Childhood Obesity

[MJS]

Saw this article in my local paper and thought it was worth talking about. I know this is one of those things that has the potential for people to say, "Dont tell me how to raise my kid!" so this is why I'm posting it...to get both sides of the story.

Community-based programs to halt childhood obesity are gaining popularity as schools, local governments, parents and health clubs work together to help children slim down and eat more healthfully.

First lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move campaign has helped push the issue to the forefront.

But some interventions may be working better than others, according to a study presented this week at the International Congress on Obesity in Stockholm. Researchers studied the success of three three-year community intervention programs, each targeting a different age group of more than 1,000 children — those younger than 5, primary school-age children and teens. Each group had a similar control population that received no intervention.

Its a no-brainer that many kids in the US are over weight. Some would rather sit in front of the tv, watching it or playing video games, rather than engaging in some physical activity. But I'm wondering...whos job is it to ensure the health and well being of children...the school system or the parents?

I have my own thoughts, which I'll post shortly.

 

[seasoned]

Its a no-brainer that many kids in the US are over weight. Some would rather sit in front of the tv, watching it or playing video games, rather than engaging in some physical activity. But I'm wondering...whos job is it to ensure the health and well being of children...the school system or the parents?

I have my own thoughts, which I'll post shortly.

Parents. Fat out of shape parents will teach their kids to be fat. Parents with bad eating habits will teach their kids to eat poorly. As parents we lead by example. It is our job as parents to give our kids the best start possible in life, mentally and physically.

 

[Ken Morgan]

Parents.
But most of us here live in some form of nanny state or other, where others know how best to live our lives and the lives of our families, and maybe they really do, but it is my life, and I will live it as I see fit. MYOB.
Hamburgers, French fries, chocolate and other crap food has been around for generations, the problem now is, life is busy, and kids, and we adults, do not get enough exercise.
You don’t need organized anything, throw the kids outside with some friends, within a few minutes they’ll have something figured out and will be playing some game or another.

 

[Touch Of Death]

Parents. Fat out of shape parents will teach their kids to be fat. Parents with bad eating habits will teach their kids to eat poorly. As parents we lead by example. It is our job as parents to give our kids the best start possible in life, mentally and physically.

Some pretty wide cracks for kids to fall through (I suppose they would need to be) if you want to just stop there. Not all parents are up for the task. I think presidential fitness awards and what not are what having leaders is all about.
Sean

 

[chrispillertkd]

You don’t need organized anything, throw the kids outside with some friends, within a few minutes they’ll have something figured out and will be playing some game or another.

Exactly.

The answer to this problem is as simple as letting - or even just telling - your kids that they are going to go outside and play for half and hour before they start their homework or have dinner. Also, how about the novel idea of realizing that things are good in moderation. McDonald's? Sure but how about once every other week instead of three times a week?

This isn't rocket surgery, people.

Pax

Chris

 

[chrispillertkd]

But I'm wondering...whos job is it to ensure the health and well being of children...the school system or the parents?

It's the responsibility of the same people who are in charge of the child's education ... THE PARENTS!

Schools are there to assist parents in teaching their children, not usurp that authority. Even if some parents fail to live up to our expctations of what good parents should do to raise children the state should butt out unless there are serious reasons to get involved (physical or sexual abuse, for example). A kid who doesn't get enough green leafy vegetables in his diet doesn't raise to the level of involvement, IMNSHO.

Pax,

Chris

 

[teekin]

Parents.
But most of us here live in some form of nanny state or other, where others know how best to live our lives and the lives of our families, and maybe they really do, but it is my life, and I will live it as I see fit. MYOB.
Hamburgers, French fries, chocolate and other crap food has been around for generations, the problem now is, life is busy, and kids, and we adults, do not get enough exercise.
You don’t need organized anything, throw the kids outside with some friends, within a few minutes they’ll have something figured out and will be playing some game or another.

Well Ken that's how it was for me and likely you as a kid and in most Canadian towns and cities still can be. But we come from good families who lived on quiet residential streets where the kids could pull nets into the road and play road hockey. Hell Road Hockey is a national sport. Everyone here knows the kids and puck have the right of way!!! Cars wait till the nets are pulled to the side and all kids are safely of the road before you creep through. The sidewalks and boulavards and parks and residential streets Belong!!! to the kids here. Everyone knows and obeys the "rules". So we feel safe kicking the kids outside to play.

But, but it's not like that everywhere is it? Ken, being a kid growing up in Canada in a safe neighborhood on a quiet street is winning the lottery of life. What about the kids who aren't so lucky?

Lori

 

[Omar B]

I think it has a lot to do with the culture here in the US. As a kid growing up in Jamaica I started karate at 5, my uncle who lived next door was a national soccer and cricket player and when I was not at school or karate he was coaching us. It was expected that I, and my cousins take part in both sports too.

Our grandparents were also farmers so on weekends when not in school it was expected (as in, there's no question about it) that we were on the farm helping out.

I didn't even know what a video game was till I was like 14.

 

[Ken Morgan]

But, but it's not like that everywhere is it? Ken, being a kid growing up in Canada in a safe neighborhood on a quiet street is winning the lottery of life. What about the kids who aren't so lucky? Lori

I’m thankful everyday that my parents immigrated to Canada.

Preaching to the choir Hun.

I was doing some teaching in an unnamed elementary school, in an unnamed district in New York State, and it was certainly an eye opener. What I noticed most, even for the working poor, is that they have no idea on how to “properly” raise a child to becoming a successful adult. Nutrition, literacy, fitness, self image, self respect, many of these kids had no understanding of what that all means, because of course, the parents have no idea what it all means. Poverty creates poverty, generations of poverty.

How do you break the cycle? It’s easy of course to say, just go and do it, haul yourself up by the bootstraps, my friend/neighbour/workmate did it, why can’t you? Etc, etc. But its more then that, these people see nothing wrong with what/how they raise their children, and consider it, quite correctly, as we do, no one else’s business. Who am I to tell someone the “correct” or “proper” way to raise their offspring?

It’s a difficult situation. I think the best we can do is educate, educate and educate.

 

[teekin]

See now that is where the schools and the state come in. Education is huge but the State need to give the kids Opertunities. Open doors to other ways of life, other points of veiw, a way to reach the stars that are drempt about. Good god, take the kids to Camp in a State park. Just for a week. Set up mentorships that allow kids to explore what facinates them. Give them the raw materials to dream and then the skills and Opertunities to make that dream real. But that takes Money, lots of it and commitment from the goverment to keep these programs running. Not so much of that going on these days.

Lori
PS awwwww, I'm your Hun.:drinky:KooleeO, I like that.

 

[BlueDragon1981]

Well my doctors were making a big deal of my kids not being on their charts. They were to small. They were healthy and developing fine, yet we had to find the issue of them being so small. Well perhaps it is genetics.

My kids aren't allowed to watch to much tv. I get mostly healthy food. The only kind of chips in my house are pretzels. My opinion is it is both the parent as the primary person to help with a healthy lifestyle. Society also has to play its part.

 

[MJS]

Been a bit busy, thus my lack of replies here. Sorry about that.

Anyways, my view on this is: I feel that its the parents job, not that of the school. The schools can serve all the healthy stuff they want, and make it mandatory for everyone to attend phys ed. class, but the fact remains that once the kid goes home, he can plop on his ***, with a 6-pack of soda on one side, a box of ring-dings on the other, and the PS3 remote in his hand.

Kids learn what they live. As proof of this, just watch the Biggest Loser or Jillians new show, and you'll see it first hand. You have huge parents, and huge kids. The kids dont know any better because they see what their parents do, and assume that its ok. The parents dont control their own habits, so why would anyone expect them to control their kids habits?

IMO, fighting the war of childhood obesity is like fighting the war on drugs. LOL. Its an uphill battle.

 

[Omar B]

Just saw this on the news today. A kid was sent home with a fat report!

Story and video here - http://www.myfoxboston.com/dpp/news/local/students-sent-home-with-fat-reports-20100716

 

[Carol]

The parent's responsibility?

You mean, the same parents that look at their kids struggling in math, and do nothing about it, dismissing it as "I was never any good at math, either..." and just extend that to "I never liked my veggies, either..." Those parents, right?

Sure, its the parent's responsibility to take care of the kids, but many times the adults don't know a hill of beans (pun intended) about cooking and nutrition themselves.

 

[Blade96]

Just saw this on the news today. A kid was sent home with a fat report!

Story and video here - http://www.myfoxboston.com/dpp/news/local/students-sent-home-with-fat-reports-20100716

Whoa. Someone's asking for anorexia nervosa. Ok we dont have enough cases of it already, lets create some more!

The parent's responsibility?

You mean, the same parents that look at their kids struggling in math, and do nothing about it, dismissing it as "I was never any good at math, either..." and just extend that to "I never liked my veggies, either..." Those parents, right?

Sure, its the parent's responsibility to take care of the kids, but many times the adults don't know a hill of beans (pun intended) about cooking and nutrition themselves.

I was never any good at math, my parents tried to help me, I think i would have not felt good if something was sent home saying that my rents were doing a sucky job of trying to teach math.

 

[K-man]

We certainly have a problem that in years to come will come up and bite us on the bum. Australia is challenging the US in the 'fat' olympics and that is a win that neither country can afford. Health costs will blow out the budgets of any country that allows this weight creep to continue. Cardiovascular disease and Type 2 Diabetes are endemic and the numbers are increasing.
Having said that, the problem is how to define obesity. BMI is not the greatest measure for children and it's not all that good for older people either. Most athletes will rate as 'overweight' if they have a normal sporting physique and frankly it pisses me off when my doctor writes overweight on my card. (For the record my BMI is 26.5 and I could lose a few pounds that most people don't see. Problem is, when I lose those pounds my face starts to look very old and drawn. Call it vanity if you like.)
The young girl in the video looks a bit chubby (we called that puppy fat 50 years ago) but hey, she's big for her age and the BMI is only 19.4. She's very active and if she continues the gymnastics I have no doubt she will develop a great body as she matures. Drawing parents' attention to obesity is great, as long as it is done in a targeted, constructive way. I'm not sure that the programme as presented to us is the best way, although it has promoted the issue.
As has been pointed out in previous posts, it is the parents who must lead by example. Sensible diet coupled with a decent exercise programme would see an end to the problem. Unfortunately we are now a lazy generation and we seem to be waiting for the drug companies to come up with the little pill that will let us eat like pigs and still have tight, fantastic bodies. Dream on!!!

 

[seasoned]

Been a bit busy, thus my lack of replies here. Sorry about that.

Anyways, my view on this is: I feel that its the parents job, not that of the school. The schools can serve all the healthy stuff they want, and make it mandatory for everyone to attend phys ed. class, but the fact remains that once the kid goes home, he can plop on his ***, with a 6-pack of soda on one side, a box of ring-dings on the other, and the PS3 remote in his hand.

Kids learn what they live. As proof of this, just watch the Biggest Loser or Jillians new show, and you'll see it first hand. You have huge parents, and huge kids. The kids dont know any better because they see what their parents do, and assume that its ok. The parents dont control their own habits, so why would anyone expect them to control their kids habits?

IMO, fighting the war of childhood obesity is like fighting the war on drugs. LOL. Its an uphill battle.

But as you say, that battle starts at HOME

 

[BlueDragon1981]

There are better measurements than the BMI. BMI is bull in my opinion. I am big but not severly obese like the BMI States. I have a bigger bone structure and have plenty of muscle. My doctor doesn't even agree with the BMI calculation one me. I have one area of my body that is not toned muscle. My stomach. I admit that is due to office job (and some stress, single father of 4 children) The BMI needs replaced. That is my opinion.

Now I do agree its the responsibility of parents it is also a responsibility of society. We as a group have to push certain things. Healthy food didn't come into schools from one person. You have to push for it. We are a fast food nation and that is not actually entirely our fault. When stuff is handed to people they often start to become accustom to the "easy" way. I know people who won't change the channel on the tv because they can't find the remote. Laziness has been pushed on us in many ways. First step is parents, second step is societial change.

Another issue is time. Many peoples time is split so many different ways. Even those who aren't have a perception of not having time. Another reason to shortcut and cut corners. Cut out the 3 hours of tv.... manybe you will have time. I'm not saying I don't watch tv. Well i don't in the traditional sense. I don't have cable. What i watch is on my time from the likes of hulu.com, etc. I watch after my kids are in bed for something to relax to. Most days I don't watch anything. I would say 2 to 3 out of 7 days. What has not having cable done. My kids play outside, they play inside, they have vivid imaginations, they look at books.

Another problem is our food we simply buy. It has so much added to it. I'm not saying go all organic (I also think that is a crock of $%^&) but you don't need to add more butter or salt... most things contain enough stuff without adding. Salt and sugar addiction is a major problem. No matter what the commercials say.... high fructose corn syrup in the amounts we get it is bad. There is no moderated amount of it today. Its in so many things. Including some condiments such as Mustard. Society needs to change those things..... one person cant.

 

[MJS]

The parent's responsibility?

You mean, the same parents that look at their kids struggling in math, and do nothing about it, dismissing it as "I was never any good at math, either..." and just extend that to "I never liked my veggies, either..." Those parents, right?

Sure, its the parent's responsibility to take care of the kids, but many times the adults don't know a hill of beans (pun intended) about cooking and nutrition themselves.

LOL, funny you should mention math. My wife and I were just talking the other day about how much things have changed from when we were in school. Her cousin has 3 girls and its amazing as to what they're being taught, as well as how easy it is to forget those lessons.

Then again, I said that were we to have kids and if there was something that I wasnt capable of helping them with, I'd find someone (a tutor) to help them or tell them to seek out help from the teacher.

Thats just me though...at least I'd do something, rather than let them sink.

But, I do see your point, and I touched on the same thing...how can parents help their kids if they dont eat right themselves? But funny how people will complain about overweight kids, yet let someone other than a parent step in and start making changes, you get all these people flocking out of the woodwork crying about their rights, and who is the school to tell them how to raise their kids. Damned if ya do, damed if ya dont.