. Having an only helps some, but it does feel like my time is very limited. I make an intentional effort to walk DD to and from school to get that extra exercise in, even though it is not especially convenient when I am going into the office. I serve a lot of unprocessed food. In large part because my DH tends to lean on a lot of ultraprocessed foods and treats. He is a wonderful father in many ways but this is a blind spot of his and has been since before he became a parent. In some ways I think this works for us because we obviously aren't super restrictive taken together, but DD does get a fair dose of healthy options. That being said it is feasible for me because I have a very flexible job. And we are lucky also that DD genuinely likes eating vegetables.

Anyway I do think the convenience of ultraprocessed foods becomes a necessity for many parents many of whom truly don't realize the extent of how harmful they can be over a lifetime. These are intentionally addictive foods and I blame corporations and lax regulations more than I do the parents. But the lack of time working parents have is also a major issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They have lazy millennial parents.

Huh? Gen Z spans mid 90s through 2010. Millennials had kids when they were 10 years old? Gen Z is a product of Boomers and Gen X. Millennials birthed Gen Alpha.

Gen X with an Alpha.

[Anonymous]

Everyone is fatter now.

[Anonymous]

Screens. Screens. Screens.
Fast food. Door dash. Etc.
parents don’t discipline.

[Anonymous]

I live and work in the exburbs, lots of overweight kids. I think as others have noted, genetics can always play a role. Both my kids have always been tiny regardless of dessert intake but I think there are other factors too.
- Most of my son's classmates and friends have motorized scooters or bikes
-Screens all the time
-Cost of sports...we had to scale back. Sure the playground is free, but half the neighborhood is at hockey practice, gymnastics, football etc.
-Lots of parents of elementary kids have them in aftercare until 5:30-6pm so no one is out running the neighborhood, and if they are, chances are good they're on a motorized scooter.
-Food. Processed crap. Although I'm gen x and grew up on processed everything.

[Anonymous]

Are we sure Gen Z is obese?

In my neck of the woods, they mostly seem pretty normal to me. Lanky and reasonably fit. These days, obesity in America is most often tied to class. Bad education. Bad diet. Bad habits. Bad parents and role models. And that transcends generational divides.

When I drive by a long line at a McDonald's drive thru, it's not Gen Z generally. It's older millennials and Gen Xrs who have just given up. Or it's "urban youth," which is a very small percentage of Gen Z. But by and large, Gen Z seems fitter and more health conscious than prior generations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are we sure Gen Z is obese?

In my neck of the woods, they mostly seem pretty normal to me. Lanky and reasonably fit. These days, obesity in America is most often tied to class. Bad education. Bad diet. Bad habits. Bad parents and role models. And that transcends generational divides.

When I drive by a long line at a McDonald's drive thru, it's not Gen Z generally. It's older millennials and Gen Xrs who have just given up. Or it's "urban youth," which is a very small percentage of Gen Z. But by and large, Gen Z seems fitter and more health conscious than prior generations.

And OP’s charts end in 2018 and aren’t disambiguated by age but anyway. Don’t let that get in the way of the narrative.

[Anonymous]

No worries kids will dead dead with no vaccines and no food by 2028

Thanks maga cult of stupidity