In response to the rising rates of childhood obesity,

English children started getting screened at school and their parents informed of their

kids' weight status and the risk of excess body fat.

It did not go well. Telling parents that a lifetime of excess body fat can

increase cancer risk, for example, caused controversy and anger. Parents attributed weight

to genetics or puppy fat claiming their kids had healthy diets. One reason kids may not

be eating more healthfully is that their parents overestimate the

quality of their child's diet.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

If they think their kids are already eating well, then there's no reason to change.

The mothers of 2,000 preschoolers were interviewed.

What percentage of moms believed that their child's diet was good?

The vast majority.

What percentage of their kids' diet were actually good?

Even just according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's healthy eating guidelines,

which aren't exactly strict, only 0.2 percent.

One in every 500 kids. The vast majority of mothers overestimated

the quality of their child's diet. Here's an updated study, another 2,000 households,

just seeing if kids meet the fruit, vegetable, and sugar recommendations from the U.S.

Dietary Guidelines in the American Heart Association. Researchers looked at kids from ages 3 through

18 and relied on reporting from their own parents as to what they were eating. Overall,

the majority of parents strongly agreed that their kids ate healthfully. So how many of the

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