Childhood obesity

[Doggri]

So who do you think is to blame for the major increase in childhood obesity? Parents? Fastfood companies?....I'd like to hear what you all think...

[lady_p_gold]

I think it is a combination of many things, the obvious ones of the amount of fat in the food we eat, and one of the main ones I think is the changing nature of how children live their lives. They are mostly found not out for the day romping and climbing trees and going on long bike rides with a packed lunch, but playing computer games and watching videos. It applies to us all I suppose, car to work, car home, watch tv, sit at the screen, none of us have to work really hard physically to live i.e. walking all round different shops to get our provisions, spending the whole day doing washing etc. etc. and so I think this is just as much a contributor. What the answer is I don't know !

[WendyS]

I suspect it's a combination of parental ignorance about food values and good home cooking, and the environment in which we live where we're all bombarded with every kind of food "goodie" with which to satiate our appetites. Being older than many, I grew up in a childhood where food rationing applied. Fat of any kind was very scarce, as were sweets, so we all grew up on low fat diets, had healthy teeth, walked to school (few cars then!) and didn't have the same food temptations around. And my mum was a full-time housewife in those days and cooked healthy meals. Now life has changed, often both parents work and don't have time for such a lifestyle. Consequently most kids live on takeaways and processed food and few have enough fruit and fresh vegetables in their diets. And molst people are more affluent these days, so fewer people are having to eke out their food budgets which invariably means buying more luxury foods which arn't necesarily good for us.

[Lonnie]

As has already been said, probably a combination of different thing, but I think, the main culprits must be the parents, i'm not saying put all the blame there, but i'd say at least three quarters of it.

[funkymoped]

PARENTS.

I got two kids, one is 19 the other 16.

cant say that they havnt carried excess weight at some time or another, but never obese. not even close!

you cant blame a fast food chain for the amount of food a parent allows the kid to eat.

PARENTS !

[sammd]

I'd also say it's mostly the parents. It's down to the parents what food they put in their trolleys at the supermarket and what food they put in their childrens lunchboxes. There's a lot of advertising around on tv for unhealthy kids snacks which doesn't help. Isn't size partially determined by genes though?

[parkesquay]

It is surprising isn't it that despite all the incontravertible evidence about fast food/fat snacks etc in the form of reality fit shows/diet doctors et etc on TV a siginificant number of parents seem to take no heed. Ignorance is no excuse.

Anything for a quiet life. Taking the kids to MacDs et Al or lack of organised or ad hoc family exercise/activity all contibute.

It comes to something when a very fat lady like Fern Britton who is married to a chef and should know better advertises daft snacks.

In my opinion the Jamie Oliver series on 'School Dinners' was magnificent and to the mark but instead of backing him, the others in the food industry try to belittle his efforts.

With the odd medical exception PARENTS HAVE TO ACCEPT FULL PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR CHILDRENS WELFARE.

[maggie01]

I think it is lifestyle and the need to work. Most mums work and so it is easier to give the kids crisps and biscuits when they come in from school and then get something quickly from the freezer instead of cooking a meal from scratch. McDonalds used to be a treat, now most kids go there every week. Restaurants are no better as all kids meals come with chips instead of providing a normal meal with smaller portions. It is hard for children in later life to eat healthily.