Children + Obesity: What's the real problem?

[ladymacbeth]

With all of the stories coming out about children and obesity, and the law suits directed at McDonald's and such, I was wondering what the real problem is...

My take on things at the moment is that it's NOT the food that is the problem. I've worked with a lot of kids through the United Way and YWCA, and I've seen the absolute SHIT that they get in their lunches...those terrible lunchables things with doughy pizza and cheese and snickers bars, sugary soda and fake juices, double helpings of cookies...

Ok, Ok, but man, my parents weren't health conscious when I was a kid either. I ate unbelievable amounts of food and stayed skinny as a mofo, because I swam and even without that, I was running around like a little squirrelly kid all day long until I was too exhausted to do anymore. All of my friends were too, and none of them ever had a weight problem...

Sooooo, my question is, what has happened to the importance of physical activity?? I don't think that the food is truly to blame with the child obesity problem, I think it's the lack of activity...what's happened? A lot of the kids I've had as campers or whatnot who were overweight were also the ones who were tired all the time, or who complained about hikes through the woods or water balloon fights, which would usually drive most kids into a frenzy...what do you think? I think that young people are naturally spunky and rambunctious...

I think a lot of it has to do with the whole ritalin--add thing. Not only are kids all drugged up much of the time, but showing any kind of crazy, outgoing personality is frowned upon, and those kids are singled out by other parents and teachers as being "problems" when they are, in fact, perfectly normal...questioning authority, painting on the walls, throwing the dodgeball too hard...they're KIDS, and everyone seems to think that they should be wee little adults...so, maybe the overweight adults only wish to have chubby little proteges, sleeping in their wake.

Tell me, what about it??????

(I know these are personal experiences I'm mentioning, but I'm sick of the same old bullshit "here's full documentation and proof for everything I said" threads. I want to hear some honest opinions, people!!)

 

[Robert Jan]

the problem is that many people fail to see that health is one of the most important things is life... something im extra aware of right now as im an intern in the hostpital in the operating room... and those that do see this often fail to see that being fit is very much the same as being healthy....

and of course the huge mass ignorance we all know about

 

[Y_lifter]

In order for your young child to get good physical exercise, it usually takes the parents involvement.

Driving them to the Y or to Ball practice or the park and staying there and participating.
Or paying for the activity but still needing to drive them.

A lot of parents are so caught up in their own lives that it's easier to just let their kids be in a Coma in front of the TV or Video Game.

 

[ladymacbeth]

A lot of parents are so caught up in their own lives that it's easier to just let their kids be in a Coma in front of the TV or Video Game.

This is my biggest problem. I had a mom tell me once, when her kid forgot to get his ritalin at lunch time (they had to go pick up the pills from a nurse) "What am I going to do? Now I have to deal with him..."

I get absolutely livid when I see perfectly healthy children being wasted away by the telly or drugs, when they could be living a real life. Instead, their parents treat them like pets, to be medicated and fattened up to please their time constraints or own particular tastes.

 

[Y_lifter]

I have just one 10 yr old Daughter.. I can only imagine what it must be like for those people with 3-4 kids.

Me and my wife have basically put our lives on hold for the most part to raise her.
I wouldn't trade a single Minute of the time I spend together as a family. She goes everywhere we go for the most part.
I think in the 10 years, my wife and I have gone to maybe a dozen places just the 2 of us.
We made a decision to restrict the number of children so we could give them more. We ended up with only 1.

 

[frorider6]

Me and my wife have basically put our lives on hold for the most part to raise her.

I think that's the wrong attitude. Cherish your time with your kids. If you're concerned about "putting your life on hold" then you shouldn't have them. My family will BE my life.

 

[bigschweeler]

Technology.

When I was growing up all we had was Pong, then later Atari (I killed Space Invaders, but I digress), and even later Apple II (I still love that old Oregon Trail game). We didn't have Game Boys, Game Cubes, X-Box, Playstation, a million choices on TV. So our entertainment was playing sports in the yard, and riding our bikes.

I remember being called to dinner while playing football outside and being disappointed because it ended our game. Then I would go inside and drink five glasses of milk with dinner, and run back outside to play.

It seems today instead of physical activity kids are either playing with their technological toys, on the computer, or watching TV. They aren't getting the physical exercise because there are so many diversions that are more fun to them.

 

[frorider6]

Technology.

When I was growing up all we had was Pong, then later Atari (I killed Space Invaders, but I digress), and even later Apple II (I still love that old Oregon Trail game). We didn't have Game Boys, Game Cubes, X-Box, Playstation, a million choices on TV. So our entertainment was playing sports in the yard, and riding our bikes.

I remember being called to dinner while playing football outside and being disappointed because it ended our game. Then I would go inside and drink five glasses of milk with dinner, and run back outside to play.

It seems today instead of physical activity kids are either playing with their technological toys, on the computer, or watching TV. They aren't getting the physical exercise because there are so many diversions that are more fun to them.

EXACTLY what I've always said about this!!!!!!

 

[gymnpoppa]

Parents....ultimately responsible.

And it doesn't make a real difference whether they're well off, or mid/poor class, the parents don't want to, or don't spend the time to educate themselves, let alone the kids.

 

[saint808]

i blame internet chat boards... we got a lot of kidson here rather than playing with themselves outside.

 

[Y_lifter]

Originally posted by frorider6
I think that's the wrong attitude. Cherish your time with your kids. If you're concerned about "putting your life on hold" then you shouldn't have them. My family will BE my life.

Fro, re-read my post, this time with your eyes open.
I have a life and it is my family.

My point is that a lot of other Parents think they can continue to act like teenagers going out partying every w/e and taking lots of vacations leaving the kids with someone else. Leaving the kids with before and after school care so they can move up the corp ladder working long hours. Hanging with their friends every day while the kids entertain themselves.

This is the Life I was referring to that I have put on hold.

 

[the nature boy]

some of it is food related, I've seen cases where food was used as a reward.

 

[Y_lifter]

Damn Skippy on the Skippy....

 

[saint808]

some of it is food related, I've seen cases where food was used as a reward.

in this country they reward knowledge... in places like Japan they punish ignorance... i think kids need to be punisehd more.

 

[Y_lifter]

Damn Skippy on the Up side the head Bippie

 

[bigschweeler]

some of it is food related, I've seen cases where food was used as a reward.

Are we talking about dogs or kids.

"Here Johnny, come. Now sit down and do your homework and you can have these six Twinkies I have sitting here waiting for you"

That is pretty sad.

My parents wouldn't even allow us to have sugar pop in the house. No Coke, Sprite, 7Up only when we had the flu.

 

[TheProject]

playing with themselves outside.

man, playing with yourself outside is never a good idea...

 

[Y_lifter]

Did someone just say "Suger POP" ??

 

[the nature boy]

7Up only when we had the flu.

I didn't know 7up had such medicinal properties.

 

[bigschweeler]

I didn't know 7up had such medicinal properties.

f

7UP yours buddy! j/k

 

[Lao Tzu]

Tell me, what about it??????

(I know these are personal experiences I'm mentioning, but I'm sick of the same old bullshit "here's full documentation and proof for everything I said" threads. I want to hear some honest opinions, people!!)

My opinion is the only problem with obesity is the health risks associated with it. If people want to be fat & inactive, good for them. As long as you don't get diabetes. Kids today are still active, they just use technology. 100 years ago work was mainly physical, but with the advent of technology about 80% of work involves the mind instead of the body. same with kids. when i was a kid i played nintendo rather than tag.

 

[danielson]

Re: Re: Children + Obesity: What's the real problem?

i actually had an opportunty to look at some of the research they have done on this, they thought obesity and type2diabetes might be linked to stress the mom gets during pregnancy but nothing 100% definitive has been found yet

diet has a lot to do with it but as you said a continously high fat high GI diet with low activity levels is gonna make you fat. genetics only plays so much of a role.

this is why HATE ronald mcdonald and his happy meals.

 

[ladymacbeth]

Re: Re: Children + Obesity: What's the real problem?

My opinion is the only problem with obesity is the health risks associated with it. If people want to be fat & inactive, good for them. As long as you don't get diabetes. Kids today are still active, they just use technology. 100 years ago work was mainly physical, but with the advent of technology about 80% of work involves the mind instead of the body. same with kids. when i was a kid i played nintendo rather than tag.

But I think there should be time for both...health makes everything else easier...I see a lot of overweight parents who are usually the biggest defenders of their overweight kids...but being a mother, and being overweight after HAVING kids is completely different then being a 9-year old kid and getting winded on a flight of stairs...

God, I don't know where this is going, I'm sort of just rambling now. I suppose I don't know whether to think that a positive body image is better, or a healthy body is better. Or is it possible to stress the importance of physical health while making sure the kid doesn't grow up to have some kind of crazy eating disorder?

Sometimes my friends who want to lose weight will ask me what I do, and I'll tell them to come to the gym with me and work out before class or something sometime, and they get so touchy that I don't know how to deal with it. I don't know how touchy kids are, but if I see someone unhappy with the shape s/he's in, I want to help, and help=get them to go running or eat their own food instead of mcdonalds...is it even possible to be sensitive and realistic without fucking some of these kids up for life?

 

[ladymacbeth]

Re: Re: Re: Children + Obesity: What's the real problem?

this is why HATE ronald mcdonald and his happy meals.

I've been horrified of ronald mcdonald since I was a kid...he's a scary mofo.

 

[danielson]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Children + Obesity: What's the real problem?

I've been horrified of ronald mcdonald since I was a kid...he's a scary mofo.

funny you should say that. ive always thought of him as the pied piper of the burger world too.....always thought he was gonna kidnap me. maybe it was a tactic of my parents to not get me eating junk food. all i know is i had to wait till i was 11 to eat a burger/chips for the first time

 

[ladymacbeth]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Children + Obesity: What's the real problem?

funny you should say that. ive always thought of him as the pied piper of the burger world too.....always thought he was gonna kidnap me. maybe it was a tactic of my parents to not get me eating junk food. all i know is i had to wait till i was 11 to eat a burger/chips for the first time

my parents used to get mcdonalds a few times a month, and I would hide from the big waving ronald...I am also scared of hamburgler, and mystified by mayor maccheese...

 

[danielson]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Children + Obesity: What's the real problem?

my parents used to get mcdonalds a few times a month, and I would hide from the big waving ronald...I am also scared of hamburgler, and mystified by mayor maccheese...

i thankfully never saw a ronald when i was young i cant stand the fact they give toys away too. when i was young i just wanted the toys. i didnt give a shit about the food. which is bad because if i did i probably would have got hooked

p.s. i have tried numerous times to give workout advice to friends and got into arguements.....i have come to the conclusion if they want help they can come and ask and come when its convienient to me and i will show em some movements. beware of someone that wants to be your 'training buddy' but refuses to workout on holidays/certain days etc, they will hold you back

if you do find someone dedicated its nice having someone to train with occasionally

 

[danielson]

p.s. i went searching for the DVD but it hasnt been put on shelves (big c.london store) even though its being advertised everywhere....it will probably be out oin a week or two, any luck with the email?

 

[ladymacbeth]

p.s. i went searching for the DVD but it hasnt been put on shelves (big c.london store) even though its being advertised everywhere....it will probably be out oin a week or two, any luck with the email?

No answer, so I sent another one out, not through my university address, because it's slow...what's the name of the book you want, you never told me...??

 

[danielson]

No answer, so I sent another one out, not through my university address, because it's slow...what's the name of the book you want, you never told me...??

i'll PM you it later ( cant remember the exact title), but if you cant get ahold of it then no worries. no worries it not urgent. i just thought i'd take a look in the store on my way home

 

[naturally anabolic]

the real problem is the lacksidasical attitude that has swept this country for the past few years, the great lengths the world has gone to to create "easy, fast" ways to stay in shape, and the surgeries which take exercises place. I spoke with my little brothers girlfriend the other night, a 15 year old girl and we were discussing the latest as far as trends and i brought up how some girls have issues with there weight and the first words out of her mouth was "oh if i ever get heavy i will get lipo" i was dumbfounded....its been engraved into the minds of youths already and it does not seem to be getting any better.


Fast food is another evil amongst people, especially young families, money is tight and fast food makes for a good substatute for a home cooked heathly meal. Not only that but there seems to be an underlying resurgence of the thin models which i had thought was only a passing trend of the late 90's, children see these images and think that is how they are supposed to be and upon realizing they cannot be this way they turn to the opposite and become heavy out of low self esteem and depression.

Last but not least is the all encompassing "instant gratification" that has killed our patience and destroyed our will to take time and do things right. This in alot of ways also relates to the use of steroids amongst young teens but thats another issue.

 

[ladymacbeth]

the opposite and become heavy out of low self esteem and depression.

The whole model thing is something I have issue with as well...I completely agree with you. The airbrushed females on the covers of magazine not only have very, very difficult (if not airbrushed to impossible) bodies to attain, but they don't even seem like bodies WORTHY of attaining. I even find the models on the cover of Shape pretty damn thin...when I think a lot of women on these boards have ideal shapes and great looking bodies...who wouldn't rather see Spatts or Nightfly up there working it for Gap...the ladies and dudes here look good, but children aren't brought up to idolize those perfectly attainable, exemplary figures...rather, they are brought up to want the body of some achingly thin model...whether the kid stops eating or eats too much, unhealthy imagery breeds unhealthy practice.

I, again, think that we should get together and go project mayhem on the fashion/food advertising industry.

 

[danielson]

I, again, think that we should get together and go project mayhem on the fashion/food advertising industry.

i personally wanna go kick the livin shit outta the allymc beal director

1) because he didnt kill everyone off apart from cage and fish and ling (funny ones)

2) he actually pestered his actresses to get thinner. WTF....ally mcbeal is almost in necrosis and he wants to promote this

shit the friends girls were GORGEOUS the first series and now they are just about moving away from stick insects status

 

[ladymacbeth]

shit the friends girls were GORGEOUS the first series and now they are just about moving away from stick insects status

I think that courteney cox, for a while there, was an utterly horrifying human being...

But I have gotten rid of cable, and now all I ever watch is law and order

 

[danielson]

I think that courteney cox, for a while there, was an utterly horrifying human being...

But I have gotten rid of cable, and now all I ever watch is law and order

ahh i still cling to my stupid box. dragonball Z is only on pay-tv so i'll kill anyone who goes near it

(p.s. you have PM )

 

[bigschweeler]

Re: Re: Re: Children + Obesity: What's the real problem?

i actually had an opportunty to look at some of the research they have done on this, they thought obesity and type2diabetes might be linked to stress the mom gets during pregnancy but nothing 100% definitive has been found yet
.

I like how "they're" always trying to come up with some kind of scientific definition for everything that falls outside of the norm.

Hey look little Johnny is fat, must be that his mother experienced stress while she was pregnant. What mother today doesn't suffer stress when she is pregnant?

Maybe the kid is just fat and lazy.

 

[ManOSteel]

Here is an excellent published paper on the topic entitled "Influence of parents' physical activity levels on activity levels of young children" in which I generally agree with the conclusions.


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=1993947&dopt=Abstract

 

[danielson]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Children + Obesity: What's the real problem?

I like how "they're" always trying to come up with some kind of scientific definition for everything that falls outside of the norm.

Hey look little Johnny is fat, must be that his mother experienced stress while she was pregnant. What mother today doesn't suffer stress when she is pregnant?

Maybe the kid is just fat and lazy.

it was meant to be dieary stress as in lack of protein. but yeah the research just showed they ould do this shit in animals, in humans no signifcant increase in diabetes was seen. ths was old research to be fair i just couldnt find anymore

 

[danielson]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Children + Obesity: What's the real problem?

I like how "they're" always trying to come up with some kind of scientific definition for everything that falls outside of the norm.

Hey look little Johnny is fat, must be that his mother experienced stress while she was pregnant. What mother today doesn't suffer stress when she is pregnant?

Maybe the kid is just fat and lazy.

it was meant to be dieary stress as in lack of protein. but yeah the research just showed they ould do this shit in animals, in humans no signifcant increase in diabetes was seen. ths was old research to be fair i just couldnt find anymore

simple solution- dont eat fast food .....though for some reason this isnt an option. i almost bust my gut when i heard aboutthat 'exercise pill'

wtf?!?

 

[gwl9dta4]

Man, is Ally McBeal the poster girl for anorexia or what? Also what's up with the condesending power tripping attitude against men on that show? I have to tell you, that is a great thing to teach young girls, skinny, anorexic power tripping women. Talk about good values.

I find obesity to be the decline of the human mind. People today are lazy and have little in the terms of good values, instant gratification is where it's at, like 7 minute abs. Also Credit cards further reinforce instant gratification, allowing people to live above their means. There is much more to obesity then meets the eye. An obese person is sick in the body and mind. They usually have very fragile mental attitudes.

 

[danielson]

Man, is Ally McBeal the poster girl for anorexia or what? Also what's up with the condesending power tripping attitude against men on that show? I have to tell you, that is a great thing to teach young girls, skinny, anorexic power tripping women. Talk about good values.

i never 'fully' understood the show. v. confusing from the start

 

[Boach]

i blame internet chat boards... we got a lot of kidson here rather than playing with themselves outside.

I'd prefer if kids played with themselves in the privacy of their own bathroom. I just don't want to be driving by and see that.

 

[Boach]

Child obesity is all related. Remember, obesity in general is on the rise as well. As long as parents allow themselves to be fat fucks, inevitably, the children will follow suit.

I think we all need to incorporate physical activity more. I admit, however, it is more difficult with all the entertainment being developed through technology that requires your fingers to be the only part exercised.

 

[ladymacbeth]

I think we all need to incorporate physical activity more. I admit, however, it is more difficult with all the entertainment being developed through technology that requires your fingers to be the only part exercised.

agreed. When did we decide that going on some site about biology was better then going pond swimming? Ok, ok, so I was raised in the country...that's obvious. But I was so hyperactive as a kid, I would most certainly be medicated to the teeth if I were a 7 years old today...but now I'm just a hyperactive adult, I work at two magazines, go to school full time, and go to the gym all the time, party on the weekends, roadtrips, etc...I keep busy and when I gain weight, I lose it...

I think one of the problems is also that people have gained this amazingly unhealthy relationship towards food...whether they're scared to eat or overeat, I think we've been conditioned with commercials to hate ourselves every time we put some "luxury item" in our mouth...after all, watch commercials sometimes, the ones at the 'college television network' go something like "slim fast, snickers, cover girl make up, gap, coke, slim fast, pizza hut" or so on.

Sometimes the world disgusts me, why can't we just learn to eat it and burn it, and get on with ourselves?

 

[Boach]

agreed. When did we decide that going on some site about biology was better then going pond swimming? Ok, ok, so I was raised in the country...that's obvious. But I was so hyperactive as a kid, I would most certainly be medicated to the teeth if I were a 7 years old today...but now I'm just a hyperactive adult, I work at two magazines, go to school full time, and go to the gym all the time, party on the weekends, roadtrips, etc...I keep busy and when I gain weight, I lose it...

I think one of the problems is also that people have gained this amazingly unhealthy relationship towards food...whether they're scared to eat or overeat, I think we've been conditioned with commercials to hate ourselves every time we put some "luxury item" in our mouth...after all, watch commercials sometimes, the ones at the 'college television network' go something like "slim fast, snickers, cover girl make up, gap, coke, slim fast, pizza hut" or so on.

Sometimes the world disgusts me, why can't we just learn to eat it and burn it, and get on with ourselves?

Well, you can complain or try to set an example by living the life that doesn't disgust you. Keep with you, that determination to be healthy and avoid the commercialism that plagues society. Hopefully, you'll be able to instill these values into your children and they will continue it....so on and so forth.

Hell, I know I will!

 

[ladymacbeth]

LMB, since you mentioned my physique (and nightflys), I thought I'd add my two cents. I modeled for many years, I wasn't always a "big girl." In fact, j

Just wasn't to say I wasn't saying that you were "big girls", rather just good looking chicas. That's actually one of the small problems I have sometimes, the creepy skinny girls become labeled "hot" and the "Hot girls" are "big", as in bigger then those girls I guess? Either way, y'all look good and you spatts have admirable goals.

 

[ladymacbeth]

He will come to me and say, "Need some protein mama. Scrambled eggs, please?" It melts my heart to hear the words "amino acid" coming out of a two year old. He will never know any different.

Are you sure that's your son and not TheProject?

 

[The Shadow]

Everywhere Project and I go, people assume he's Project's kid becuse they have the exact same coloring...opposite of mine.

Crayola's new "Ugly -no lait"

 

[TheProject]

Funny you should mention that about Project. Everywhere Project and I go, people assume he's Project's kid becuse they have the exact same coloring...opposite of mine.

I hope when I have kids they're as wonderful as he is.

 

[Temple]

LMB, since you mentioned my physique (and nightflys), I thought I'd add my two cents. I modeled for many years, I wasn't always a "big girl." In fact, just this time last year I was 5'9'', 140, and about 8-10% fat by hydro. Pics you see of me now are VERY different (5'9'', 185, 17%). My point in spitting out all those numbers is that the basics of nutrition have been the same for me since I was in about 3rd grade, when I strated running track year-round competitively, irrespective of my weight or body fat. Whether I'm trying to put on size, take it off, lift more weight, run a lil faster, whatever...I STILL eat 6-8 times a day, and still make clean food choices. The cals get shuffled around to suit my needs and goals.

Why do I eat clean and frequently? Because my coches asked my mom to do that for me, and that's what I always knew. Parents and/or coaches, whoever the guiding lights are, play such a crucial role. Leading by example and educating the whys of that example are key.

My son, who is 2, eats the same clean foods as me, 6-8 times a day. Sure, he gets more carb type snacks, but even those are decent (nuts, oats, natural popcorn, etc...). He will come to me and say, "Need some protein mama. Scrambled eggs, please?" It melts my heart to hear the words "amino acid" coming out of a two year old. He will never know any different. It will never be weird for him to eat the way we do; no major adjustments necessary.

As a parent, I am responsible, held accountable, for the health of my son. I put the best in him, and help him to understand why he should want the best for himself. Active healthy parents have a gift to pass on. Too bad we are lacking active and healthy parents. When was the last time you saw an obese child at the mall standing next to an athletic mom or dad? Whether it's stress, work, mental anguish, emotional dispair, etc... people are fatter and lazier. Children are walking representation of who we really are and what we really do.

It's a bad cycle. Instead of paying it forward, parents are indebting it forward.

You would see it if you saw me at the mall with my daughter. She is 8 and we have done the whole doctor thing and everything appears to be fine. She is 8 and it seems to be a genetic thing to a large degree. Myself, my sisters and my son were all very overweight as children and at puberty leaned out. She is active and eats basically the same way that her father and I do. There is some junk in there as she goes around the corner to my sister's house where there are always chips and pop and cookies but overall her diet is far better than 90% of the children in this country. I am pretty much at a loss and it is very hard for her as she is at the age where she gets picked on because of her weight.

 

[Temple]

Yup - ya did and now I'm pissed. From here on out the only conversation we will engage in is Flame WARS!!!!!!


Geez Spats - you know it is almost impossible to offend me. Actually I am just almost at the end of my rope trying to help her and am at a loss. Clothes shopping is a nightmare to say the least. Part of my summer project will be trying to find something that will help her. She is a real tomboy so the problem must lie within her diet.

 

[aurelius]

in this country they reward knowledge... in places like Japan they punish ignorance... i think kids need to be punisehd more.

Maybe you were kidding. If not, do you know anything about Japan. Serious societal problems due to out moded cultural traditions.