Following my last post, I looked at a recent Australian study of 324 four-year-olds. While one in five of these youngsters were overweight or obese, 83% of their mothers did not think they were! The study, lead by Michele Campbell*goes to the heart of our complicated psyche. These mothers were not ‘bad mothers’, this is something I see all the time in adults whether it’s their obesity or their child’s – this is our mind keeping us from seeing and feeling painful information. This is the first and foremost role of our unconscious – to keep us safe from emotional pain.

Generally mothers were more concerned about daughters than sons – presumably because it’s okay to be a ‘big and strong’ boy. All parents should, at least once a year, check their children’s position on the ‘BMI for age’ chart (see the previous post).

*Maternal concern and perceptions of overweight in Australian preschool-aged children. Medical Journal of Australia, 2006.

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