There are a lot of factors causing childhood obesity. In 95% of the cases, it's the parents (the other 5% is from diseases that cause weight gain). I've seen previous Dr. Phil shows where obese parents have an obese kid and are in total denial about the child's problems. They say that their child is "big" or "robust," while being unconcerned that little Johnny or Suzie can't run around like the other kids. A 5-year-old isn't the one in the family planning the meals. If a parent buys lots of junk foods, that is what the child will eat.
Another factor is the lack of activity. When I was in school, I had PE (Sport) and recess every day. Many schools have cut PE and recess in order to push more academics and get kids to improve on standardized tests. There are also school districts which do not allow kids to walk or ride their bikes to school. I recently read an article on another forum that I belong to about a 12-year-old boy in Florida who was suspended from school for riding his bike to school. His mother rode with him too! In the area in San Diego where I used to live, the local elementary school was a 10-minute (at the most) walk from my house. But because the kids had to cross a busy street (with a light), they weren't allowed to walk to school and had to take the bus. Kids now also watch more TV and play with electronic games instead of spending that time outdoors. Parents are also at fault too because most American adults don't exercise. Therefore, kids aren't getting good models to motivate them to be active.
A third factor is that some foods are literally drugs. I just finished reading a book ("The End of Overeating" by Dr. David Kessler) which cited many studies showing that foods high in fat, salt, or sugar (or a combo of those) stimulate the same areas of the brain that drugs such as alcohol or cocaine do. Even the thought of a favorite dessert will trigger activity in that part of the brain. In addition, the pleasure that's triggered by that part of the brain will override the body's satiety signals. For a certain percentage of the population, these types of foods are drugs. Once they start eating cookies, cake, McDonalds burgers, etc., they can't stop. It's like an alcoholic not being able to stop at two drinks. Early exposure to high fat/salt/sugar foods leads to kids losing the ability to know when they are full. Food manufacturers play to this and design foods that make people crave even more. Restaurant food is loaded with hidden fats, salt, and sugars to get diners to eat more. That's one reason why people can eat a calorie bomb dessert after a big meal.
I'd love to hear Aleksei's take on this issue and find out what medical schools are currently teaching their students about obesity, exercise, and nutrition.
__________________ Poor prior planning on your part doesn't constitute an emergency on mine.
When I was a kid there was no option for eating veggies. We each got a portion every night whether we liked it or not! Now, I have gotten very good at adding veggies in place I would have never thought of before. Like meat loaf, pasta dishes, and mexican foods. I also learned this summer that I like fresh corn on the cob without butter.
My mom made a very good observation the during the summer. We rarely ever heard kids in our neighborhood and we live where there are plenty of kids. Growing up, we lived in the country and my mom said she heard more voices out there then were we live now. I know parents are afraid that kids are going to get kidnapped but there were more kidnapping in the 50's then today.
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Q- What is your ultimate goal as a coach?
A- "Some days my ultimate goal is not to screw up. Other days my goals are more grandiose, I assure you." Barry Weiner- men's head coach Cal- Berkeley
Wasn't the general attitude of many parents back then that if you didn't eat what was put in front of you, you got no dinner at all? Makes me think back to Where the Wild Things Are although the kid was getting punished for throwing a fit. But hey, parents didn't bother to serve you dinner back then if you were a brat or didn't like what you had.
I don't think parents can get away with that as easily now.
__________________ "En el altar de mi credo particular, nada, nadie me importa más que la música de tus labios."
Wasn't the general attitude of many parents back then that if you didn't eat what was put in front of you, you got no dinner at all? Makes me think back to Where the Wild Things Are although the kid was getting punished for throwing a fit. But hey, parents didn't bother to serve you dinner back then if you were a brat or didn't like what you had.
I don't think parents can get away with that as easily now.
In our house it was just the veggies (the famous no thank you portion) that you had to eat and my mother is not a short order cook so if you didn't like what else she served make your own meal. I was a very picky eater and learned to swallow food that I didn't like BUT it has served me well as an adult. I can go anywhere and eat anything without insulting the people cooking. But I know what you are saying. I am more concerned because some kids won't eat veggies/fruits and their parents allow them to not eat them. They need to find a way to get them to eat those veggies!
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Q- What is your ultimate goal as a coach?
A- "Some days my ultimate goal is not to screw up. Other days my goals are more grandiose, I assure you." Barry Weiner- men's head coach Cal- Berkeley
we didnt get dessert much, but the threat was clean your plate or no dessert.
There aren't more predators out there, people are just more aware of them because of all the electronic media.
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I subscribe to the belief that we should allow the team competition to award the best team in the world, not necessarily the one with the least bad luck. Dominique Moceanu
Yeah, I don't think there are necessarily more pervs and predators out there now than back then, but perhaps people are more aware of them because of the media. But also people just aren't as "neighborly" anymore! I mean, how many of you actually know your neighbors or have even spoken to them? So many families in my neighborhood have come and gone that my family and another guy with his wife across the street are one of the few original, first owners of our homes in the neighborhood. They are the only "neighbors" I am familiar with. I've never spoken a word to either of my next-door neighbors.
As a result of less neighborly contact, there's not much of a "neighborhood watch" among people. I remember when I used to play with my friends in the neighborhood how all the parents would basically keep an eye on us. I mean, I knew my parents peaked out the window to check up on me but I'm sure it made them feel at ease to see my neighbor's parent hang around pulling weeds as we brats were running a muck in the streets.
__________________ "En el altar de mi credo particular, nada, nadie me importa más que la música de tus labios."
Wasn't the general attitude of many parents back then that if you didn't eat what was put in front of you, you got no dinner at all? Makes me think back to Where the Wild Things Are although the kid was getting punished for throwing a fit. But hey, parents didn't bother to serve you dinner back then if you were a brat or didn't like what you had.
I don't think parents can get away with that as easily now.
My son has to eat what's being served. If I give him a new food, he must take at least 3 big bites of it. Sometimes I'll give him a modification of what my husband and I are eating, as long as no extra effort is required to make it (e.g. when I make tostadas, my son gets a quesadilla with the meat/bean mixture on the side). I don't make separate meals for him. If he doesn't want to eat what's served, then he goes hungry and gets no dessert.
When I went to Girl Scout camp in the early '70s, the rule was that we had to eat our veggies or be on the dishwashing crew. That camp must have received a special deal on the giant cans of beets, because it seemed like we had them every other night. I washed a lot of dishes on beet night. I doubt that camps can get away with that now.
As to what JennFyre and Nico said about kids playing outside....there's such a difference between Southern California and small town Germany. Here in Germany the kids are always out walking or riding their bikes around the neighborhood or back and forth to school or their friends' houses. Where I used to live in Germany, it was like "Smalltown USA" circa 1950. The kids played all over the neighborhood with various parents keeping a lookout. When my son was about 4 or 5, he remarked at how the suburban neighborhoods in San Diego and Los Angeles were "very lonely places" because we were the only people out walking.
That said, there seem to be more and more overweight kids in Germany than there used to be. Those are the kids who don't walk or ride their bikes to school and stay inside watching TV or playing with their Game Boys. In the years I've been here, there also seems to be more and more prefab food in the supermarkets. American fast food is pretty big here too. In my city we have 2 McDonald's, a Burger King (across the street from a McDonald's), Pizza Hut, and Subway.
__________________ Poor prior planning on your part doesn't constitute an emergency on mine.
I'd say American eating habits are pretty much spreading across the rest of the West; anyone we have any kind of contact and influence on.
I remember when I was little living in Spain, my favorite snack was a bit of dried fish on a small baguette. The "junkiest" thing I remember eating back then was, perhaps, Nutella (which I still love). I can only imagine what Spanish kids eat now with so many more options.
__________________ "En el altar de mi credo particular, nada, nadie me importa más que la música de tus labios."
At my high school, there was plenty of junk food sold in the vending machines, for food days, etc. It was common for people to bring frozen microwavable lunches to eat. We had a rather laid back PE requirement that if anything was more lenient than at public school. Driving was probably the most common way people got to school. Students, especially females, were warned against walking home at night out of fear of rape. TV was one of the number 1 forms of entertainment.
Despite this, there were very few obese/overweight people at my high school. I would say that there were more underweight people, in fact!
Bottom line: Let's not make generalizations about weight and lifestyle, people! I've always been lean, ever since childhood, but I would NEVER say that I have a wonderfully healthy lifestyle. I've known plenty of overweight people who get far more exercise and eat healthier food than I do. Also, remember that life expectancy has gone up, not down, along with the obesity rate.
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"Life is demanding... without understanding." - Ace of Base
At my high school, there was plenty of junk food sold in the vending machines, for food days, etc. It was common for people to bring frozen microwavable lunches to eat. We had a rather laid back PE requirement that if anything was more lenient than at public school. Driving was probably the most common way people got to school. Students, especially females, were warned against walking home at night out of fear of rape. TV was one of the number 1 forms of entertainment.
Despite this, there were very few obese/overweight people at my high school. I would say that there were more underweight people, in fact!
Bottom line: Let's not make generalizations about weight and lifestyle, people! I've always been lean, ever since childhood, but I would NEVER say that I have a wonderfully healthy lifestyle. I've known plenty of overweight people who get far more exercise and eat healthier food than I do. Also, remember that life expectancy has gone up, not down, along with the obesity rate.
Yes, it has gone up but with a very high medical pricetag and for some older people a questionable quality of life.
With obesity (and other unhealthy choices) comes a higher rate of diabetes (and medication), heart disease (medication and may surgery costing tens of thousands of dollars), cancer (extremely expensive treatment), high blood pressure (expensive medication)...
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