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2008-10-02 4:13 PM
in reply to: #1712149

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Subject: RE: Shocking weight of elementary kids....

my kids are 7.5 (43 pounds), 9 (65 pounds) , 11 (70 pounds), and 15 (115 pounds).....all quite slim (and reasonably tall).....I am so glad that they aren't struggling with their weight.  I was like that as a kid too - my weight struggles came after highschool - when all organized sports pretty much stopped....and I quickly started having kids....

my kids' school has PE everyday in elementary (40 mins each)....and 3 times/week in highschool (70 mins each)...plus their is no shortage of opportunities for afterschool/extracurricular activities as part of school, or in the community.



2008-10-02 5:11 PM
in reply to: #1712149

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Elite
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Subject: RE: Shocking weight of elementary kids....

I've gone to lunch at my daughter's elementary school once a week on average over the past five years. One thing I am certain of is that as much as I malign the nutritional quality of food available in the school lunch programs (in both public and private schools she's attended), the kids who bring their own lunch eat FAR worse on average than kids who eat cafeteria food. The typical lunch-from-home kid has a "Lunchable" of some type, a bag of Cheetos, a bag of cookies or mini-muffins, some sort of sugar-laden drink, and a bag of Skittles or M&M's. To sum it up, they have "convenience foods"; every single item in their lunch can be found in a gas station! I've observed no correlation between their home situation and quality of food. Some kids raised by single parents have good food, some kids with a stay at home parent with no other job eat crap. It's just a matter of making their food a priority either way.

The number of kids I'd consider overweight is low compared to the OP's school, maybe one in 10. Maybe they eat better at home. I know dinner is typically our healthiest meal of the day at home. Hannah eats vegetables like they're candy, and we eat a lot of healthy whole grains (brown rice, barley, quinoa). A few weeks ago I taught her how to make her great-greatgrandmother's homemade tomato sauce, and she took a lot of pride in the fact that we were making "healthy food".

Like any issue with kids, genetic predisposition notwithstanding, I think the issue of maintaining healthy weight boils down to guidance. Teach them well. Don't be a hypocrite. Lead by example more than simply telling them what to do. In the big picture, team sports and individual sports/exercise are as important as reading and math. Make them aware of the consequences of choosing poorly. Don't berate them if they don't always get it right. Praise them when they choose well in the absence of specific guidance.

It's important too to overcome our own cultural practices that may not be healthy. My Italian grandmother would cry if we didn't eat every bit of the metric ton of food she would put on the table. Between her hard work, the Great Depression era she grew up in, and the "starving childen in ____", no food could go to waste. I would literally be in pain after dinner at her house. Not indigestion pain. Pain from having far more food stuffed in my stomach than it should be able to hold. Pure misery. Sometimes it's the nature of the food itself. Most "home cooking" in this part of the country is laden with saturated fat and very high calorie. But either way IMO it's those habits that make or break our body composition as kids. And it's also those habits that carry over into adulthood.

This is maybe a topic for another thread, but I think it's related enough to be relevant. Of the 10 or so cardiologists I see at work week in and week out, I'd say four are at a healthy weight, three are slightly over weight, and three are obese. 60% are above their ideal weight. No better than the general population...

If they don't get it, neither will the average Joe (or Joe's parent).

 

2008-10-02 7:28 PM
in reply to: #1712149

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Subject: RE: Shocking weight of elementary kids....

Most of the problems out kids have these days come down to parents. They dont study wih kids, they dont exercise with them, and they dont play or talk much to them (all gross generalizations I know).

My daughter is 4 years old, she begs for veggies and fruit like candy and asks for eggs and toast (12 grain) almost every day. She can also run a mile without stopping and really enjoys doing a cooldown mile with dad after I workout. She knows I have a big race in the summer and is really excited to be part of the training process. She whips me with faster Daddy's when I push her in the jogger or tow her in the bike trailer. They learn all their habits from us and it is important we set the right example. From the sounds of this thread though everyone knows that... I guess the question is how do we get the "rest" of the country on board?

2008-10-02 9:47 PM
in reply to: #1712149

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Master
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Subject: RE: Shocking weight of elementary kids....
As an overweight child and teenager over 30 years ago, I can relate to this topic matter very well. I too, was subjected to height/weight screenings that were done in front of my other classmates, and I can assure you that it is quite damaging to a child's self-esteem when the school nurse would loudly shout out the number that came up on the scale, for all within earshot to hear. I can recall many times, walking home at lunchtime in tears...too embarrassed to even return to school after lunch.

I do hold a lot of blame on my mother...she was not a very good influence on me, in regards to healthy food choices as she was herself, morbidly obese. It wasn't until high school, that I decided that I needed to do something about my weight problem. I joined the swim team for exercise and to give me something to do afterschool instead of going home and stuffing my face with unhealthy (that is all we ever had in my house growing up) food choices. If there is one thing I wish I could change about my childhood, it's wishing that my mother was healthier, more active, and instilled good eating habits in me at a young age.
2008-10-02 10:38 PM
in reply to: #1712149

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Subject: RE: Shocking weight of elementary kids....
I have an overweight 12 year old as a client.  He's so cute with his chubby little cheeks.  Parents are trying, he is trying...it's a long learning process for all.  Just gotta try hard, educate in a manner they can relate to, and keeps your hopes up that they'll just "get it", eventually.
2008-10-03 6:37 AM
in reply to: #1712149

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Subject: RE: Shocking weight of elementary kids....

I saw a study that came out this year that indicated obesity levels in children were finally leveling off. I'll look for it. If I find it, I'll post it back here.

As many of you have expressed, it is a parental responsibility to encourage physical activity and healthy eating at an early age! I have heard SOOO many parents (of chubbys) state that, "oh, they're young. They'll lose it as the get older". I call BS.

Take some responsibility and be a parent. Your kids need responsible parents and not "best friends".

Anyways, rant over. Carry on.



2008-10-03 8:02 AM
in reply to: #1713409

Subject: RE: Shocking weight of elementary kids....
Bill - 2008-10-02 6:11 PM

It's important too to overcome our own cultural practices that may not be healthy. My Italian grandmother would cry if we didn't eat every bit of the metric ton of food she would put on the table. Between her hard work, the Great Depression era she grew up in, and the "starving childen in ____", no food could go to waste. I would literally be in pain after dinner at her house. Not indigestion pain. Pain from having far more food stuffed in my stomach than it should be able to hold. Pure misery. Sometimes it's the nature of the food itself. Most "home cooking" in this part of the country is laden with saturated fat and very high calorie. But either way IMO it's those habits that make or break our body composition as kids. And it's also those habits that carry over into adulthood.

The same thing happened to my father. His mother (also Italian) would make him and his brother clean their plates at every meal, and she also made a TON of food - pasta and meatballs and cooked with a lot of oil, etc. It's no wonder that my father ended up a fat teenager/college kid. He slimmed way down after college and has stayed pretty fit since. Was starting to get a bit fat a few years ago, but he changed his diet, got back to exercising, dropped it all and has kept it off. Shockingly, my father's family all ate that way and they all live FOREVER. I chalk it up to good genes, but I still make smart food choices and am not playing those odds, ya know?

2008-10-03 8:49 AM
in reply to: #1714087

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Subject: RE: Shocking weight of elementary kids....

nscrbug - 2008-10-02 9:47 PM As an overweight child and teenager over 30 years ago, I can relate to this topic matter very well. I too, was subjected to height/weight screenings that were done in front of my other classmates, and I can assure you that it is quite damaging to a child's self-esteem when the school nurse would loudly shout out the number that came up on the scale, for all within earshot to hear. 

 I was very conscious of this yesterday - and I'm not the school nurse.  Just a parent volunteer.  I made sure to call kids back to my area (around corner and out of site) 1 at a time.  If a group came in just needing the height/weight I made sure the others stood outside while I did this then flipped their card over so NOONE would see.

I still am upset about that 1 little girl... she was close to tears lower lip quivering.  I tried to encourage her with finding some activity to do. 

2008-10-03 8:57 AM
in reply to: #1714538

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Subject: RE: Shocking weight of elementary kids....
tri_d00d - 2008-10-03 6:37 AM

I saw a study that came out this year that indicated obesity levels in children were finally leveling off. I'll look for it. If I find it, I'll post it back here.

As many of you have expressed, it is a parental responsibility to encourage physical activity and healthy eating at an early age! I have heard SOOO many parents (of chubbys) state that, "oh, they're young. They'll lose it as the get older". I call BS.

Take some responsibility and be a parent. Your kids need responsible parents and not "best friends".

Anyways, rant over. Carry on.

This breaks my heart to hear that there really are people out there that think its okay for their kids to be overweight and then brush it off like its no big deal.  Like some have mentioned above, its really tough on a kid to be overweight both mentally and physically, just like its tough on adults.  So sad.

Sorry, just thinking out loud...

2008-10-03 9:29 AM
in reply to: #1712335

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Subject: RE: Shocking weight of elementary kids....

newleaf - 2008-10-02 1:14 PM Going to PE for 1/2 an hour every day, or every other day, is not going solve this problem.  This problem starts and ends at home.  This is not to say that I think PE is a bad thing, or that it is a good thing that schools are taking it away, but if one thinks PE will mitigate this problem, they are in fantasyland.

 

sorry, you know I have to comment. I personally have changed at least 5 kids that I know of in my school to becoming runners.  A GREAT PE teacher CAN be a difference.

 That being said, it is more about LIFESTYLE.  Inactive parents lead to inactive kids.

2008-10-03 1:05 PM
in reply to: #1714717

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Subject: RE: Shocking weight of elementary kids....
wurkit_gurl - 2008-10-03 8:02 AM
Bill - 2008-10-02 6:11 PM

The same thing happened to my father. His mother (also Italian) would make him and his brother clean their plates at every meal, and she also made a TON of food - pasta and meatballs and cooked with a lot of oil, etc. It's no wonder that my father ended up a fat teenager/college kid. He slimmed way down after college and has stayed pretty fit since. Was starting to get a bit fat a few years ago, but he changed his diet, got back to exercising, dropped it all and has kept it off. Shockingly, my father's family all ate that way and they all live FOREVER. I chalk it up to good genes, but I still make smart food choices and am not playing those odds, ya know?

Yeah... grandparents are almost 90 and very healthy. DNA (and red wine) go a long way...



2008-10-03 1:45 PM
in reply to: #1715113

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Alpharetta, Georgia
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Subject: RE: Shocking weight of elementary kids....
turtlegirl - 2008-10-03 9:29 AM

newleaf - 2008-10-02 1:14 PM Going to PE for 1/2 an hour every day, or every other day, is not going solve this problem.  This problem starts and ends at home.  This is not to say that I think PE is a bad thing, or that it is a good thing that schools are taking it away, but if one thinks PE will mitigate this problem, they are in fantasyland.

 

sorry, you know I have to comment. I personally have changed at least 5 kids that I know of in my school to becoming runners.  A GREAT PE teacher CAN be a difference.

 That being said, it is more about LIFESTYLE.  Inactive parents lead to inactive kids.



I agree. Obviously, PE alone will not get rid of the problem. But if it leads to a child being exposed to a sport he hadn't played before, and loves it... and then persues it... I think those stepping stones make a huge difference.

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