As many of my regular viewers to this web blog know, there are many factors contributing to childhood obesity. I post daily here about it, whether news print articles, opinions, feedback, or just personal opinion.
Recently, I wrote an article for Yahoo! (click here) about childhood obesity. I started searching for sources for this article, and received over 100 responses to the question, “What do you think caused the rise in childhood obesity?” Responses came from professional and Olympic athletes, fitness experts, health experts, nutritionist, and parents.
I was unable to use everyone’s feedback, but thought it would be great to post some of their responses on my blog in a new web series, “What Causes Childhood Obesity.” I hope that you enjoy the opinions here from various individuals. Please remember, my including their posts does not necessarily mean I agree or endorse their opinion, rather, a place to share other people’s thoughts.
I’m a parent (daughter 17.5), a former gymnastics instructor and a part-time caregiver two boys ages 8 & 5 (one is overweight). There are many reasons that kids are overweight these days. To make ends meet both parents have to work and kids are “latch key kids” and are mostly kept entertained with TV, computers and video games with doesn’t provide any exercise for them and a false sense of stimulation so they don’t feel the need to get out and run around and work off energy. Also the media brings the reality of child abductions right into our homes almost nightly and if you are a parent you feel almost guilty or negligent if you let your kids play outside while you do housework.
I remember years ago my parents providing all types of activities for us afternoons after school, scouts, gymnastics, swimming and music lessons. We watched TV on Friday night and Saturday morning to day there are literally thousands of channels to choose from, with all of five channel years ago doing an activity had more appeal then watching the tube. Today a family with a few kids can’t afford all the lessons because they have to pay for daycare. In the 70’s or earlier meals had to be cooked on a stove and mom had to do it. Today a child can pop a frozen mac & cheese in the microwave on their own and since mom or dad has a long day at work just getting the kids fed is a chore, grabbing some fast food rather than a well planned out family meal.
– Catherine Fiehn