Bluegrassrivals

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/parenting...od-579635/

I believe childhood obesity needs to be addressed. I believe the amount of obesity in our country is embarassing. I believe school lunches need to be reformed and fast food places need to disclose all contents of their food. I even think they need to assume some of the responsibility for their products. Obesity is one of the most important problems facing the US today. Yes its that important. It can be linked to our economy and production, our health care cost, and our military readiness. However i believe the way in which the first lady handled the issue is exactly how it should not be handled. Putting young girls at the front of the issue can cause psychological damage. It can cause eating disroders and even a backlash. Childhood obesity needs to be handled seriously but we must keep in mind that they are children. They have delicate minds and aren't comfortable with who they are yet. The best way is promotion. As it is said monkey, see monkey do.

How about getting rid of all the Xboxes, etc. Kids might get out and play like they used to. That might be a good start, with children that is anyways.

Mr.Kimball Wrote:How about getting rid of all the Xboxes, etc. Kids might get out and play like they used to. That might be a good start, with children that is anyways.

I agree. I think parents need to take an active role in their kids lives as well. We have become a nation of couch potatoes. I havn't let my son take part in video games yet. But we go hiking together and go to the park. I try to include activities that will make me healthier, instill in him the concept of being active, and activities that create a closer relationship. Too many people today come home from work and flop down on the couch to watch tv while their kids play video games or surf the web.

AZ Health Director Heads to Washington to Get Junk Food Off Food-Stamp Program; Looks Like No More Free Cookies for Destitute Fatties
By James King in NewsThu., Oct. 22 2009 @ 12:23PM
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The idea of fat poor people doesn't make sense to us. If they're so poor, where do they get the funds to stay fat?

If you ask Arizona's interim Health Services Director Will Humble, one answer is food stamps.

Low-income Americans have some of the highest obesity rates in the country, and Humble is in Washington D.C. this week to lobby for changes in the federal food-stamps program.

At the moment, the program allows recipients of food stamps to use them to buy just about anything a supermarket has to offer, with the exception of stuff like alcohol and cigarettes.

Since these folks are eating on the government's dime, and eating a block of chocolate for dinner isn't exactly following the food pyramid, Humble says there should be restrictions on what people can buy with food stamps because of the costs associated with treating obesity.

"This is a huge part of the American diet," Humble tells the Arizona Guardian. "Obesity is an overriding and huge public-health issue, and it's extraordinarily expensive to deal with because of the long-term consequences that it has. To me, it's our obligation to try to do something about that."

The program was originally designed to help combat hunger, but now some poor fatty can essentially use food stamps to buy nothing but Hershey's syrup and Funyuns.

"We're behaving as if it's 1950," Humble says. "Let's turn it into a nutrition program, not just a calorie program."

Humble has meetings scheduled for today and tomorrow with U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

Sorry fatties, the glory days of guzzling melted butter and chowing down on free Cheetos could be coming to an end.


Soda and candy were rare treats when I was growing up. We definitely need food stamp reform !