Childhood Obesity Rant

[jackie]

OK, I am so tired of seeing young, young children severely overweight.

I was in a restaurant and saw a child that could have been no more then 3, and she was absolutely enormous. My first thought was that she must have some sort of illness. Then her food came. She had an adults portion of chicken nuggets and french fries. There was a small "salad", which was really just a few slices of cucumber and tomato, which her mother promptly took off her plate.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE? Is it pure laziness on the parents part? Or do they not realize the damage they are doing to their child?

[Toby's my baby]

That is so sad. I too wonder if the parents honestly think they are doing anything wrong.

It also saddens me when I go to high school sporting events and seeing these 6/7/8th graders who are SO tinny, it is disgusting. They look like they are going to break.

[junescrater716]

I know I'm friends with this one girl who is like half the size of me. She was complaining the other day about how fat she was!!!!! I'm not fat and she's HALF THE SIZE OF ME!!!!!! I yelled at her and she kind of shut up but still she looks like shes going to be annorexic soon!!!

[junescrater716]

It's really sad my best friend is overweight and she needs seatbelt extenders. She joined a curves weight loss program but still it's really sad.

[lizbud]

OK, I am so tired of seeing young, young children severely overweight.

I was in a restaurant and saw a child that could have been no more then 3, and she was absolutely enormous. My first thought was that she must have some sort of illness. Then her food came. She had an adults portion of chicken nuggets and french fries. There was a small "salad", which was really just a few slices of cucumber and tomato, which her mother promptly took off her plate.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE? Is it pure laziness on the parents part? Or do they not realize the damage they are doing to their child?

This is a huge (pardon the pun) problem in the US. It didn't happen that much in my generation, but kids nowadays eat to much junk food. It is
sad and unhealthy.

[sparks19]

This is a huge (pardon the pun) problem in the US. It didn't happen that much in my generation, but kids nowadays eat to much junk food. It is
sad and unhealthy.

I heard on a TV commercial about childhood obesity (it was a foundation for it or something like that) that the vegetable most provided for kids is the french fry. not much a vegetable at all but in most cases it is the only one they get.

and not only is it that they eat too much junk food but they also sit on their butts all day playing video games and watching tv. I mean I played my fair share of video games when I was a kid but my favourite was a track and field game. You had to have this special pad and you actually had to do all the running and movements yourself to make your player move. They had the 500 M dash, hurdles, long jump, triple jump... etc etc. That game was so much fun. but I can also remember spending most of my time out riding my bike or going to the park with friends. now a days parents just plop them in front of a video game or the TV so they don't have to do anything with them.

it is very sad.

[GreyhoundGirl]

It is pretty sad. It seems there are a LOT of huge people in my school. But then again... they eat XL poutines with extra everything on it everyday at lunch. Then again, as also stated, there are a lot of really skinny kids at my school. However, there are very few "just right" kids. The big kids think they are fine, because their mommies tell them so, and the little kids think they're fat because they're been brainwashed by the media.

[Pembroke_Corgi]

I think parents that allow their children to be obese are obviously hurting their children, but I'm sure they don't see it that way. It's probably part of how the parents eat and live- I'm sure most obese youngsters don't come from fit parents. Parents need to be more of an example to their children, too, and live healthier.

[Argranade]

Some people should stop being so darn lazy these days, including me!

I feel dumb saying this but even tho I weigh only 101 pounds I wanna get to 97.

It would just make me feel better cause I have not gone outdoors all winter very much so it makes me feel kinda weird lol, I usualy weigh 98 but I don't look realy realy skinny .. just a normal thin.

[xcolbi]

It is pretty sad. It seems there are a LOT of huge people in my school. But then again... they eat XL poutines with extra everything on it everyday at lunch. Then again, as also stated, there are a lot of really skinny kids at my school. However, there are very few "just right" kids. The big kids think they are fine, because their mommies tell them so, and the little kids think they're fat because they're been brainwashed by the media.

I agree. DOWN WITH XL POUTINES!

[dukedogsmom]

I mean I played my fair share of video games when I was a kid but my favourite was a track and field game. You had to have this special pad and you actually had to do all the running and movements yourself to make your player move. They had the 500 M dash, hurdles, long jump, triple jump... etc etc. That game was so much fun. but I can also remember spending most of my time out riding my bike or going to the park with friends.

I LOVED that game! My friends and I had a blast playing that. I, too, was gone all day bike riding and swimming. We'd ride our bikes all the way across town to the big community pool. However, times have changed. Kids can no longer be out like that as it's so unsafe. I think that is sad

[Twisterdog]

I see some of both extremes. I've seen very heavy young children, which is indeed terribly sad. Children learn from their eating habits from their parents, and we all know bad habits are hard to break. Very irresponsible.

OTOH, I cannot count the number of my sixteen year old step-daughters friends who are grossly underweight, bulimic, anorexic, popping pills to lose weight, etc. That makes me just as sick ... that no one taught these girls that their beauty is natural, and so much more about who you are inside than what you weight.

[Catty1]

I know I followed in my father's "foodsteps". I have made long-term change, but I have to always be aware of that "following" thing.

I have seen lingerie ads in magazines - you know, the stuff that is made for 'real women's bodies'? All different sizes and shapes in that ad. Very positive.

Plus, I believe in Spain, and Italy, models have to have a minimum BMI of 18.5? No more anorexic stuff!

There are positive changes...let's hope they continue to grow!

[Pam]

they also sit on their butts all day playing video games and watching tv.

I agree with this entirely. In my neighborhood when my kids were growing up (the mid-1980's to the mid-1990's) the school bus would drop the kids off at 3:00 and by 3:10 kids were outside riding bikes, skating, playing hockey in the street and doing all kinds of things. I can't tell you the last time I saw a bicycle in my neighborhood. Do they even sell bikes to kids anymore? The kids now get off the bus and sit down in front of their TV or computer and that's how they spend their days. This is how they spend their summers too. Very sad.

[borzoimom]

OK, I am so tired of seeing young, young children severely overweight.

I was in a restaurant and saw a child that could have been no more then 3, and she was absolutely enormous. My first thought was that she must have some sort of illness. Then her food came. She had an adults portion of chicken nuggets and french fries. There was a small "salad", which was really just a few slices of cucumber and tomato, which her mother promptly took off her plate.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE? Is it pure laziness on the parents part? Or do they not realize the damage they are doing to their child?

Its highly upsetting Jackie- I agree..
My daughter was always thin- and it was like- " does she eat enough?".. duh nooooooooo- she is growing at a 100 miles an hour..
They have stated several times, if heavy as a child- they will be as an adult. I am not sure totally if that is true- but it does seem to follow a pattern later in life.