Baby fat isn't phat?

Have you seen the Saturday Night Live skit about Baby Spanx?  Now, that's a silly joke.  However, chubby babies apparently aren't a joke (they are ridiculously adorable though, right?).  According to an article in the Washington Post today, The National Academy of Sciences concluded this week that chubbier babies and toddlers are at risk of becoming obese adults. Apparently now is the time for me cut back on the Puffs I allow my child to snack on?

According to the report, about 10 percent of U.S. children between infancy and age 2 are overweight.  More than 20 percent of children ages 2-5 are too heavy.  Research indicates that many parents do not realize children who are overweight are at risk of obesity, which increases the risk for other health issues, including diabetes, heart disease and cancer.  And it's not just about the foods we feed our children that affects weight.  We also need to watch sleeping patterns, as reduced sleep can affect eating patterns (babies up to age 2 should get nine to 12 hours of sleep every 24 hours, and those ages 2 to 5 should get 11 to 13 hours).  Physically activity is also important (kids should get at least 15 minutes of physically active play every hour and nfants should be allowed to move freely, with appropriate supervision).  

On the flip side,  Patrick Basham, an adjunct scholar at the Cato Institute said we need to calm down, rather than panic about the weight of children.  He said that the majority of "fat" kids don't become "fat" adults and vice-versa.  “The focus from a very young age on the need for a child to ‘not be fat’ serves only to increase the already-vast number of young people suffering from eating disorders,” he wrote in an e-mail.

In short, don't judge a baby by its bulky arms and thighs.  Your baby's baby fat may be just fine.  As the report recommends, doctors should measure infants’ weight and length and calculate toddlers’ body mass index (BMI) at well-child visits, which will help them identify children at risk for obesity, and recommend steps they can take.  So, let them eat cake (or Puffs)...at least every once in a while.