Sad but True
The other day Oprah did a show on overweight kids (and adults, but mostly how overweight the kids of today are). It isn't the first time this subject has been discussed, nor will it be the last.
There are a few things that I've seen change over the years (I've got enough of those years to have seen much!) that never seem to be mentioned, and it drives me crazy!
some things I see:
way too many fast food chains with extra large portions
(no, I don't think that eating at these places "now and then" hurts too much, but there are way too many of them, too convienent. They are shoved in your face and sooner or later they become a habit rather than a now and then thing)
snack machines IN SCHOOLS
(this is where I hear people say, "oh yeah, in your day" I guess that is true enough but it is strange that I and many others seemed to have gotten through our "school days" without snack and soda machines in them.)
soda machines IN SCHOOLS
(gee, makes me wonder if they got rid of water fountains?)
Physical Ed being ELIMINATED from schools
(hello? the last I heard exercise was a healthy thing! And with more and more computers and such to keep one sitting on their butts I would think this would be a "must" in schools!)
Both parents forced to work to be able to pay rents so fast food becomes a way of life.
(and who do we blame for this??? Only the very rich can afford a one income family anymore.. somehow, this doesn't belong in the "American dream" anymore.)
I could really get into this but it upsets me and makes me angry at the same time.. so I will leave it with just those few thoughts that I had that I never seem to hear mentioned when discussing overweight people.. especially kids.
posted by DesLily | 7:51 AM
10 Comments:
We are definitely a pudgy country, no doubt about it. It is sad, most especially in kids, but until schools at least start to set an example by offering kids healthy lunches, I don't see this changing.
BRAVO & AMEN!!! This stuff drives ME crazy too! And in response to Carl's comment - the schools do "offer" healthy lunches. They DO! But they are offered along side the OTHER stuff. Children don't CHOOSE to eat the healthy stuff. They choose the ala carte line where they can get all the JUNK! The schools need to eliminate OPTIONS. And make GYM mandatory!
Carl: of course nothing will change and that's pathetic!
Hi Melli! Most schools have always offered 2 meals (a choice)..all they have to do is stop making them "fast foods!" But like Carl said, it's not about to happen..
It is amazing to me that there are snack and soda machines in schools! I too, do not remember this wrinkle...! And no Phys Ed. Unthinkable! (OFF SUBJECT:It is unfathomobile as no ARTS in School either.....I wonder about Music....)
In truth, I do't remember Fast Food places back in 'my day' either.....I didn't see that Oprah, but I am surprised that these things you speak of weren't mentioned, as well as the other
things you mentioned, too....Sometimes I see the Ads on TV for foods and think it is no wonder everryone eats so much....!
Hi Naomi: Many schools have discontinued Music and Art and Drama.. they call them "unnecessary" and say they have no funds to have those classes. This is in normal HS not speciality schools. And not all have dropped them but many have.
Or find healthy options that taste good to offer for lunch at school. We had good lunches at my school when I was kid that were well balanced, but when you offer kids stuff that they're not going to eat...OR pizza, guess what they're going to go for. It really is sad how obese society is becoming and you're right...it's because it's too easy to become overweight! It's literally hard to be healthy these days...it's harder to find a water fountain than a soda machine, so the kids go for sodas, You can't buy small portions of fast food, both parents have to work late all the time because the economy is such a wreck...it's horrible. Really sad. I'm not going to lie though, it's also that a cheeseburger tastes a lot better than a salad :p
LOL.. it's not that one CANNOT have a cheeseburger.. it's how often you eat them! There was a time it was rare a family went out to eat (even a fast food place) Now it's the norm. And yes, it is HARD to eat healthy, no one home to cook.. and the food costs more than it should etc.. the healthier it is.. the more it costs..kinda seems like they really don't want anyone healthy!
AMEN, Des! I wish every day that my parents had banned soda in our house - and quite a few other things, too. I developed a taste for them, and my willpower isn't as great as it should be!
Eliminate options? Make gym mandatory? Dictate what kids in HS can eat and drink?
Does anyone really think that would work? I know it wouldn't have worked 30 years ago when I was in HS and it stands less of a chance of working now.
It all comes down to teaching your kids to eat right when they're young and, in my opinion, that doesn't mean you isolate them from fast food or soda. You teach them about balance, rules, and doing what's best for them.
Also, I know several families where only one parent works. They own homes and manage quite nicely. Of course, they're not driving $40,000 cars or taking expensive vacations.
cjh
Over here, in the UK, the change in school meals from one properly cooked option to a cafeteria style thing, where kids choose, has not helped. Kids will *always* choose chips, pizza and fizzy drinks if they're on offer.
Another thing, we walked to school in our day because not everyone had cars but also because there was less fear. People are so afraid of perverts now and it's hard to blame them, although they do say the actualy danger is far less than our fear.
I think cj is right though when she says that bringing kids up to eat right is one of the best things you can do. And it's not always about time, it's more about inclination. My daughter is on her own with her little boy and works too. But she cooks at weekends and freezes for the weekdays. It takes a little extra work but they eat properly cooked meals every day and at 15 months our grandson will eat any vegetable you care to put in front of him but he won't touch chips. LOL.
Good post, Pat.
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