Just followed a school bus through town... (Page 2)

and yet they continue to reduce the amount of recess and PE.... 

That's the ticket, have the goverment step in and create more taxes and leave it to them to distribute it wisely - cuz they are so good at that - look how well it's worked with smoking. .

How about teach our kids what is right and lead by example.  Also, insurance companies (not the gov.) can adjust rates depending on health status.  Obesity (unless as a result of medical reasons) would get a higher rate.

No, but I also feel as though it's the school's responsibility to serve moderately healthy food. School is just as much a part of the development of a child's life as parents are, and so yeah, I DO think they shouldn't be serving pizza 3 times a week regardless of what kids eat at home. It sets a poor example. I know it's a question of cost, and hopefully, there are people out there working on bringing healthy choices at a cheap price to schools.

A general problem for sure.....  Many times when I'm at the mall, I make note of how overweight eveyone is.  However, Vegas was voted "fattest city in America".  hurray! .

When I was on the east coast, however, I did notice most people walking around were a LOT thinner than here.

I worry mostly about what's going to happen in about 30 years, when all this compounds.

we live across the street for an elementry school, which my 2-kids attend.  My wife walks them to school everyday (but we have neighbors that think they need to drive 250 yards).  I really don't see most of the kids as being overweight...yet!  I do think the biggest problem with kids getting fat is that they eat way too much fast food.  Some kids eat a happy meal everyday while their parents are driving them to soccer practice.  I see it all the time when I am with my kids...both parents work and need to get their kid to an activity so they stop and get them crap food because they don't have time to feed them at home! The sad thing is, the kids begin to crave the food that's bad for them and don't want to eat the good food that is offfered to them.  I know my kids would eat fast food for every meal if we allowed them to.  We really try to limit fast food to once per week...which is still too often in my opinion. 

Ryanmite, I agree that there are too many "lazy" parents!

Morgan Spurlock discussed this in Super Size Me.  (one of the best documenteries IMO).  Healthy choices CAN be provided at a reasonable cost, and it had a profound affect on the behavior and health of kids.

You are kidding right that is the problem as outlined above parents are fat there kids are fat. Remember kids don't get a say in what they eat they get what the parents put on the table. By putting a fat tax in place you are at least hitting them in the wallet to think about buying alternative healthy food. My beef is fat/processed food is cheaper than healthy food I think because the Corn Soy or what ever it is is heavily subsidised which is used to make candy etc.

Not taking your point on smoking? I know plenty of people whom have given up smoking because of teh price increases (Including my own parents) in NY alone cigarettes are going up $1.50 a pack this week in tax, reading interviews in the NY post all week most people interviewed are either 1/ Cutting back or 2/ Giving up that is good right? Or I am missing something?

I get the feeling your comment maybe aimed at US is a free country people can do what they like to themselves, I agree with that statement but I don't agree that people can set their kids on a life of misery by making them obese for their rest of their life by the age of 4? Scientific research indicated by 4 years old a childs eating habbits are established for life and Ryans initial post was targeted at kids.

I play devil's advocate for a second.....  Parents may not be "lazy" but in today's world where two incomes are almost a must.  I would venture that most of us around 40 years old, probably had one parent at home while growing up - this allowed a parent the time to cook at home (we ate at home for EVERY meal - packed our lunches for school, etc). 

I think that time is being crunched so much, that cheaper and faster foods are too easily available.  But like anything in life, you have to make time for what's important.  It just amazes me that our children's health does not seem to be "important enough".  I don't have kids yet, but I can't comprehend how that would ever be the case for me.

Jamie Oliver, a British chef, had a show on TLC where he was trying to do just that for the British school system.  It was really interesting to watch him trying to train the lunch ladies to actually cook again and the resistance he got from kids and parents.

More info on his program here  

I don't see that as a sign of laziness. I used to have to bring home so many books that they couldn't even all fit in the backpack. It was really difficult carrying that backpack and probably not very healthy. When I was a walker, I would have to take it off my back at intersections for a rest...way too heavy.

But, I hear you on the laziness. My yard (I have a corner house) is a bus stop. There's one mother who drives her daughter there every day --- they live TWO HOUSES AWAY!!! The girl that lives one house away and the boys that live four houses away do, however, walk.

yea, 2-incomes for my family would be nice but it's not a must.  We think it's more important for someone to be home for the kids.  But you're right...that's a nother discussion.