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As an author for Exchange magazine, I want to add my comments about generational differences between how parents and grandparents view food and eating can cause conflicts My daughter and I discovered these issues and wrote about healthy eating and how to bridge that parenting generation gap. Our thoughts might help some early childhood professionals better serve as role models for both parents and grandparents raising grandchildren.
http://www.grandmagazine.com/news/2012/07/the-issue-the-food-police-eating-across-the-generations/

I believe there is another side to the obesity issue that is not being addressed. Children that have other issues that hinder their learning also have an impact on their eating habits. This issue needs to be exposed and investigated as a link to obesity.

Lynette has touched upon a real challenge as I have observed the same thing. However, I have another concern as well. A center in Wisconsin with which I am very familiar was denied points from the Young Star system bascially because what they do exceeds the standards. The children at this center play outside in a forest for hours every day, robustly. They eat only organic food, much of which is grown and harvested by the children, and there is no screen time used to entertain the children. Yet, they received no points for their movement curriculum, their food program or their technology policy because of the way the regulations that are connected to the points are worded. Without a "prescribed" set of adult-led movement games, no points for children engaged in robust, self-directed play. Without a chart recording every food a child eats, no points for their exemplary food program. Without a "technology policy" that shows how caregivers engage with the children if they do use screens, no points for a screen-free ennvironment. Please help to stop the insanity and urge the federal government and your standards people to offer exceptions to those who are above the standard. By the way, in the ten years this particular center (with a full socio-economic mix of children) has been in business they have had zero children with obesity. Zero.

"The positive influences conveyed to children, subtle and overt, are played out in the thousands of life choices children make as they travel through adolescence and into adulthood. Caring adults can build awareness and teach the decision-making skills needed to identify healthy diet and activity options."

All this is well and good however, when so many care givers themselves struggle with obesity how can they convey positive influences around healthy choices to the children in their care. I have been to many Early Learning and Care conferences and have seen first hand the high number of women in our field who are overweight. Perhaps a study should be done around this issue and the kinds of supports that should be put in place for the care givers to help towards "building awareness and teaching the decision-making skills they need to identify healthy diet and activity options.". This in turn will enable them to become more effective role models and positive influences for the children.