Obesity in children. - Writers Forum

Sam Winchester · 06-08-2008, 02:54 PM

Last week, I read an article in an Irish magazine about obesity in children. According to it, there has been a 15% raise in obesity in children over the last ten years. Surely this is a subject which demands the attention of our government? For that matter, is it not a subject which demands worldwide attention? Don't get me wrong - there's nothing wrong with being overweight, but I don't think children should be overweight, much less obese. I think the parents have to be, to some degree, blamed for it. How could anyone let their child get to that degree?

What do you guys think: Are the parents to blame, are the children to blame, or is it okay for children to be obese?

Non Serviam · 06-08-2008, 04:27 PM

Each generation lives in a whole new world compared to the one that lived before.

When you and I were kids, Sam, we'd go and play with our friends. That would usually involve doing something energetic and physical and working up a sweat, because those were the most fun things available.

These kids go and play on some game console, because that's the most fun thing available. Their parents are warier of letting them outside to play, because the media have taught us to be more afraid of our neighbours, and besides, games consoles are pretty good.

When you and I were kids, we learned to idolise the sportsmen and the athletes. Someone who hung around indoors and played on computers was a nerd. Nerds tried to avoid speaking to the sport-players at all, really, and when they couldn't avoid it, they were respectful. So nobody wanted to be a nerd.

Nowadays, we're in the Nerd Generation where academic ability and facility with computers are tickets to well-paid jobs; and sport-playing is a ticket to the dole queue. Today, when a nerd speaks to a sport-player, they're usually saying "Yes please, I would like fries with that." So now the kids want to be nerds.

What kids need are:
a) Affordable, enjoyable physical activities to do, and
b) The freedom to use them without their parents stopping them out of fear, and
c) Positive role-models who show physical strength and prowess.

21st century culture deprives children of all three. Particularly female children--males do have athletic-type role models. Females just don't.

So, who's to blame?

Sam Winchester · 06-08-2008, 04:36 PM

Okay, Serv, the parents may be afraid to let their children outside because of the way things are in the world right now. I appreciate that. However, that doesn't mean they have to feed them junk food. When I was younger, junk food was only allowed on the weekends in my house. As you say, I used to play in parks every day, spend the weekends playing games for my local GAA club, and generally keeping fit. Nowadays, I keep fit by doing weights and the odd cardiovascular session now and again. I play computer games now and again, but it never gets in the way of my workouts.

Non Serviam · 06-08-2008, 04:42 PM

Ask the people who're parents on this site--I bet none of them feed their kids junk food, except perhaps as an occasional treat.

Sam Winchester · 06-08-2008, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Non Serviam

Ask the people who're parents on this site--I bet none of them feed their kids junk food, except perhaps as an occasional treat.

I'm sure that the people on this site are good parents, but I'm talking about people who are feeding their kids junk food.

BOURBON · 06-08-2008, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sam Winchester

I'm sure that the people on this site are good parents, but I'm talking about people who are feeding their kids junk food.

It would help if the schools wouldn't have vending machine's selling crap. At my daughter's school, in the wake of Jamie Oliver's school-dinner bashing, they introduced a policy of no crisps or cake without a sandwhich ....so the kids were buying sandwiches and throwing them in the trash.

JosephB · 06-08-2008, 05:25 PM

Quote:

So, who's to blame?

Parents still have to assume most of the responsibility. It takes a little effort to make sure kids eat healthy foods, but it's possible. Being sedentary is part of the problem, but much obesity stems from eating high calorie foods. It just makes a healthy diet more important than ever.

All if it takes effort. Restricting television and computer time, playing with your children, driving them to activities or to the park. No, not everyone can do these things. But if it's not the parent's responsibility, who's is it? Mother Government?

A-L · 06-08-2008, 05:46 PM

I always ate junk food and still do, the only thing that keeps me in shape is the fear that I'll get fat and grow man boobs. *shudders* Well, plus I like the feeling of being in shape, it feels great.

Sam Winchester · 06-08-2008, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A-L

I always ate junk food and still do, the only thing that keeps me in shape is the fear that I'll get fat and grow man boobs. *shudders* Well, plus I like the feeling of being in shape, it feels great.

No problem eating junk food when you're physically active. It's children who eat junk food and sit on their asses all day long that have a problem. I guess growing up on a farm denies you the luxury of getting to sit on your ass. From I was seven, my father had me doing all kinds of things - driving the tractor, mowing the lawn, helping him with cattle. When I wasn't doing that, I was always active. I played football every day with my neighbours, trained with my GAA team three to four nights a week, and rode my bike everywhere around the countryside. The only time I wasn't active was on Sundays - the day I played computer games.

ash somers · 06-08-2008, 06:03 PM

jesus christ, i wouldn't like to use the werd blame, samuel
i have 5 children and fortunately none of them have a weight problem
providing healthy and wise food choices whilst kicking them out the door
and off activities such as nintendo, computers and play stations helps immensely
i think we're all far too vain to let ourselves get fat, or too skinny for that matter
there's a very interesting article in this weekends sunday age about the new male chic
it shows a picture of a waif like male in the tightest pair of jeans you ever seen, eeew

we eat junk food once a fortnight on my pay day - love fish and chippys

JosephB · 06-08-2008, 06:15 PM

Quote:

jesus christ, i wouldn't like to use the werd blame, samuel

Blame may not be the right word. It's the parent's responsibility.

ash somers · 06-08-2008, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Non Serviam

...
What kids need are:
a) Affordable, enjoyable physical activities to do, and
b) The freedom to use them without their parents stopping them out of fear, and
c) Positive role-models who show physical strength and prowess.

21st century culture deprives children of all three. Particularly female children--males do have athletic-type role models. Females just don't.

So, who's to blame?

well spoken non, yes, i think it's very difficult for some children
my son had his recital night just recently and we all went to see
him perform a stand up comedy routine for his drama class. brilliant

a couple of the girls that night, i couldn't help but notice
were quite large, in fact i'd say they are obese, sadly :/
and i really felt for them, you could see they were struggling
with their appearance and their performance was inhibited by it
i was a sticky beak and watched these girls after the show and
they have obese parents, who seemed quite introverted and shy

i wonder who is responsible, the people who are overweight, or our culture for promoting such slothenly ways > ?

Ilasir Maroa · 06-08-2008, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Non Serviam

Each generation lives in a whole new world compared to the one that lived before.

When you and I were kids, Sam, we'd go and play with our friends. That would usually involve doing something energetic and physical and working up a sweat, because those were the most fun things available.

These kids go and play on some game console, because that's the most fun thing available. Their parents are warier of letting them outside to play, because the media have taught us to be more afraid of our neighbours, and besides, games consoles are pretty good.

When you and I were kids, we learned to idolise the sportsmen and the athletes. Someone who hung around indoors and played on computers was a nerd. Nerds tried to avoid speaking to the sport-players at all, really, and when they couldn't avoid it, they were respectful. So nobody wanted to be a nerd.

Nowadays, we're in the Nerd Generation where academic ability and facility with computers are tickets to well-paid jobs; and sport-playing is a ticket to the dole queue. Today, when a nerd speaks to a sport-player, they're usually saying "Yes please, I would like fries with that." So now the kids want to be nerds.

What kids need are:
a) Affordable, enjoyable physical activities to do, and
b) The freedom to use them without their parents stopping them out of fear, and
c) Positive role-models who show physical strength and prowess.

21st century culture deprives children of all three. Particularly female children--males do have athletic-type role models. Females just don't.

So, who's to blame?

Well that's a bit stereotypical, Non. Most of the kids I know today do some sort of outside play activity; they also do video-games, but what I'm saying is that the two aren't jtually exclusive.

Non Serviam · 06-08-2008, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ash somers

a couple of the girls that night, i couldn't help but notice
were quite large, in fact i'd say they are obese, sadly :/
and i really felt for them, you could see they were struggling
with their appearance and their performance was inhibited by it
i was a sticky beak and watched these girls after the show and
they have obese parents, who seemed quite introverted and shy

i wonder who is responsible, the people who are overweight, or our culture for promoting such slothenly ways > ?

... or those of us who judge people because of their bodyweight?

Non Serviam · 06-08-2008, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ilasir Maroa

Well that's a bit stereotypical, Non. Most of the kids I know today do some sort of outside play activity; they also do video-games, but what I'm saying is that the two aren't jtually exclusive.

No, sure. The thread's about those children who're overweight, though--i.e. usually those who don't take part in energetic play very much.