How many times have you heard your child say something along the lines of “but so-and-so eats junk food every day and they’re not fat?”
It’s true, some kids have such a fast metabolism that they could eat anything their little heart desires and not gain any weight, but just because they’re thin on the outside doesn’t mean that they aren’t fat on the inside. Research shows that thin individuals can have high levels of intra-abdominal adipose tissue and liver fat, which can increase their risk of metabolic diseases (source).
I recently watched a compelling documentary on Netflix called Fed Up. This is one movie that every parent and child should watch together. It introduced me to the term TOFI, which stands for “Thin on the Outside, Fat on the Inside.” It’s essentially another way of saying “Skinny Fat” and highlights an important lesson for our children: never judge health by appearance alone.
Kids need to understand two key concepts:
- Appearances can be deceiving: You can look healthy on the outside but be metabolically unhealthy on the inside.
- Foods that come from nature are generally beneficial for your health. Processed foods, particularly those high in sugar, can be harmful despite their appealing packaging or taste. Sugar, especially, appears in many unexpected forms.
Bottom Line
Whether your children are naturally thin or not, consider taking the Fed Up Challenge as a family and go sugar-free for 10 days. Giving up sugar will be tough, but the rewards can be very sweet!
