Fat kids

Higher income often equates to a safer neighborhood, too, at least in urban areas.  A lot of my activity as a kid came from my parents telling me to go outside and play.  But I was in a quiet area where everybody knew everybody.  I did a lot of pick-up basketball, etc. up through junior high, then got into organized sports (swimming) during high school.

But X-Box suddenly sounds a lot better when you live in a dangerous area.

I think you are underestimating genetic factors. I have two daughters. One has the same body type as her maternal grandmother - slight stature, naturally thin. She has always been that way, especially when she does a lot of horseback riding or running. Her sister takes after my side of the family, and has always struggled more with weight. She is not as athletic, even when she played sports. Her primary activity in HS and college (go terps!) has been marching band - which entails a LOT of walking (and marching, of course), and she rides her bike (which got her a lot of funny looks in HS - everyone else was taking the bus or driving.

They come from the same background as far as athletic endeavors by the family as well as income and food choices in the home. But one will always struggle to maintain healthy weight and the other will have to work to get "fat". 

I hear you and don't disagree.

However, I am stunned every time we go to a swim meet. The percentage of fat kids is around 30%, they swim a 50, eat a Snickers, swim a 100 drink a soda! Yikes!

I will say lot less heavy tri kids, I think it's the running and the fact that big kids hate running.

I coach volleyball and all my girls (8-10) are in good shape. Same YMCA as swim team.

So although I agree it varies by income and socio-economics in general I think it also varries by activity. 

My oldest is in public school, lots of heavy kids.  The younger 3 homeschool, they go to a school once a week and are involved in a lot of homeschool activities and you don't see many fat homeschool kids. I think it has more to do with parent involvement in general as well as screen time. A lot of homeschool families don't even own a TV, most don't allow video games, parents are home etc.

I know my kids are all very fit and their friends are as well.  Even the "fat" or chunky ones are just a little overweight.  My oldest two are in a high school with over 2000 students and I can't honestly think of the last time I've seen what I would call a fat kid.  Pretty much everyone is healthy.

We do live in a wealthier part of town so you may be onto something.

If they are bad, you can starve them.  Win win...

Not sure if "my low income school" means where you work, but I think it is one of the biggest disservices to our kids that "education" no longer couples the mind AND body. I'm a firm believer that taking away from one, takes away from the other.

I've taught multiple grade levels, and I find it a shame that by middle school, other than walking from class to class (SLOWLY! lol), most students are nearly sedentary all day. PE is an elective, and there is a 30 minute lunch where most kids sit and talk rather than be active...especially the girls. Sad...disheartening...frustrating.

We're training kids to sit in front of tv, video games, smart phones. It's the direction the world is moving, right? <sarcasm>

Not at our house....we make them eat school food and then beat them if they sit in front of the TV!  

Sorry......  

lol...I meant school is training for that. I'm guessing a good portion of parents on BT have active kids.

Have you been posting on the corporal punishment thread?? Careful over there.

I understand the frustration.  But where do they get the money?  Higher tuition or taxes?  Cut it from music programs?  Wait, I think they cut those already.

If you don't have the money, you don't have it, no matter HOW fat kids get.  It's sad.

Have the kids sell candy?

when my cousin was student teaching a few years ago, the school she was at had to lay off their PE teachers and cancel PE.  she would build her lesson plans around active games because these kids had zero physical activity in their day.  the past 4 years have been incredibly hard on schools.  you cut PE or you cut...what...math?  science?  reading?  hard choices.

Maybe cut adminstrators.  

I think there are many factors to include in kids weight:

PE in schools

Activities for Kids

No parents at home (Dual income)

Parental fear for kids running around the neighborhood

Poor food choices in the home

""      ""     ""         in the schools

Huge portions at restaurants

It all adds up.  

For my wife and I, our daughter's school has PE, she plays soccer, t-ball, dance, piano, art, etc.  She eats good homemade healthy meals, and gets reasonable portions when we go out.  We don't go to fast food restaurants.  Mom stays home and takes her to the park to play with friends.  We involve her in kid fun runs when we do events.  AND MOST IMPORTANT:  We set a good example for her.  Her mom runs and works out regularly.  I workout religiously.  I compete in triathlons and her mom brings her to the events. Oh and we play with her.  She doesn't just sit in front of a tv or computer (though she does spend time with that as well.  We play games and are active with her.  All activity doesn't have to come from playing with other kids.

Ultimately, the parent must be the example that the kid follows, and the child must be the priority of the parents.

x2

yes, but income level changes the definition of "child must be the priority."  for an uneducated or unskilled single mother, working every possible shift she can pick up so she doesn't get evicted IS the priority for her children, whereas for a middle class family, buying veggies and taking them to soccer is the priority.

People with low income can't come close to that in any regard.  While I agree with your parenting comments, you are making my point about income with regard to fat kids.  Yes, as some have pointed out, trhere are genetics and other influences to consider....but I bet if you took the obesity rate fior children in this country, you could quickly make a big connection to family income.

I always thought that as well.  And watching "Weight of the Nation" seemed to confirm.

They did a lot of interviews of parents talking about how they can't get their kid to excersize or get off the phone/video games and were upset their kids were fat.  But you look at THEM, and they were morbidly obese.  It was insane to see obese parents talk about how they can't get their kids to live a healthy and thin lifestyle.

Parental influence only goes so far.  I have two boys, one I struggle to motivate to be active.  It's not lack of resources, it's not lack of attention, low priority, etc.  He's just lazy.  I'm not giving up on him, but it's a constant battle.  Won't touch fresh fruit or vegetables.  I just hope that he sees the example and at some point in his life he gets it.  My other son is pretty much the polar opposite.  We have to talk him out of doing some sports, otherwise he'd be doing 3+ sports all the time year round.  He eats great, constantly going for fruits & vegetables.  A snack to him is something like watermelon, cucumbers or tomatoes.  He'll runs laps at school recess just to get faster.  Not your typical kid.

Correlation does not equal causation. Are the skinny women more successful because they are skinny, or are they skinny because they are more successful? In other words, given our culture of beauty, are they seen as "smarter" or "harder working" because they are skinny? When it comes time to hire, are they given the job over a heavier person with the same qualifications? Are they given more money because of their appearance?