So back in the day when I grew up and before my time kids rode bikes every where or they walked to friends houses and such. I think now though with the invention of the internet and cell phones and more news stories getting out on subjects that parents are more fearful about letting kids do this with out supervision of an adult. So instead of letting the kid ride their bike to a friends house the parent will drive them and drop them off. Thoughts?
I have a theory on child obesity.
- Thread starter JonnyVito
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No manditory PE. Kids don't play outside much in general. Shaming the fat kid is more unacceptable now (not that that is wrong). Families don't eat scheduled meals together (which leaves the kids fixing whatever they want, whenever they want)
Think about it though we all did that stuff growing up. I played a ton of video games but I always rode my bike a mile or more to my buddies house to play. I thought of this because I noticed a person who walked every were then got a car and now has gained a bunch of weight after not walking to work every day.
It's certainly part of the problem.
I'm going to say loss of PE and recess time in public schools is also a big part of the problem.
Then there's what they're eating. We've subsidized the agriculture industry poorly. It shouldn't be cheaper to buy boxed-corn-syrup-on-a-stick for snacks than fruit.
I'm going to say loss of PE and recess time in public schools is also a big part of the problem.
Then there's what they're eating. We've subsidized the agriculture industry poorly. It shouldn't be cheaper to buy boxed-corn-syrup-on-a-stick for snacks than fruit.
RedSon has hit it. While the decrease in activity is partially to blame the HUGE problem is that we are creating this problem. We supply food stamps to low income people, they buy cheap food which is moslty processed and sugar filled because they are trying to get more food not better food, which creates fat kids, which creates fat adults that raise fat kids and have to be on food stamps because they are too fat to work.
I see the walking part of your theory here.
Check this out though... If these kids are from poor families that can't always travel to the grocery store they may be limited, at least part of the time, to what they can purchase at that CVS or the 7-11 across the street. Besides, in addition to saving on travel time and gas money, that soda and candy was probably less than an apple and orange juice anyway.
Cell phones is a big part. Hell I see a lot of kids now who are too lazy to get a drivers license.
High carb, processed food is a big part too.
Video games is a problem but the ability to play against people on line is a far bigger problem. There's no reason to ever stop playing and go outside.
High carb, processed food is a big part too.
Video games is a problem but the ability to play against people on line is a far bigger problem. There's no reason to ever stop playing and go outside.
Oh I 100% agree about how the food industry is structure with corn products being very cheap yet unhealthy all while veggies cost a lot more. I have started juicing so I go through a bunch of veggies and fruits a week. I make two juices a day so 10 total and just the veggies and fruits cost around 130 bucks a week. So I spend about 500 bucks a month on veggies and fruits alone. Compare that to a 3 dollar giant box of captian crunch and I tell you what some one on a low food budget will choice.
I can only speak for my school district. (Plano ISD). Kids are required to take PE in elementary and middle school, but there are ways to get your kid out of it. Obviously, they can participate in school associated sports. That can replace the PE requirement. In addition, parents can apply for off campus PE. For example, if your daughter takes dance classes, that can be substituted for PE. You have to keep a log and submit it to the school, showing that she has completed X amount of hours of dance at the studio per week. The school could always check with the studio to verify that the log is accurate, but they never do. So, if your kid doesn't want to take PE, there are ways to get around it if the parents are willing to make it happen.
On top of that, my son currently takes PE. It is not what it was when I was in school. They give the kids about 10 options as to what they want to do during that hour each day. It seems like only about half of the options actually result in the kid burning any significant calories that would counter the junk food/sodas that a lot of kids eat these days.
My child was stabbed to death inside the womb of my wife while I was at my uncles wedding.
Do I have to have a child to enter this debate? I am not telling you how to raise your kids just saying the world has changed and it didn't help the kids out. I wouldn't let my kids walk all over town alone unless they were older. I am not blaming parents for this issue or saying it is wrong to love your kid enough to give them a ride so you know they are safe.
Do I have to have a child to enter this debate? I am not telling you how to raise your kids just saying the world has changed and it didn't help the kids out. I wouldn't let my kids walk all over town alone unless they were older. I am not blaming parents for this issue or saying it is wrong to love your kid enough to give them a ride so you know they are safe.
I thought after I posted that "I hope no one thinks this really happened and they get the reference". Made me think of that Jon Snow dinner party skit.
Why don't we start taking food away from overweight people and start giving it to malnourished people. Food equality for everyone!! The United States would be such a better place if this happened.
We should put fat people and smokers in jail. Their behavior negatively affects the rest of us and they should be jailed like the other addicts.
I can't believe the crap posted in this thread, and I'm not directing my commentary at you. That said, WTF part of parenting is missing from this discussion? A "circle-jerk" blame game (insert favorite blame here) plays well as a straw-man to divert attention from the real problem; it starts at home with "competent adult supervision".
On your theory, I don't think it's just technology. I have read an article that a family up in (I think) the north east had CPS called on them two times because they let their 2 kids (oldest is 10 if I remember right) walk to their neighborhood park on their own. After the first incident the parents made cards for their kids to carry to give adults that ask that says they're not lost and their parents know they're on their own. The last time someone called the police, the kids were taken to the station and were not given back until CPS interviewed the parents.
I don't know about you, but I grew up riding my bike all around my neighborhood and to the large park that was also in the neighborhood. When the street lights came on, I went home.
So yes technology has kept some kids from exploring the world on their own, but the adults are also at fault for forcing them to be with their parents at all times if they're out side their house.
This pains me to say it, but I'd rather people on foodstamps get a discount on fruits and veggies than be able to buy cheap processed foods.
Don't feed your kids crap. When they want a snack, give them an apple and some peanut butter or yogurt, not Oatmeal Cream Pies or strapping on some Lays like a feed bag. Make them drink water and not pound Mountain Dew all day. Parents using video games and tablets to babysit their kids so they don't have to deal with or play with them is the worst. Make them go outside and play, hell even get into some trouble. I think it's sad when you see a family at a restaurant and both kids are on a tablet or a device and the parents are diddling on the phone. What the hell did you go out to eat together for if you didn't want to enjoy each other's company?
I swear the kids across the street from us play video games all day long and I've seen them outside less than 20 times in 2 years and all they eat is pizza and fast food that their parents either have delivered or their 16 year old brings home for he and his 6 year old brother so their parents don't have to cook for them. I have lots of memories of riding bikes, ramps, playing in the woods, catching snakes, etc. from childhood. What are these kids gonna' think of their childhood when they look back and all they really remember is holding a controller and siting in front of a TV?
I swear the kids across the street from us play video games all day long and I've seen them outside less than 20 times in 2 years and all they eat is pizza and fast food that their parents either have delivered or their 16 year old brings home for he and his 6 year old brother so their parents don't have to cook for them. I have lots of memories of riding bikes, ramps, playing in the woods, catching snakes, etc. from childhood. What are these kids gonna' think of their childhood when they look back and all they really remember is holding a controller and siting in front of a TV?
As someone who has worked at a grocery store as a checker for multiple years I call BS on that one. 9 out of 10 of food stamp shoppers aren't making an effort worth a damn to eat healthy or within reason with their EBT card. Tax dollars and food stamps being used for cart after cart filled with cases of coke, bags of chips, Marie Callender frozen pies, Little Debbies, etc being pushed by 300 pounders. It really was an eye opening experience when I was in my teens. You trying to tell me they're getting more for "their money" by going that route? No, they're just lazy and have no desire to eat healthy. They're cool with being fat. What you can use your food stamps for needs some serious overhaul because unless it has changed it's everything except booze, tobacco, and food for immediate consumption. I can't tell you how many times kids came into the store and paid for $10-20 worth of candy and liters of soda with their mama's EBT card because she sent them to get a "snack"...
You're not getting more of anything when you're just buying crap. Soda and chips is an integral part of the human diet, would definitely be hard to get by without that.
The amount of money they get on these EBT cards is far more than enough for them to shop respectfully from my experiences. That was over a decade ago. It all boils down to laziness imo. Why work when you can sit on your ***, eat junk, watch TV, and be fat? To some that's a good life.
The amount of money they get on these EBT cards is far more than enough for them to shop respectfully from my experiences. That was over a decade ago. It all boils down to laziness imo. Why work when you can sit on your ***, eat junk, watch TV, and be fat? To some that's a good life.