Tots Getting Too Fat To Fit In Car Seats

[brooklynite]

April 3, 2006 -- Many young children are too heavy for standard car safety seats, and manufacturers are starting to make heftier models to accommodate them, according to research on the obesity epidemic's widening impact.

More than a quarter of a million U.S. children ages 1 to 6 are heavier than the weight limits for standard car seats, and most are 3-year-olds who weigh more than 40 pounds, the study found.

Unless exceptionally tall, a 3-year-old who weighs 40 pounds or more would generally be considered overweight.

Lead author Lara Trifiletti said researchers at a safety center at Johns Hopkins Hospital became interested in the topic because they saw children "who were very obese, and our car-seat technicians were having a hard time finding car seats to fit them."

http://www.nypost.com/news/nationalnews/61909.htm
- - -
Big cars; big kids; the American dream...

[saigon68]

1. BULK UP KIDS

Missing fats kids pictured on side of Whoppers® cartons


http://www.recoilmag.com/news/missing_fat_kids_1204.html



Hershey, Penn. -- Seeking to help desperate parents across the country in their efforts to locate missing children, officials at Hershey Foods Corporation announced Monday that packaging for the company’s Whoppers® malted milk balls will now feature photographs of missing fat kids on one side of every carton sold in the U.S.

"Hershey is proud to lend a hand in helping reunite parents with their obese sons or daughters – many of whom had been among our most loyal customers before they went missing," said Hershey spokesperson Stephanie Moritz at a Tuesday morning press conference. "For these parents, the sight of that empty chair at the dinner table every night brings a pain that can not be comforted – even by eating all of the extra food that’s now up for grabs every night. Hershey is committed to doing everything it can to help these folks find their fat little babies."

Moritz told reporters that the new Whoppers® packaging follows the same design concept made famous by the "Have you seen me?" milk carton campaign of the 1990s.

"Each carton will feature a black and white photo of an overweight missing child as well as information regarding the child’s height, weight, age and last known whereabouts," said Moritz. "But we’re also including some extra information that may help citizens track down these kids: a list of the child’s favorite fast food restaurants, what kind of foods they are likely to be found around, what smells they respond to, what food stains were on the clothes they were wearing – that sort of thing."

[soup]

39. How do they fit the pics of overweight kids

on those thinned-down cartons? :crazy: ;-)

Swear they (Whopper cartons) just get smaller and smaller.

Funny, funny write-up, though. Thanks for sharing it.

[saigon68]

40. I think the site

different

[flashdebadge]

202. unsupervised kids+ junk food + video games = Adult to fat for airline seat

[Inland]

2. Word.

This ranks right up there with the increased demand for double-wide caskets.

[elehhhhna]

9. ...and SUV's.

[Inland]

25. Did you read The ONION'S man on the street poll?

Something to the effect of "Vehicle size in America has increased by 50% since 1972, Do you think that's appropriate?" and one response was, "So what? The size of Americans has increased by 50% as well". Something funnier but you get the gist.

[Name removed]

50. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[VolcanoJen]

46. .... and double-bacon-cheese Angus Burgers.

}(

[0007]

65. Our future generation

[Inland]

73. Hell's bells. nt

[KDLarsen]

144. Good point..

.. however it doesn't appear to be taken in an American McD, atleast if you look at the sign in the background. Then again, this only confirms my personal fears that it's a global problem & in no way limited to the US.

[CoffeeCat]

172. Look at the size of that drink!

What is that...a 300 oz serving of Coke?

Where are this kids' parents?

For Pete sake America--how can you do this to your children?

[Atman]

3. There is a LARGER issue here...

Just watch the CNN version of the story. The parents of the child in their story have got to be at least 350 lbs. EACH. And they wonder why Little Shamu can't fit in his car seat!

Sorry, I'm not trying to be "fattist," but this shouldn't be a call for bigger car seats, it should be a fucking wake-up call for 350 lb. parents who have 90 pound toddlers! For christs sake, what will it take? Put down the goddam Twinkies!

[skooooo]

4. child abuse..

pure and simple.

[bee]

157. youre exactly right.

I have a friend... 26 years old... having a triple bypass next week. twenty-friggan-six. Now she gets to have her chest cracked open for "eating the way she always has". Thats what these kids have to look forward to. heckofa job mom & dad.

[savemefromdumbya]

5. obesity

looks like their have a obesity problem

[AlCzervik]

11. my daughter is in 5th grade and about 2 months ago a new kid

started at her school, i asked her about him, you know, wheres he from, are you all making him feel welcome and so forth and she says he's kind of shy, seams like a nice person. Ok shy is pretty normal so i go to pick her up one day and i finally meet the new kid, he's 5'5 and over 300 pounds, really nice boy but i feel like kicking his parents ass.

[Beausoir]

14. Why? Why do you want to kick someone's ass?

What do you know of their situation? What do you know about that little boy's health problems? Do you know his family history? His genetic disposition?

Why is that any of your business? How does that little boy's body impact your life?

Jesus. Find something else to obsess about and leave the little ones alone.

[LostinVA]

31. Because she cares about the health and future of a child

It takes a village.

She's not obsessing, she's caring. Major difference.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

36. Kicking someone's ass is a little overboard on the "caring", IMHO.

[LostinVA]

41. She isn't wanting to kick the kid's ass

[AlCzervik]

43. thank you, i do care and i hope he can get some help.

[LostinVA]

44. You're welcome -- I understand what you mean

It's frustrating when you see parents that need to have a little common sense shaken into them, but you can't do anything about it... it's the child that winds up suffering.

[Beausoir]

63. Oh yes, I could feel the caring vibes in that post all the way over here

Spare me.

At least the little girl had the kindness not to ridicule that boy. That makes me hopeful.

[MissB]

90. You don't seem too hopeful on this thread.

If I had to choose a word, I think I'd choose..... hateful. :rofl:

[Beausoir]

100. I'll gladly accept that moniker from you.

I just won't stand by and allow adults to degrade little fat kids.

I won't allow it. I am a teacher. I see what this cruelty does to children on a daily basis and I will never ever accept that it is ok.

DO you have any constructive ideas on how to end childhood obesity?

[MissB]

103. If I offered any,

you'd find one thing wrong with one of them and you'd blow it up into something major. Kinda like you did with BoneDaddy.

I'm not interested in playing that game. You're still taking offense to what many people here are saying for no reason. If you want to be righteous in your unjustified anger, so be it.

Have fun. :hi:

[Beausoir]

107. Try me. Really. Help offer a solution.

What can be done about the obesity epidemic in children?

[BoneDaddy]

71. I understand your point

we certainly need to refrain from judgement and after working in schools for close to 20 years, there certainly are families and children where their obesity is genetic or hormonal or due to medications, but honestly they are very few and very far between. The vast majority of children who are obese are that way because they eat too much of the wrong food.

I personally wouldn't want to punch the parents in the face if their child was in the latter category mentioned above, but I would welcome the opportunity to educate them on how their food decisions with their children will at the very least shorten their child's life span.

[cliss]

82. I disagree. Parents who allow their kids to become

obese are child abusers. The kid's don't know any better. They will eat what's put in front of them. They hear the nagging "Go watch TV", just to give the parents a break.

Obese kids are made by their abusive parents.

And think of the suffering that is endured by these poor kids: teasing, not being able to keep up in P.E., health problems, heart problems.

[MissB]

92. Often that is the case.

People just don't get the concept of nutrition.

I watched a family member grow up to be an obese adult. I remember that family member hunting through my cupboards one day, looking for chips or cookies. When they reached my freezer, I put my foot down. It really wasn't my place to set that person's menu for the afternoon, but in my house, you eat what I put out or do without. If the damned fruit and veggies aren't good enough for you, then tough shit. My kids eat them and actually like them.

[SoCalDemGrrl]

137. Come on now.. a 5th grader who weighs 300 lbs! The parents should

be charged with child endangerment.... it's as bad as beating them. They are putting this poor child at risk - NO DOUBT it is CHILD ABUSE!!!

And don't tell me about metabolism disorders and all the other excuses people use. Only5% of the population suffer from disorders that can lead to UNCONTROLLED WEIGHT GAIN. And as for thyroid problems, both of my kids are hypothyroid which can lead to weight gain, but they have been normal weight all their lives. We feed them healthy food - NO FAST FOOD JUNK and they always excercised and PLAYed OUTSIDE, running, jumping, some sports.

These 300 lb kids are most probably COUCH POTATOES.

[MaraJade]

162. Face the truth. . .

No matter the genetic disposition, NO ONE needs to be that far outside the range for normal human
weight.

There are ranges of normal human weight, a low and a high for normalcy. There is absolutely no way
that any child of that age should weigh more than 100 pounds.

Like I said before, the parents are KILLING that child. The boy is going to die if this goes on
much longer. Diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease are certain. Damage to growing bones and joints, including the growth plates is certain--which means early arthritis. Impotence or infertility and lack of normal function is certain. And finally, there are the aspects of ridicule that await when this child reaches the middle and high school levels.

How in the world is it loving for the parents to allow this to happen?

Think! You cannot possibly mean what you say--

[Media_Lies_Daily]

20. Yep....you've proved it....

...chimps are....oh, never mind.

[saigon68]

42. Chimp's are oh well

Here is one

He is trying to think

It is hard for him

But he is trying

[K8-EEE]

75. Children Have No Freedom Of Movement -- No Exercise

We used to run and ride bikes all over and just come home for dinner -- I think nowadays it's so much harder. There are less safe places to let kids run and play and be kids. Some of these kids live in apts. with no yard, and in most cities you can't just let your kids run around. Then they get in the car to go from daycare to home and back again, and the damned TV and video games and computer. I think it's a shitty time to be a kid!

[DemExpat]

113. I think that this is a huge factor too, K8....

that and processed junk foods passed off as meals and snacks.

DemEx

[K8-EEE]

119. It Is MUCH Easier For Me Than Many Parents

I had the luxury of being able to quit work when my kids were 2 & 5 -- one of the reasons was because I found it increasingly more difficult to shop/cook on a daily basis, which I now do pretty much every day. I know super-women who are working single parents and prepare healthy breakfast, lunch, dinner & snacks and don't resort to the drive-thru, I regret I was not one of them, I constantly found myself coming home at dinner time to an empty fridge and dreading the "what's for dinner" question.

Single working moms: hats off to you, seriously. I find this shit challenging enough and I'm able to really dedicate a lot of time to it!

[progressivebydesign]

171. in chimpsrsmarter's defense.

I am the stepparent to a 14 year old girl. when I became her parent, she was obese... as long as she spent half her time at her mother's house, she battled her weight. No matter how many times we begged the mother to stop free feeding her junk food, and doing nothing but lying around watching tv with her, she would not change her ways. Once we started having her at our house more and more, she got back into healthy shape and was actually able to run up a basketball court without turning purple and having to stop. But.. when she would go back to spend 3 or 4 weeks in a row during the summer, she'd come back with no stamina or energy, and gained 15 pounds. We now have her living with us, for the past few years.. 95% of the time. She is in good health, not obese, plays high school sports, and has great self esteem and understanding of what is healthy.

There are very few cases of a child being obese because of thyroids, etc... you can almost ALWAYS connect it to the parent's lack of involvement in the child's eating and exercise. People used to give us grief because we worked on teaching her to eat healthily and stay active... they said we'd give her an eating disorder if we told her she couldn't eat ice cream every night.. or junk food constantly. Or that we'd damage her self esteem. Guess what? She has told us numerous times that being taunted at school for being fat, not fitting in clothes that you want to wear, and not being able to do simple things is PE, was completely devastating to her self esteem. She has said many times that we saved her life... She does not have an eating disorder.. she gets lots of goodies, but knows what good nutrition is all about. It's the parent's job... and I can relate to wanting to smack a stupid parent on the rear when I see them with a 6 year old child, can of soda in one hand, a donut in the other, for breakfast (a fellow parent in a sports team we coached used to give their little girl that breakfast every saturday. The child was still small at 6, but her 11 year old sister was already obese).

[pnwmom]

21. I wonder if the growth hormone they give to cows to fatten them up

has anything to do with the trend. . . it gets into the milk. . . and then into kids.

[KittyWampus]

23. I wonder if the corn syrup that's in everything now, has something to do

with it.

Corn syrup and hyper-sweet foods are not only calorie laden and difficult for the body to process... they are literally addicting.

[Atman]

28. High-fructose corn syrup is EVIL

Read the labels. It is in EVERYTHING. You really have to be a savvy shopper to avoid it, and that is just WRONG.

[SoCalDemGrrl]

138. YES- everyone should boycott high fructose corn syrup!!

[hedgehog]

156. I absolutely agree and this is brand new news in the nutrition world

When I was in high school in the 70's, we were taught "a calorie is a calorie, a sugar is a sugar and a saturated fat is a saturated fat". It's only been in the last five to ten years that nutritional scientists have been able to document that the body handles different sugars differently and that trans fats are absolute poison as far as the blood and arteries are concerned. Corn syrup is a recipe for diabetes and obesity.

[thinkingwoman]

159. Yes, and the fact that it seems to be in EVERYTHING...

could explain the sudden surge of obesity, especially in children. This generation of children is the first to be fed high fructose corn syrup like this. It's mind boggling really.

[LostinVA]

29. I'm betting that, eating way too much fast food, and not running around

are all the main culprits.

Junk food and fast food was a rarity in my house, and was a major treat. Soda? Maybe once or twice a MONTH, except for vacation. Lots of vegetables and fruit. Lots of exercise.

And, I didn't grow up with much money... my mom even made most of our clothes until we were teenagers.

[MissB]

35. I'm sure it is a variety of factors

Some of which can be laid at the feet of the parents, the schools, and the food manufacturers.

My kids will eat raw carrots for snacks - they actually ask for them. The neighbor kids get bowls of cereal and sodas in the afternoon. It isn't that hard to cut up some carrots.

High fructose corn syrup is in so many damned things. Even whole wheat bread has it. I've only found a couple of brands of yogurt that doesn't have it.

Schools seem to think that PE is something that can be cut to save money. True, but at what cost?

[Inland]

34. I think it's prepared foods.

Everything prepared, it seems, is loaded up with sugars and fats. Not just candy but snacks and the evening meal.

So who better to use prepared foods than a family with kids? I'm sure not going to bash parents that have to both work that they can't buy fresh ingredients and cook every day. They've got a job ahead of them. You really have to read labels.

[wovenpaint]

47. And there's all those growth hormones

I agree with the prepared foods. And recently, I was made aware of the high fructose corn syrup issue (that stuff IS in just about everything....I check for it now). But the growth hormones that they feed the food animals are then fed to children.

And what about all the antibiotics?? :scared:

[saigon68]

53. Little Shamu ?

[classics]

128. Your hatred of fat people precludes you from being taked seriously.

> The parents of the child in their story have got to be at least 350 lbs. EACH.

Imagine that, fat adults give birth to fat children. You sound surprised and angry by that.

Is it because you believe all people are born thin, and are later corrupted by sloth and gluttony?

You do realize, your position is one of blind prejudice and religious belief, which is no longer supported by science?

Before you warm up your attack machine, think for a minute about what I've written. You are actually advocating this bizarre belief.

> And they wonder why Little Shamu can't fit in his car seat!

Ah, now we see your seething hatred, even for children, boil to the top. How much do you have to hate a person for how they look before you are willing to project it in such a vile way, even onto helpless children?

Why is is the worst most hatred filled people, those willing even to victimize sick children often hide behind a false mask of caring, as with your false claim of being a health care 'advocate'?

I can't imagine someone calling themselves a liberal describing a black child as 'little Monkey' or a Jewish child as the 'baby Beast', yet you have no problem dehumanizing a fat child with such language. Have you considered that this is a indicative of a deeper hatred you refuse to embrace, yet let boil to the surface when making posts like this?

> Sorry, I'm not trying to be "fattist,"

You simply hate fat people so much that you have become irrational, embracing indefensible positions like your ‘perfect birth/perfect man/sloth/gluttony belief’. You are able to suspend critical thinking on this issue to a fantastic degree, why is that?

Don't be afraid to say you hate fat people, everyone knows from reading your posts that you do. Have the courage at least to embrace and defend your position properly, rather than just posting snide comments about children like 'little Shamu'.

> but this shouldn't be a call for bigger car seats

A call for bigger car seats? Again you are constructing a straw man just to knock it down. Where is this group of fat people calling for larger car seats you have just deconstructed?

> it should be a fucking wake-up call for 350 lb. parents who have 90 pound toddlers! For christs sake, what will it take?

The only effective way to eliminate fat people from the gene pool would be genetic modification or outright genocide. Which one will you advocate?

Some would consider genetic modification a form of genocide as well, an interesting argument in itself, but I digress.

Social ostracization or outright hatred will not work. It has not worked since sloth and gluttony were written down in the bible 2000+ years ago and it will not work now.

Fat people are reproducing themselves just fine and will continue to do so, I have no doubt, based on what they have survived so far.

> Put down the goddam Twinkies!

Such insight, though sadly typical of persons such as yourself who go around spouting 150 year old beliefs about obesity that have nothing to do with current science or medicine and everything to do with religion and personal feel good judgmentallism.

Now, is this the part where you ask me if I'm a 'fatty' like you did the other person who dared speak against you?

You do realize that such avenues of attack make you look foolish don’t you? Its no different from asking someone from the NAACP if they are a 'nigger lover'.

Or perhaps you would just like to suggest that because I disagree with you that I must have a mental disorder, as you did with another poster below?

Suggesting that you cannot possibly be wrong, and when faced with opposing facts proceeding to tell anyone who disagrees with you that they must have a mental disorder is a 'tell' when dealing with people of extreme prejudice and inflexible thinking. You should avoid doing it again in such debates if you want to be taken seriously.

[Atman]

130. Oh, god! Another one...

Don't tell me who I hate, for Christ's sake. Don't take me seriously if you don't want to, but don't you dare tell me who I hate. You make up so much shit in that post, and you say I can't be taken seriously? Do you rent out that crystal ball of yours?

===

>> The parents of the child in their story have got to be at least 350 lbs. EACH.

Imagine that, fat adults give birth to fat children. You sound surprised and angry by that.

Angry? WTF? Surprised? Why on earth do you think I sound surprised. Just the opposite.



Is it because you believe all people are born thin, and are later corrupted by sloth and gluttony?

No.



You do realize, your position is one of blind prejudice and religious belief, which is no longer supported by science?

No, it isn't. I am not religious at all. And I guess you know exactly why those people in the CNN report are fat, right? You're science must be better than mine...you're clairvoyant, too!



Before you warm up your attack machine, think for a minute about what I've written. You are actually advocating this bizarre belief.

:eyes:



> And they wonder why Little Shamu can't fit in his car seat!

Ah, now we see your seething hatred, even for children, boil to the top. How much do you have to hate a person for how they look before you are willing to project it in such a vile way, even onto helpless children?

Why is is the worst most hatred filled people, those willing even to victimize sick children often hide behind a false mask of caring, as with your false claim of being a health care 'advocate'?

I can't imagine someone calling themselves a liberal describing a black child as 'little Monkey' or a Jewish child as the 'baby Beast', yet you have no problem dehumanizing a fat child with such language. Have you considered that this is a indicative of a deeper hatred you refuse to embrace, yet let boil to the surface when making posts like this?

God, you're amazing! Now you know the kid is SICK? Talk about being prejudiced and judgemental. Maybe the kid is fine, just fat. Now you're calling him SICK, and calling me filled with hatred, all in the same post? Is it tough to breathe the rarified air up there on your pedestal?

Why is it the worst most paranoid people, those willing to read all sorts of nonsense into any post they disagree with, hide behind the mask of false caring? And NOW you say my claim of being a health care advocate is false? God, you know me so well! :eyes: "Litte monkey?" "Baby beast?" I'll miss you most of all scarecrow...after the poster knocks you down.



> Sorry, I'm not trying to be "fattist,"

You simply hate fat people so much that you have become irrational, embracing indefensible positions like your ‘perfect birth/perfect man/sloth/gluttony belief’. You are able to suspend critical thinking on this issue to a fantastic degree, why is that?

Don't be afraid to say you hate fat people, everyone knows from reading your posts that you do. Have the courage at least to embrace and defend your position properly, rather than just posting snide comments about children like 'little Shamu'.

Yeah, sure, that's it. You're batting a thousand. I've defended my position so many times in this thread that I've lost another pound just typing. Fat lot of good it did...you still don't seem to have a clue. :rofl:



> but this shouldn't be a call for bigger car seats

A call for bigger car seats? Again you are constructing a straw man just to knock it down. Where is this group of fat people calling for larger car seats you have just deconstructed?

Uh...in the report on CNN. That was the point of my post. Maybe you should read it first, then get back to attacking me with your fair and balanced making shit up out of whole cloth.



> it should be a fucking wake-up call for 350 lb. parents who have 90 pound toddlers! For christs sake, what will it take?

The only effective way to eliminate fat people from the gene pool would be genetic modification or outright genocide. Which one will you advocate?

Some would consider genetic modification a form of genocide as well, an interesting argument in itself, but I digress.

Social ostracization or outright hatred will not work. It has not worked since sloth and gluttony were written down in the bible 2000+ years ago and it will not work now.

Fat people are reproducing themselves just fine and will continue to do so, I have no doubt, based on what they have survived so far.

Again with the massive, unsupported assumptions. Certainly there are "genetically" fat people. Maybe you could bless us with some statistics on that and get back to us. Between making up stuff about me, I mean.



> Put down the goddam Twinkies!

Such insight, though sadly typical of persons such as yourself who go around spouting 150 year old beliefs about obesity that have nothing to do with current science or medicine and everything to do with religion and personal feel good judgmentallism.

Crock of shit. Again, you seem to think you know all about the reason for the weight problem. You have it all figured out, don't you. Are you trying to tell me SCIENCE doesn't know that eating a diet laden with fats, sugars and high-fructose corn syrup will make you fat? Do you work for the Bush administration?



Now, is this the part where you ask me if I'm a 'fatty' like you did the other person who dared speak against you?

I politely asked the person about his/her weight, as I had recently been pretty large myself, and I thought that perhaps I could share some insight. I pointed that out in my posts. You must prefer attacking to reading.



You do realize that such avenues of attack make you look foolish don’t you? Its no different from asking someone from the NAACP if they are a 'nigger lover'.

I appear foolish? Says the person now making up the most absurd analogy yet! That NAACP one was really a stretch!



Or perhaps you would just like to suggest that because I disagree with you that I must have a mental disorder, as you did with another poster below?

WTF? Are you sure you have the right number? :shrug:



Suggesting that you cannot possibly be wrong, and when faced with opposing facts proceeding to tell anyone who disagrees with you that they must have a mental disorder is a 'tell' when dealing with people of extreme prejudice and inflexible thinking. You should avoid doing it again in such debates if you want to be taken seriously.

If you want to debate, let's do it. You're just making shit up, though.

[Beausoir]

186. Why are you so angry?

Your post makes it sound like you have some serious "issues".

Maybe you need a twinkie?

[Atman]

197. You understand, of course...

(maybe the "of course" part is a stretch), that one can be angry at an individual poster and not be an "angry" person. Your posts genuinely bother me, sure. Because you place demands on everyone to solve this problem, when if you'd just read through the threads, a great many people have actually attempted to do so, me included. Cut out the crap food, don't feed kids hi-fructose corn syrup, make the kids play outside, etc. I posted about my activities with the PTO, wherein my wife and I changed the whole fund-raising paradigm by asking parents NOT to open their boxes of candy, NOT to take them to the office, NOT to just feed them to the kids and the family, and instead simply send in a check for $10, and return the candy. MOST PARENTS took this option, and it bought the neighborhood a $40,000 playscape.

But here you are, STILL calling me "angry," and with "issues." I have issues with people who simply wont listen, or read the words in front of their face. I have issues with posters like Classics, who don't seem to post much on DU at all (based on a DU "author" search), jumping in for a hit-n-run full of baseless accusations and character smears, without any apparent insight into the poster he/she is bashing, nor the subject in general.

But am I "angry?" Nothing could be further from the truth. If you knew me, if you had any way to talk to my friends, if you'd search DU and read many of my posts, you'd know that. But instead you just relentlessly dog people and demand answers which, quite frankly, you are not owed. So sure, I may be angry at a poster call Beausoir for not wanting to listen to a word I say, or at least, listening and then twisting the words into an entirely different meaning. But then, I don't know the PERSON. Maybe you're a genuinely cool person who isn't good at expressing their thoughts in writing. But I'm not angry in slightest. I found my whole disposition changed when I lost 55 pounds and became an active person again.

Maybe you should try it. ;-)

[MaraJade]

164. Fat people can change. . .you don't have to get larger and die--

Eat green veggies, for example, instead of fried potatoes. Use some portion control.

Since I've been dieting, I have discovered that most Americans simply EAT TOO MUCH of everything.

For example, do you go to ALL_YOU_CAN_EAT restaurants? THEN STOP IT. By modifying this one
bit of bad behavior, you can stop the trend toward obesity.

When people are against fattness, it isn't only a matter of appearance (though, if one is completely
honest, one will admit that there is NOTHING good looking about an obese appearance). It is a matter of
HEALTH.

Diabetes, for example, is rapidly turning into a number one health concern in this country. Diabetes
is fueled by a number of factors, but any physician will tell you that obesity greatly increases the
chances that one will get diabetes. And you cannot deny that obesity taxes the heart.

Please, if you are overweight, stop fighting others and fight for your life by changing you lifestyle.
Do it for YOU. Put down the ice cream tub and go for walks instead. Start a diet. Get healthy.

[CoffeeCat]

176. Thank you so much for this post...

You are so right.

Fat is not healthy and anyone who tries to make that assumption is lying to themselves.

Sure, not everyone is a size 5. No one is saying that you have to be whip thin to be healthy.
However, when someone who weighs 250 lbs tries to insist that they are healthy and just fine--I find that absurd.

I am currently overweight, but trying to change that. If I was looking to rationalize my bad habits and not change--I would find comfort in other overweight people who insist that overweight isn't unhealthy. I feel that overweight people who help other overweight people deny the negative consequences of being obese--are very selfish. I think it's similar to an alcoholic saying, "Oh come on! There are many alcoholics who live to be 100! The statistics show that many raging drunks have normal blood pressure and they live happy producitve lives! This is discrimination against those of us who were born to be drunks, and it's not fair!"

I want to be healthy, take responsibility for my behavior and change. I don't need another overweight person enabling me--and telling me that this is ok. It's not.

Posts like yours are inspiring to people who want to be healthy, lose weight and change their lives.

[DainBramaged]

190. Did you ever watch the biggest loser?

ANYONE can take control of their lives, anyone.

http://www.nbc.com/The_Biggest_Loser/

[MaraJade]

161. I am a 51 year old with a 15 year old teen daughter. . .

My husband and I are older than most of the parents of our daughter's friends, and we know
several parents who do not eat any vegetable other than a french fried potato. Unfortunately,
neither do their children. We have found this to be especially true of parents in the 35-45 year old
range.

Eat a diet heavy in starches, fried foods and sugars, and what else can one expect?

Sick, overweight people (parents and children).

I know parents of toddlers who have conditioned their kids to eat little else than macaroni and cheese,
pizza and chicken nuggets from Mickey D's.

It is no wonder why elementary schools have all but eliminated gym class. The kids can't do it.

I remember when my daughter underwent a physical fitness challenge in eighth grade. She's a competitive
figure skater and track and field athlete and had no trouble at all running the mile in near record
time. In fact, she beat out all the other kids in school, boys included, and won the award for the
most athletic.

Needless to say, she is of normal weight (can't do Axels if you're overweight!) and eats a balanced
diet of fruits and vegetables. She does eat Pizza, but only as an occasional treat.

Feeding a child garbage is nothing but child abuse. May as well feed them poison, if one is going to allow them to eat themself into heart disease or diabetes.

When will these indulgent parents learn that feeding your child fast foods and such is not an act
of love?

[bunkerbuster1]

183. "Feeding a child garbage is nothing but child abuse."

This needs to be said much, much more often.

[savemefromdumbya]

6. Diet problems in the USA

You have to look at our neighbors! They continually feed at the McDonalds, Dunkin donuts troughs. They never cook meals hardly and they haven't heard of veggies or fruit! They waste so much food. The little one just takes one bite out of a cheeseburger and throws the rest away! Shocking! They just sit infront of the TV and do vidoe games.

[KurtNYC]

45. Food is the new drug

The consumption of nearly everything that has been proven to be outrightly bad for one's health is in decline: hard liquor, beer, cigarettes, cocaine and other illegal drugs. What's up is the average amount of calories consumed. Obesity correlates strongly with low-income and church going. One theory is that religion and food are the 2 comforts that lower income people can still afford. And food is cheaper than it has ever been.

Many people eat not for taste or out of hunger but for the way food makes them feel. Advertisers are actually blurring the lines between drugs and food. Look at the Red Bull commercials for an extreme example but a more subtle one might be the Trix rabbit who goes on a high energy rampage when he sees the sugary cereal or that other character who is "coo-coo for Cocoa puffs!" Taco Bell's ads celebrate feeling "full." French fries are terrible when cold yet when warm and aromatic many find them nearly irrestible. It is the same food. What changed is that when cold or room temperature, the true taste wins out (salt and saturated fat) over the feel. Hot french fries feel good when you eat them because they are warm and rich in fats. Taste is secondary to temperature (feel). And food represents love in our culture (which is a whole other discussion). But in a sense to feel full is to feel loved and satisfied.

I overheard a woman recently. She was coaching a new mother and telling her that her pediatrician told her to work at expanding the size of her newborn's stomach because the baby will sleep longer at night. In other words there is a reward for over feeding your infant! I had never thought about this angle. I have seen people push food at their baby whenever it cries which, unless it really is crying for food, seems like a bad idea. But had never heard about a strategy advocated by pediatricians to over-feed on purpose.

[Ezlivin]

61. Food is a drug, all right. Read "Fast Food Nation" by Eric Schlosser n/t

[enlightenment]

106. Interesting comment on the infant feeding --

child rearing is so very cyclic -- we cycle through breast vs. bottle, solids at 2 months vs. solids at 6 months, sleeping on the back/on the stomach/on the side (I suppose they'll come up with upright next), and on and on.

The idea that a full stomach will make a quiet baby was popular 50 years ago -- and I remember arguing with my mother when she suggested I should push solids on my 2 month old 26 years ago.

It's unfortunate if pediatricians really are advocating this again.

[FlaGranny]

198. Hey, my 45 year old son, who is NOT fat

was fed solids from about 2 months. He had a huge appetite. He was not breast fed (probably should have been, but that was 45 years ago), and by the time I brought him home from the hospital he was downing 8 ounces of formula at a time. He was a sturdy kid, but never got fat. He always just looked strong and healthy. His appetite was something to behold. In his case, a full stomach DID make a quiet baby. My other two kids were both "finicky" eaters and both cried and fussed a lot. I fed each one of my kids as much as they demanded. They all grew up to normal weights. None ever got fat, except for some baby fat at puberty. Kids are different.

[InsultComicDog]

7. I realize that obesity is the bigger problem

but they still need to make the car seats safe for the fat kids too. It's not an either-or.

[Atman]

12. They do, and that is pointed out in the stories.

The "trouble is"...

These oversized car seats aren't the norm, so they cannot be produced in the same numbers as "regular" car seats. Thus, they cost more. The parents are complaining that they have to spend $100 or more on an extra-large car seat. Not to be flippant (okay, maybe that is exactly what I intend), I wonder if these same parents added up their junk food budget for the year. Is their kid's safety worth less the price of a crate of HoHos?

$100 isn't that much for a quality seat to protect your child's life. We haven't needed car seats in nearly 16 years, but when we bought our Fischer-Price seat, it cost $75 for a "regular" model that did nothing but buckle into the car. It wasn't a swing-set/MP3 player/mobile phone/high-chair/rock-a-roo. It was just a QUALITY car seat, which we felt offered the best protection for our kids.

But these people are bitching about $100 for a car seat now? What do they spend on videos and DVD for their kid? On snack food, and designer toddler clothes?

This story is wrong is so many ways, it really pisses me off. Americans' priorities are totally effed up.

[KittyWampus]

26. Someone once did a "study" which gathered ALL the food families ate yearly

And EVERYTHING was recorded. Researcher put all that food on a table at once.

[LeftyMom]

56. They sure do.

Higher weight limit harnessed models (which are also a good choice for taller kids, squirmy kids, kids who fall asleep in the car and parents whose back seats have lap belts) availible in the US include the Cosco Apex (harnesses forward facing to 65 lbs, then a booster, about $120) the Britax Marathon, Parkway and Decathlon (harness rear-facing to 33 lbs and forward facing to 65 lbs $200-$280, depending on the model) the Sunshine Kids Radian (very similar to the Marathon, about $200) and the Britax Regent (forward facing harness to 80 lbs, no booster mode, a little over $200.)

My kid- who isn't fat at all, just proportionate and large for his age- has a Britax Husky (the older version of the Regent) and it's the best $200 I ever spent on him. That thing is *well made* and will last him for several more years. We bought it when he outgrew all the 40 lb carseats (by height, although his weight was close) at 2 1/2.

Edit: Our neighbors to the north have no harnessed options past 48 lbs, becase Transport Canada won't test and certify for higher weights. Of the seats mentioned above only the Marathon is sold in Canada with a 48 lb upper weight limit though it's the same seat structurally. However some seats approved for use to only 40 lbs harnesses in the US (such as the Graco Ultra Cagro and Evenflo Generations) are approved to 47 or 48 lbs because a front facing tether is mandated in Canada and US harnessed seats must meet thier upper weight limits when installed with a lap belt only.)

[Atman]

58. Right. It isn't a question of NOT making them...

...the CNN report specifically mentions that the parents think they're too expensive. As then they show them strapping the kids into a $35,000 SUV!

Once again, how much is your child's life worth? (not you spefically, of coure). $200 for a quality car seat is a bargain. If you can't afford $200 to protect your child's life, what the hell business do you have having children? Kids are wicked expensive, that's just a fact! What do these parents think their kids' oversized clothing is going to cost them?

[BoneDaddy]

8. America

Land of McDonalds and home of gluttoney. We take this approach of abject and utter consumerism, why is this surprising?. Our children become little metaphors for our American decadent existence. As above, so below.

[diamidue]

55. Not just AMERICA anymore

In the US, 72% of men are overweight. In Kuwait, 70%. In Australia, 70%, In Bosnia/Herzegovina, 57%. Cuba, 55%. Egypt, 65%. Mexico, 65%. Great Britain 63%. Germany, 64%

In fact, what I found shocking is that Kuwait - I guess because of it's prosperity and it's love of western food - has a higher obesity rate than the US. An amazing 49% of Kuwaiti women are OBESE. (USA - 38%)

[BoneDaddy]

66. True

I was thinking more of the American diet and crap we export to all these places.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

10. "National growth charts"? I seem to recall that those charts were....

...changed sometime in 2000 and that weight standards were revised downward. People that were neither overweight nor obese suddenly discovered that they had "weight problems". Guess who benefitted by those changes? The pharmaceutical industry, the health food industry, the fat-burning pill industry, and the medical industry who got an expanded market of patients who "needed" to lose weight.

I'd have to see a study based on ten or more years that clearly demonstrated that this is a real issue. I'd also want to see the so-called "national growth charts" to see how they've changed over the years.

[Demeter]

18. Growth Charts Are Artificial

The growth charts for children, and those for "average" women, were created shortly after the Great Depression, when people were not eating right already. The women were all non-mothers, too, which puts anyone who has endured the growth of pregnancy at a disadvantage.

And even during pregnancy, the obstetricians were holding women to such artificially low weight gains that too often the children born were mentally deficient due to lack of nourishment in utero. Even those who were "normal" were underweight at birth.

American people are still malnourished, but given the hysteria about food gripping the nation, and the squeeze on both time and money budgets and the willful destruction of family life by employers, it is not surprising that obesity has become as common as starvation.

Neither scenario is good for a people. Beating people about the head and neck isn't appropriate, either. If we fix the economy and the political situation, the rest of society's problems will resolve in fairly short order. Break the culture of corruption, and let the sun shine in.

Don't even get me started on the variations between the Orientals and the Northern Europeans. Look at the modern Russian-born, how tiny they are, compared to their grandparents. The economy matters--and the politics!

[Atman]

22. Correction: They're for insurance companies

Often based on actuarial tables and ways to predict when they'll have to pay out on your life insurance. I lost 55 pounds, got down to 175, people were questioning whether or not I had cancer or something, I was working out and toned...but the chart at my doctor's office still showed I was in the "overweight" category. The charts are outdated bullshit.

But still, you don't need a growth chart to know that a toddler shouldn't weigh as much as a third grader!

[Inland]

33. delete

[henslee]

13. I say we give these fat kids over to the Hansel and Gretel witch to eat.

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[saigon68]

51. adios

[THUNDER HANDS]

78. was that my post?

what the heck was wrong about posting a photo of bart simpson?

[saigon68]

93. note: I didn't delete your post

I just commented on it AFTER it was deleted

[KurtNYC]

111. re: bart simpson

and this is just my guess... we had a problem with Fox over people using Simpsons avatars. Fox specifically warned us against further use of their copyrighted characters so that may be the reason. Again, this is just a guess since I didn't see the post that was pulled.

[THUNDER HANDS]

112. ah

ok, i guess that makes sense.

[Beausoir]

16. I can tell already..this is going to be an ugly, sophmoric and cruel

fat bashing thread.

Adults..sitting around posting cruel fat kid jokes on an internet message board.

Shame on you. It's none of your business. NONE.

[Atman]

24. It IS our business

Obesity leads to so many diseases, which we ALL pay for through our health care costs and insurance, at minimum. It certainly is my business that corporate America foists high-fructose corn syrup on us in everything we eat, fattening us up like cows, so their health-care divisions can profit off the diseases they give us. Damned straight it's my business!


.

(That's my cartoon, btw)

[Beausoir]

49. And..what precisely are YOU doing to help? Be specific.

[Atman]

54. Bitching?

I am a health care "activist" as well as a political activist. My comic strip, HOO Cares!, is the most widely read "Health Care Comic" according to Google. But you're setting up an unanswerable question. What do you expect people to do? I've lost 55 pounds, and my kids were raised on fresh fruits and veggies, to the point where they don't even like french fries! This isn't like trying to force a politician from office. I can bitch and raise awareness, but just look at YOUR reaction when it is even suggested that people should cut out the Twinkies. You're all defensive, and want to shift the focus to people who've already taken responsibility for their health, and that of their children, and away from the real issues.

Imagine the reaction we'd get if we stood in line at Wendy's and told the fat lady in front of us "SKIP THE DOUBLE BACON CHEESEBURGER AND GET THE SALAD!"

Again, your question, "what are YOU doing," seems curiously defensive.

I don't mean to offend, and you certainly have no reason to actually answer me, but are you "obese?" You seem quite defensive here, which is a curious reaction, imo. Believe me, I KNOW that it is hard to lose weight. I repeat, I lost 55 pounds not too long ago, about 5 years now. I became active, took up beach volleyball and snowboarding, to keep me active 12 months a year. I changed my diet radically. And I became an activist for health care causes. Tell me, what are you looking for for an answer? I'm sincere...what could I say that would cause you to answer anything but "it's none of your damned business?"

[Beausoir]

59. Because I take a stand, you ask if I am "obese"???? Shame on you.

I am against fat bashing..therefore I MUST be "obese"? That says alot about your mindset.

And, typically, I see you have no solutions. What is your answer to the growing problem of childhood obesity? Do you have a plan, besides telling me how much weight YOU have lost? As a "healthcare activist", surely you have some answers. Give me some specifics. What can we do as a nation, besides ridiculing people, to help?

If I seem "defensive" about the issue it's because I do not tolerate cruelty toward ANY group of people just because they may not "measure up" to your standards. Not old people, young people, thin people, fat people.

[Atman]

64. Please don't play that "shame on you" game with me.

Do you think I am the only one here with that thought in the back of my mind? Call it "me thinks thou dost protest too much." If I'm wrong, I'm wrong, but it is a legitimate question, given your reaction. I always try to gather more insight before I comment, and if you were standing before me, I'd know right away, but you're not, so I asked. As I said, I don't want to offend, and I'd like to know more about the person who is demanding that I offer up the solutions to save the world.

Why? Who made you the arbiter of rightness? You make the absurd leap of saying my concerns are because somehow I feel people "don't measure up to my standards." Bullshit, and a cop-out. I never said any such thing. I can see that no matter what I answer, it won't be "specific" enough for you. I politely asked what type of "specifics" you'd qualify as "measuring up to your standards" (forgive me!), so that I could better answer your question. Instead, I see you just want to attack. Have it your way. (oops, sorry for the Burger King pun!)

[Name removed]

85. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[MaraJade]

165. We need to start helping OURSELVES.

Start by paying attention to what YOU PUT IN YOU OWN MOUTH>

Eat more green veggies and fruits and lean meats and fish. Practice portion control (avoid
allyoucaneat places). Exercise. Get off your duff and walk around the block. Change your own
behavior. Join a gym. Get physically active.

Stop contributing to the corporate bottom lines of Mickey D's, Pizza Hut, Burger King, Sonic, Wendy's and all of the others.

And if you must rely on others to help you, join a group like Weight Watchers or TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly). There are groups in your area.

[Inland]

27. It's a public health problem.

So I'll dispense with any jokes and just remark on it. People are getting big, and it's really alarming when it's kids, just because they aren't going to find it easier to get any smaller as they get older. Took me twenty years after school to get fifty or more pounds over weight. If I had started out fifty, I'd be dead.

[KittyWampus]

32. Neither is the gas mileage of the kind of car we drive, or where and by

whom our clothes are made. That is, if your world view considers all humans only as unconnected, seperate individuals.

We are all linked together. All of us in America and the world. True or False?

Yes, judgemental and biased comments are counterproductive. But that doesn't negate the need to pay some attention to the deletorious behaviors practised by our neighbors and pretend it's not happening. Because society as a whole IS effected by the lifestyles and habits of its individual members.

[BoneDaddy]

37. Fat bashing is one thing

Sitting around and making justifications and excuses why a person cannot manage and control their weight is bordering on being as abusive as mocking them.

I am all for the individual doing what they want in life and to follow self determination, but I also don't think the world needs to coddle folks who happen to let themselves fall apart.

We need to find balance. On one end it is the criticism and abuse of people who are fat and on the other are the "I am ok just the way I am" crowd whose permisiveness and excuses for such an obvious public health issue go beyond ridiculous. Either extreme is not good.

The reality is our kids are getting way to fat. If you can't see that, then I don't know where to even begin to have an intelligent conversation.

[Beausoir]

48. OK, BoneDaddy...give us your solution. Be SPECIFIC!!

Precisely how are you going to end the problem of obesity?

List as many facts as you can to back up your solution.

So far, all I've heard is "kicking someone's ass", "shaking some sense into people" "it's CHILD ABUSE!!!!" and some pretty irrational theories.

Now's your turn. What do you propose?

[BoneDaddy]

70. First of all

you have to do anything like this with compassion.
People don't get this way over night. And it happens for different reasons. For some it is compulsion, an addiction and it needs to be approached in that way. For others it is protection, especially for those who have been abused or traumatized. For some it is lack of follow through and success at limit setting and so on.

So on the individual level, counseling, support groups, therapy for some is a start.

On the global level, food manufacturers need to be held accountable, just like we do anyone who puts forth an inferior or potentially dangerous product. Real education, not the food pyramid nonsense about food and eating healthy should be provided from a young age. Removing the grease, fat, suger and sodium from school lunches. If they want to eat that way, have them bring from home. Don't provide it for them.

The corporations that put out this crap need to be held to a level of accoutability like the cigarette manufacturers. Perhaps a "sin tax" is in order instead of the dollar menu. If their product causes bodily problems it should be removed. Put pressure on mega fast food companies to change menu to more healthy alternatives.

Encourage reductions in health insurance based upon weight loss or other incentives.

EDUCATION, EDUCATION, EDUCATION....TEach people how to cook for themselves, how to buy produce and work within a budget.

And this nonsense that junk food is cheaper than store bought food is ridiculous. For the price of a dinner for a family of four, I could spend half that and buy good food that is nurturing and filling.

I am sure there is a helluva lot more, but I am at work. Please feel free to add.

[Beausoir]

84. Who is going to pay for "therapy" for all these fat people?

[MissB]

94. Wow.

One might just think that you are so angry that you can't appreciate when suggestions for solutions are offered. :rofl:

Kudos to BoneDaddy for taking the time to respond, though.

[Beausoir]

98. I'm not angry..just looking for solutions. Do you have any?

Can you envision anyone in this country paying for therapy for fat people?

Really?

[Atman]

99. No, you're angry.

You're lashing out at anyone and everyone on this board. If you cannot see that, you have a whole lot of other issues to deal with than just your deep concern over what others think about obese children.

[Beausoir]

102. Did you refer to a child as "Little Shamu"? And you, an adult, are

offering psychological advice to me? With a straight face?

I'm not angry. Angry people make personal attacks. I'm just looking for you to put your money where your mouth is and offer up something besides namecalling.

[Atman]

105. I don't care if you're the Pope.

You have serious issues.

[Beausoir]

108. Did you refer to a child as "Little Shamu?"

Can you take responsibility for that and defend it?

[Atman]

109. See post #113

Have a nice day.

[Atman]

195. Actually, forget post #113. It isn't mine anymore

So many posts appear to have been deleted in this thread...#113 isn't mine anymore. I'm not sure the post I was referencing still exists.

[holboz]

174. Bonedaddy made a good point: EDUCATION

Possibly through health classes at school...anyone remember those? Or community centers. Even lots of hospitals offer one-night special classes/seminars on different topics.

I didn't realize how complex nutrition had become until I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes when I was pregnant. And I didn't get it from sitting down pigging out on junk food and soda. I got it from drinking too much 100% fruit juice and eating too much raisin bran. I thought I was eating healthy by eating the raisin bran instead of cookies and drinking fruit juice instead of sodas. WRROOONG. My blood sugar level was through the roof.

Fortunately I got to meet with a nutritionist and it took about 2 hours to go through the ins and outs of a truly healthy, proper diet, portion sizes, etc. I learned the food pyramid I was taught in school was rubbish. It truly was an eye-opening experience and I'm glad I got the information because I could pass along these habits to my daughter.

Price and convenience mean a hell of a lot to most Americans. Fresh veggies and fruits cost a lot more than their tin-canned counterparts (which are packed full of sodium). And most people just can't be asked to spend half an hour chopping up veg for dinner (like I did tonight). We could offer up every possible good idea in the world but those ideas won't mean anything if individuals never commit themselves to making healthy living a priority. That means going to buy the veggies and fruits and spending a little extra time preparing a healthy meal vs. going to the drive-thru.

Once someone makes the decision that they want to put their health first instead of convienence then the education will be of significant help, along with proper support to make sure they stay focused and motivated.

That's just my 2 cents worth based on my own personal experience. It's not easy to be eat healhty. I know some people are overweight because they use food as a comfort to deal with other issues in their lives. That is a completely different discussion and is NOT related to the point that some people value what is quick and easy over what is healthy.

Thanks! :)

[BoneDaddy]

110. you and I will

if we believe in bettering humanity. I for one am thinking of what we could have done with the money from the Iraq debacle and what we spend on defense.

Like i said before, I believe in self-determination first.

Who do you think is paying for the heroic measures with people who are suffering the multitude of physical effects of being obese already? We are already paying for it in the form of hospital care, maintainance, medications etc... If we were more proactive, we would eventually save money if we believed in preventative care first before heroic care.

[MaraJade]

166. Weight Watchers is cheap. . .

Only about $10 per weekly session and you don't have to buy any special food. Just go to the same
supermarket you always use.

WW trains people in how to eat properly and nutritiously and teaches techniques that can be used
to get control over eating problems.

It works!

[Bridget Burke]

193. I've seen suggestions about diet adjustment & more exercise.

No faddish diets. You know, fresh fruit & vegetables--all those boring suggestions. Portion control. Homemade stuff over fast food, when it's possible. Treats in moderation.

Exercise can mean participation in sports. Or just getting off the couch occasionally--I say this as a part-time couch potato. I'm no athlete, but I do walk quite a bit.

Luckily, I've never been obese, but have NEVER been too thin. After a certain age, one should not keep outgrowing one's clothes. So I watch my intake & keep moving.

People with morbid obesity need compassion & medical help. I've known a few ladies who had surgery to reduce their weight & the results were not good.

[thinkingwoman]

131. Quick question...

Sitting around and making justifications and excuses why a person cannot manage and control their weight is bordering on being as abusive as mocking them.

What about people who are overweight for some other reason? What about people who cook all their meals at home, from raw ingredients, and do not eat candy, ice cream, etc., but still are overweight?

How do they fit into your "cannot manage and control their weight" attitude?

[BoneDaddy]

140. We are not talking about simply

being overweight. We are discussing obesity. hell I am about 10 pounds over my comfortability level, I am not talking about that. I am talking about the folks who are an the other end of the extreme.
You do what you can. Do you exercise at least 3 times a week for about a half an hour doing something aerobic?
If you are just eating well it is not enough, there has to be some long term committment to cardio/exercise.

Look I am not saying blame people who are obese, but they are still the primary ones accountable if they are not suffering from a hormonal or genetic complexity.

But the reverse of that where we have this "everything is a-ok" mentality and the pushing of the rest of the world to accept obesity is totally ridiculous.

[thinkingwoman]

141. I once stumped a doctor

who had to admit that he had no solution.

I was able to show him (completely honest and accurate) food and exercise logs spanning 18 months. In those logs I consumed at or below recommended caloric intake and exercised 5-7 times each week (step aerobics) for 45 mins to an hour each.

I.did.not.lose.weight.

Seems I have a ridiculously low metabolism. :shrug:

That was more than 15 years ago. Since then I have had a second child and I have gained and lost the same 60-80 pounds more than 3 separate times, using multiple methods. Sometimes I did exercise. Sometimes I did not. The last time, with weight watchers, I actually ate MORE than I had for the past decade. It was weird.

I should also note that I am allergic to dairy and therefore I do fix my meals at home and cannot partake of processed foods or any sweets unless they're homemade by my family.

My 40 years of life experience has taught me that there is a lot of misinformation, misconception, bigotry, self-loathing, and exploitation going on in the weight and diet industries. The truth is that it is not as simple as eat less, exercise more. The truth is that our bodies are a series of chemical reactions and when something is off, people who are doing "all the right things" can still be fat (and I mean 30-?? pounds overweight, not oh-my-gosh-I-want-to-lose-10-pounds overweight).

As for this:

Look I am not saying blame people who are obese, but they are still the primary ones accountable if they are not suffering from a hormonal or genetic complexity.

The point is that you cannot tell by looking at them whether they are suffering from a hormonal or genetic complexity, and, frankly, neither can they or many of their doctors.

[BoneDaddy]

146. I am not disagreeing with what you are saying

and I think in your case you are an anomoly. I wouldn't judge anyone about anything if I didn't walk in their shoes. You are most likely one of the rare individuals who have some biological complexities in regards to losing weight.

But the VAST MAJORITY of people who are obese are obese because they eat too much of the wrong foods...bottom line. I know you don't want to hear that but it is true. It is not a judgement but an observation.

I wish you luck.

[thinkingwoman]

150. I think we agree

I think in theory we agree, but I think what you've written on this thread carries a tone of judgementalism that I feel doesn't help the situation.

Look at this for example:

"But the VAST MAJORITY of people who are obese are obese because they eat too much of the wrong foods...bottom line. I know you don't want to hear that but it is true. It is not a judgement but an observation."

1. What constitutes a "vast majority"? We simply don't have the answers to weight in modern day. I suspect there is something very simple going on chemically (ie, something humans are getting through their water, air, food, etc) that is exacerbating the problem. I could be wrong. I could be right. We'll just have to wait and see.

2. How on earth would you have any idea what I do or do not "want to hear"? You just made a huge assumption about me.

3. "It's not a judgement but an observation" -- if it's not a judgement, why do you feel defensive enough to include that statement?

Finally, as for this:

"I wish you luck."

Thank you. I accept your good wishes and return them to you. May you never battle weight and lose. As for me, I have come to terms with my metabolism and am working on ways to boost it while continuing to eat healty, exercise, and ignore bigoted, snarky, uninformed bs spewed by strangers.

[BoneDaddy]

151. ya

and you have no judgment in your words, either. (bigoted snarky or uniformed)

If you had read, really read my first couple of posts you would have noticed that I excluded people with genetic, hormonal (metabolism is controlled by hormones) or biological complexities from my statements.

What you don't want to even slightly acknowledge is the behavioral component. When MOST people start to take control of their eaing and change their diets to healthy food, the weight naturally comes off.

Regarding your comment about chemical issues, you may be right, but somehow I think that you are trying to take this control out of people's hands so we can blame it on some obscure phenomenon that is nowhere considered science YET. I can only respond to what is real.

REgarding your comment about what you want to hear and how would I know what you want to hear, I can only base that on what you commented on and it is cleary apparent that you do not want to recognize that weight loss and obesity are PRIMARILY behavioral and diet related. I am not talking off the cuff. Watch supersize me or talk to a nutritionist if you want an "expert" to tell you what I have been trying to.

As for wishing you luck, that was genuine. Sounds like you have a serious metabolic condition that was ONLY recognized because you ruled out more common issues with weight first.

We produce the fattest, most unhealthy kids and adults in the modern civilized world who have been fed a diet of propaganda from the food corporations of the world. If you choose to just sweep that under the rug, well, that is your perogative.

[thinkingwoman]

158. I LOVED Supersize Me!

I made my entire family watch it a year ago and it had the effect I was hoping for...they swore off fast food! I highly recommend it to everyone!

An interesting aside...I have the healthiest eating habits in my immediate family (husband, kids, and my parents, probably because of my food allergies, but I am the ONLY one with a weight problem. My hubby especially can put away fast food (or could before watching Supersize Me) daily and never gain a pound! Both my kids are at a healthy weight and can make good nutritional decisions without my assistance.

Rereading my previous post, I realize I should have qualified the "bigoted snarky or uniformed" aspect, so I'll do so now. I was not referring to you, though I understand why you took it personally. I was referring to other posts on this and other threads, as well as people I have encountered offline for decades. I apologize for throwing it in at the end of the post without making it clear that I did not mean to jab at you.

I do think, however, that you are reading more into my warnings about people with weight loss issues than I am meaning. I have not said that there is not a behavioral component for many, if not most, people. I have cautioned about being quick to judge that it's always or exclusively a behavior component. That does not translate to me "trying to take this control out of people's hands so we can blame it on some obscure phenomenon that is nowhere considered science YET." On the contrary, I think people need to learn more about the chemical aspects of their bodies and the food they consume so that they absolutely CAN take control.

For me, that means understanding how various foods break down in the body and what triggers weight gain or loss for me. What I have discovered is that moderate exercise is important for me (and most people really), but that if I go overboard (for me that means aerobics 5-7 days a week for 45 mins to an hour each day) while cutting calories my body will decide that I'm starving it and react by piling on weight or maintaining. What works for me might be the worst possible solution for someone with a different metabolic make up.

My point for sharing my story on this thread is twofold:

1. To let others with metabolic problems know they are not alone
2. To remind people who don't have weight issues and judge those of us who do that they cannot tell what is going on just by looking at us.

Take from that what you will.



P.S. I did take your good luck wish as sincere and do appreciate it. Now that I have come to understand why I have this persistent weight problem I will beat it. But I will never forget what I've learned from this experience and will not judge others who continue to struggle. I have yet to meet anyone, ANYone, who enjoys being overweight--especially not here in America.

[bunkerbuster1]

184. Last year I told my pre-K kid the premise of the film

(She'd asked about the "grown-up" DVD we'd rented, that she wasn't going to be watching.)

"It's about a man who decides to eat nothing but McDonald's food for a month. What do you think happened to him?"

Took her about two seconds before replying: "He got sick?"

[thinkingwoman]

194. Out of the mouths of babes!

You're raising a smart one!

[BoneDaddy]

191. Thanks

for the clarification. I guess we were coming from different parts of the same point.

Take care.

[thinkingwoman]

199. You're quite welcome!

Peace.

[Katherine Brengle]

79. I think that we all have a stake in preserving the health and...

well-being of children.

Call me cruel, but I think we owe it to them to make sure they have the best possible start in life, physically as well as emotionally.

[Rex]

122. Wow judge, jury and executioner

:eyes:

[MaraJade]

163. I'm overweight and I say BASH AWAY!

Bash me, for starters! I have a beautiful, fit daughter and I look like hell. And through neglect and
too much busy-ness I did it to myself. I am to blame!

I recently had a cardiac scare, and I smelled the coffee at last when my child cried and told me that she was worried that I wouldn't be around to see her graduate from high school.

People should not be supported in any type of self-destructive behavior, including digging their grave with a fork.

Overweight is BAD! That's why I am now in Weight Watchers and dieting successfully to lose the weight.
As one gets older, the weight becomes an increasing problem. I am far from medically obese, but the bit of extra weight I am carrying has resulted in arthritis that has destroyed one of my knees.

If you are overweight--go to Weight Watchers and lose it. Put the ice cream tub and spoon down and
get rid of the weight. Eat some carrots instead. Set an example for kids and others and lose the weight. Eat actual green veggies and just say no to curly fries. You'll lessen your health risks and feel better for it.

And JOIN A GYM. I did. You meet the nicest people in gyms.

[LostinVA]

180. A friend of mine lost 120 pounds on WW

That was ten years ago. You CAN be healthy for you and your family~! That's the best attitude to have. And, you're right: for most people, eating less, eating better, and exercising will do it. You just can't expect miracle cures. My friend loved the support and straight-forwardness of WW.

I exercise five times a week for about 45-60 minutes a time, eat healthy, NEVER drink sodas, but still have treats. I feel so healthy.

I hate seeing children penalized before they even reach their teens -- burdened with health problems they'll have for the rest of their lives. All preventable.

[LeftHander]

17. Fat 4 profit...good little consumers.....

Once the cells are they they don't go away. But we have liposuction now don't we.....so eat away, fatten those kids up...

http://www.sportsci.org/encyc/adipose/adipose.html

"The developmental sequence of adipose tissue in humans is less well defined. In contrast to most neonates, the human neonate is born relatively fat. Two periods of hyperplastic growth are probably during the third trimester of pregnancy and just prior to and during puberty.

Contrary to earlier belief, hyperplastic growth can also occur in adulthood (in both humans and rats). When adipocytes fill with lipid and get to a critical size, precursor cells are stimulated to differentiate, and an increase in adipocyte number results. This critical size probably does not occur with moderate overfeeding unless the overfeeding is of long duration. In addition, there are probably individual differences in the size that will result in new adipocyte formation. Once new adipocytes are formed, they remain throughout life and only a reduction in size of the cell is possible. This increased number of adipocytes has far-reaching consequences for the treatment and prevention of obesity."


Mooooo...

We aren't sheeple anymore....we are cattle. Corporations fattening our kids up for future profit.

[savemefromdumbya]

52. obesity=ill health=profit for health providers=profit for insurance cos

[KurtNYC]

57. obesity = ill health = excluded from insurance coverage

or forced to pay higher premiums.

Insurance companies only make profit on customers who cost LESS than they pay in premiums.

[Atman]

68. They do it for smokers, and for those who engage in high-risk sports

I think obesity should also be a determinate of premiums. Perfectly reasonable.

[LeftHander]

72. Poo Poo Footballs.....

Big bucks on the obese.

Lets not forget we have a system that is designed for profit first, care second. Healthcare insurance companies HMO's and Hospitals are just part of the profit machine. They all have preferred provider networks, specific "drug" plans and preffered vendors. Each designed to maximize the individual profit on sickness.

Cap it all off with a big helping of consumerism over a lifetime and we have the fastest growing most profitable industry, second only to making bombs and killing people in the Middle East.

So the most popular drugs are profitable as long as American's stay fat and keep getting fatter.

Blood Pressure medicine. cholesterol reducers, beta blockers, blood thinners, vaso-dialators, constrictors, piss pills, poo poo footballs...(names from my father for diretics and stool softeners..)

Christ if there is a bodily function that can be identified there is a pill that will make it happen.

We got pills to take care of other pill's side effects and pills to take of that pills side effect from problems associated with a high sugar and saturated fat diet.

And they all help keep us alive when we are really sick.

I think if I ever get really sick and I am in my 60's or 70's I'll say...been a good time...time to check out. I'm not going to be a pill processing profit center for some huge pharma organization.

Just let me the fuck die and make me into a wafer.

"Soylent Green is people!"

[Mithras61]

147. This is a false juxtaposition...

recent studies have confirmed that obese people do not have the health problems that were expected based on their weight-gains alone. Other underlying factors were found in almost every single case of increased need for healthcare in obese people.

[MaraJade]

167. My sentiments exactly!

[MissB]

19. I was on vacation last week.

I spent a day shopping in one of the local towns - you know, helping to support the local small merchants.

Every freakin' store I went into I saw kids that were big. It wasn't just one or two kids- they all appeared really overweight. I have problems finding pants for my kids - because they are thin. Most pants - even the ones with the adjustable waists - are too big. Finding slims is damned tough.

Used to be you'd occaisonally have a child too tall for the infant seat so you'd have to switch to the next type of seat a little sooner. Now they'll be making "husky" car seats. Sheesh.

[Beausoir]

86. Wow. That was obviously really distressing to you.

Having to look at all those fat kids.

And wouldn't it just be TERRIBLE to have someone manufacture a husky car seat.

Those fat kids surely don't deserve it.

[MissB]

88. Yeah, that was my point.

:eyes:

You sure are angry about something on this thread. I suggest you be a little less passive-agressive about it. :rofl:

[Beausoir]

97. No. I'm not angry. I just don't understand why you are so offended

by fat children? Why would you possibly care if someone had to manufacture a husky carseat?
Car seats..no matter the size..are for the safety of ALL children, not just your slim ones.

(Btw, I have 4 very skinny kids..and buy the adjustable-waist pant at Gap. Easy Peasy.)

[MissB]

101. You assume that I was offended by fat children.

All over this thread, you appear to be angry about something. I have a feeling that anger is preventing you from reading many of the posts on this thread in the way they were intended. You seem to be looking for offensive messages where there are none.

My point, which you missed by a mile, was that I hadn't noticed so many overweight kids. I've heard the media talk for years about the epidemic of obesity in this country, especially in kids. It seemed that every child that I saw last week was either overweight or obese. I simply hadn't noticed that before.

I find it odd that the default position in clothing seems to be headed for bigger kids rather than average (or slim) kids. It does seem to indicate that the clothing manufacturers have clued into the obesity epidemic. From my point of view, it seems like a reversal - when I was growing up, there were very few overweight kids. Even when my before-mentioned family member was growing up, finding clothing to fit that person was difficult. That family member is only just entering adulthood. Nowadays, there are many more choices for kids that are bigger. I don't find that to be a bad thing necessarily, I just find it interesting. Now *I'm* the one having problems finding clothing that will fit my kids.

I don't think I'll be too surprised in a few years when there are more car seats built for the huskier set than for the slimmer set.

(The Gap pants fall down on my kids - they don't adjust enough for them. Even Old Navy slims aren't quite slim enough most of the time. Now and then I'm really lucky to pick up some Levi slims that will reasonably fit my kids.)

[Beausoir]

104. I must have misunderstood the "Sheesh" in your post.

Sorry. Still not angry. Just looking for some solutions.

Really.

[LostinVA]

116. You really do have a problem -- what is it?

There have been TWO posts making fun of fat kids. I alerted on one -- why haven't YOU alerted on the other? The majority of the posts are truly caring, but you're like "Wawhawa." Just lashing out and not being constructive or even discussing the issues.

If you truly cared about the kids and the issue, you would eb discussing it, not scattergunning.

The hell with it. You're WORSE than the two nasty posts -- because you've posted alot on this thread, and your rudeness has reached the point when I put people on Ignore.

So... IGNORE.

[RaRa]

30. It is upsetting

to see these kids, - knowing it's not their fault at all. It's abuse, plain and simple. But you have to make the car seats for them. God, are we supposed to punish children (let them die in a car accident) because their parents aren't taking care of them properly? Why not require anyone who purchases or registers one of these take a child nutrition class?

[Atman]

38. They DO make car seats for them

See post #12.

Car seats ARE available, but they cannot be produced in large enough numbers to bring the costs down to what "regular" car seats cost. The parents need to make some choices, and not be looking to the same big industries that are fattening up kids to provide special breaks for them. Like buying XXXL clothing, it usually costs more.

It is about CHOICES and education. But the car seats are available.

[Beausoir]

60. What an insane idea. Anyone who buys a carseat has to take a diet class??

Putting aside the absurdity of that idea...just who is going to PAY for these classes?

And, did it ever occur to you that by punishing people who want to buy a safe carseat for their fat child, you are actually making it MORE likely that children will die on the road?

[Atman]

67. I agree with you

I know you weren't responding to me, but I replied to the other poster, too. First, not to put too fine a point on it, but the op said NUTRITION classes, not DIET classes. I think NUTRITION classes might not be a bad idea for EVERYONE, but that doesn't mean I think that is a practical or workable solution. We can all dream of utopia, can't we? And a society wherein everyone is knowledgeable about the foods they eat and how they are produced and how they effect them cannot be a bad thing. It may not be achievable, but why carp on people just for suggesting it?

Again, larger sized car seats ARE available. That isn't the issue. The parents in the story about which we're all posting are complaining that $100-200 is too much to pay for a car seat for their child -- riding in the back of their $35,000 SUV.

What is wrong with this picture?

[Beausoir]

87. Nice version of utopia. Does it also include calling kids "Little Shamu"

if they don't meet your criteria?

What a nice little word you are imagining.

[RaRa]

96. Thanks

"but why carp on people just for suggesting it?" and "We can all dream of utopia, can't we? "

Jesus, thank you! It was just a top of my head thought and reaction to the obvious problem we have in this country; not some serious conviction I have. God, I guess I have to sit contemplate about every fucking thing I write here in anticipation that I will be forever held to these statements. Chill out people.

[LeftyMom]

69. Should I have to take a class?

My kid has a high weight limit seat (the Britax Husky, it goes to 80 lbs harnessed and is so tall I nearly fit in it height-wise.) He's not fat. He has it because he's tall (3'6" and 44 lbs at not quite five years old.) I sure as hell don't need a nutrition class- fuck I could teach one.

What about the parents who get these seats because thier cars have lap belts and they can't use a regular booster seat or because they have squirmy kids or thier children have special needs- there are special needs seat that harness to 100 lbs and vest restraints that go beyond that, not because the kids are fat but because they can't sit still or thier health issues prevent thier sitting upright in a 3 point harness. Do they need a nutrition class?

[MaraJade]

173. Doesn't sound like your child is obese. . .

But wouldn't you agree that a 60 or 70 pound child who is 3'6" tall is a bit much? It happens. Unfortunately.

For example, I know a 23 month old boy who is about 2'6" (give or take an inch or so) and nearly 40 pounds. You should see the legs on this child. I fear for his bones.

[LeftyMom]

179. He's nothing like it.

Which is why I disagree with the assertion that parents who buy thier children high weight limit seats need nutrition classes. There are many reasons to buy such a seat, including greater safety, higher harness height, the lack of shoulder belts in the car, behavioral inability to sit still, medical conditions that make sitting upright unsupported difficult (for example kids with Downs' syndrome often have low muscle tone and benefit from harnessed seats that allow them to sit comfortably upright and breathe well in the car) or being generally large.

Most of the kids who sit in such seats just aren't fat.

[Katherine Brengle]

81. I think that parents should be required to take classes--

in parenting. Taking care of children is a learned skill, not an instinct, and our culture does not treat it as such.

[lovuian]

62. Theres something in the food making obesity

its the obvious answer and where are the scientists to find out whats wrong...

my kids had mcdonalds all through their younger ages... the only thing I did do was keep them in sports and running... they never got obese...

America needs to have physical activity for kids more of it...

[Inland]

74. I don't think it's a secret.

Most of the change in food can look to old school:
1) bigger portions
2) more fats and sugars
3) less fruits and vegetables

Most of the change is related to eating out more and eating prepared foods more, where portion control is not practiced and foods have added sugar, fat and salt to make them taste better.

Most of the changes in physical activity can probably be traced to a lack of interest in the outdoors, aided by parents who are afraid to just let their kids outside and kids who are into more sedentary electronic activities.

Anecdotally: I watched my nephews waste a beautiful day playing tennis....on their Nintendo. Also anecdotally: I had time to kill so I stopped at at "Country something or other" for breakfast. After seeing that most everyting for breakfast was "smothered in four Wisconsin cheeses" I had to ask if there was oatmeal available. And I hate oatmeal.

[Atman]

77. Let's not forget good 'ol fashioned MARKETING

In my former life, I was in marketing, as part of my creative consulting business. Women's clothing (now there's a whole other scam that could take up a long DU thread!) and paper products. Fish gotta swim forward or they die, and companies gotta keep coming up with NEW and IMPROVED crap, or their shareholders don't make money.

We don't have BIG GULPS because people were clamoring for a gallon-size soda. We have BIG GULP because marketers crunched the numbers and determined how much more money they could make by adding 1/2¢ worth of soda into 2¢ worth of cup and charge 15¢ more for it.

No one is going to rush to Chilis based on an ad promotion promising NEW SMALLER PORTIONS!

Bigger, better, more! Gotta have more! People just don't get excited about getting less.

[Inland]

80. You do get more for your money.

Food, after all, is cheap. Double portions all require the same rent, same labor, same utilities, just more of the food input, which is the least of all of them. It's a deal, all right, but there's really no point in eating yourself sick.

The advice I've heard, that sounds right, is ask for a doggy bag to come with your meal and *immediately* put enough away so that your portions make sense. My wife and I also split entrees. But best of all, stop eating out. That's the biggest savings of all.

[MadHound]

117. Hell, I'd get excited if Chilis promoted NEW SMALLER PORTIONS

And I'm a big guy, 6'5", 220 pounds, little fat. It used to be that the portions served were suitable for a person, in fact some of the portions left me a little hungry, hence desert was an option. But now portions have gotten so huge that there are many times I don't even eat half of what is served, taking home the remainder in a doggy bag. I find this kind of wastefullness foolish, needless, and in many cases even obscene, given the problem of the hungry and homeless that we have in this country.

Back when I was a kid, the Big Mac or Quarterpounder were the big burgers. Now they are offering up 3/4 of a pound, complete with cheese and bacon:crazy:

I for one would welcome a restraunt that offered normal size portions again. It would be a welcome relief, and a nostagic trip back to my youth. Here's hoping it happens soon.

[LostinVA]

142. I agree! My SO and I often split an order, and still have some

left over. I'm 5'3", medium-frame, and also little fat... these portions are CRAZY big, even for a man... and there's no way I can eat that. It is wasteful, and encourages people to clean their plate (I paid for it, so I'm eating it mentality -- I had to let that idea go).

Agreed! That's why sometimes you would get appetizers or dessert... I can't tell you the last time I ordered dessert, even to split it. Who has the room left?

[MaraJade]

175. My daughter and I recently went to Ruby Tuesdays

and upon seeing the size of the desert, we both refused. It was enormous.

I was a blond brownie with three scoops of ice cream and caramel sauce. Clearly enough desert for about three people,
and it was a single serving. Ridiculous!

When you consider that people order this and actually eat this (per person) it becomes clear that portion sizes are
out of control. People need to just say no to this.

I told the waitperson that Ruby's needs to have smaller deserts on the menu. I also send an email to corporate.

I hope they get the message.

[LostinVA]

181. I honestly don't understand why they don't have smaller portions

[RayOfHope]

89. School lunches are partly to blame as well.

The school where I used to teach had horrible lunches. The cooks didn't 'cook', they reheated what basically amounted to TV dinners--extra heavy on the grease and starch. There was a pitiful little salad bar. Kids could buy treats after they ate, like Little Debbie Brownies and such.

The school where my daughter will be attending (a preschool, kindergarten, grade 1 building) actually has a Coke machine and a candy vending machine in the cafeteria. The admin is going to get an earful from me when I take her to register.

[MissB]

91. The neighboring district offered free breakfast

regardless of income. The choices were: a cinnamon roll, a bean burrito or a hamburger bun with processed cheese and canadian bacon.

I've often wondered why that district didn't just have Cinnabon, Taco Bell and McDonald's provide breakfasts to the kids. There wouldn't be a whole hell of a lot of difference between what the school provided and what the fast food places could provide. It seems to me that the school district was just providing the kids with food that would condition them to eating at fast food places.

[Inland]

120. I hear ya.

Schools gave up long before parents did. Did you see The Simpson's episode on placing vending machines in school?

[Katherine Brengle]

76. My 2-yr old daughter weighs 24 lbs and her doctor...

has been berating me since shortly after she was born saying that she is dangerously underweight. She eats on demand, and not on a very strict diet at all--I allow her junk food and candy in moderation--she is just small.

The growth charts these docs follow drive me crazy--I have been tempted on more than one occasion to ask the doc to compare her growth chart with one from another country and see if we just have a preoccupation with raising porkers.

Ugh.

(For the record, my daughter is perfectly healthy and shows no ill effects from being a little on the skinny side so bah!)

[Beausoir]

83. Same here. 4 out of 5 of my children are very small.

I remember one doctor telling me my first born was always going to be a "runt".

Turns out, my son is a big bruiser. Loves football and swimming.

People tend to see what makes them feel better about themselves.

[Mr.Green93]

123. You feed a two year old "junk food and candy"?

That is abuse.

[Katherine Brengle]

132. Way to be incredibly judgmental and reactionary...

I don't feed her "junk food and candy" exclusively you judgmental reactionary.

I ALLOW her to have junk food and candy ON OCCASION. Just as I allow it to myself ON OCCASION.

Get off your high horse, the view is nice here where us normal folks live.

[Katherine Brengle]

133. And--

I really have to say this--I am absolutely offended and disgusted by your comment.

I don't know if you are just a rude person or what, but how about not judging and accusing based on virtually zero information--that's a really crappy way to contribute to a conversation.

[LostinVA]

143. Whaaaaat?

There's nothing wrong with some candy or a hamburger EVERY now and then... my parents did that. And, my sister and I are in our late 30's and early 40's and in great health. It was a treat.

Leave KB alone -- very arrogant, judgmental comment. Boo.

[TrogL]

95. My first wife was outrageously obese as an infant

Well-meaning relatives were stuffing her face with candy.

Surprise, surprise, she grew up to be obese.

[phylny]

139. My children had fast food possibly twice a month.

I breastfed them until they were at least a year old. I made their baby food from scratch, using what we were eating. I cooked nutritious meals for them as they grew - they had fruit and vegetables and meat every day - they had whole wheat bread for sandwiches, we had carrots or celery for snacks, and they were allowed a cookie or two per day.

We did not have chips, soda, or candy except on a rare occasion.

All three were soccer players, all three were outside playing on their bikes, running in the backyard. The younger two play soccer competitively, run track for their schools.

Two of the three of them are overweight. The third is getting there. I'm overweight, and have been struggling with trying to lose weight for ten years. Within the last few years, my husband has become overweight.

Friends of theirs eat nothing but crap and are skinny as rails. It is perplexing and upsetting.

[diamidue]

149. My children had fast

It is weird, isn't it. I am one of those skinny as a rail and so are my children. My sister is, well, large. Her son is huge. It really is heredity. I figured this out when I was doing genealogy. I was sent an old photo of my great-great grandmother I had never seen before. I found I bore a shocking resemblance to her - also she was skinny. My sister looks just like an old photo of a different gg grandmother - who was heavy. If we hadn't come across those photos, there would have been no explanation for the differences in our weight and appearance. After all, we grew up eating the same foods.

[TrogL]

153. I'm like that

I swear I'm gonna get diabetes. I live on processed sugar and carbs but I've got a metabolism from hell. I can eat a turkey dinner and lose weight from the stress of being around the kind of people you'd see at a turkey dinner.

When I go to the dentist, they have to lay in extra freezing because my metabolism chews it up in no time.

It has its problems:

• I run out of energy quickly. I'm a sprinter not a marathoner.
  
• I get cold very easily. I wear a heavy leather jacket constantly just to keep warm and then a winter jacket over it.
  
• I can't swim worth a damn. I sink like a rock.
  
• I catch colds and other stuff easily.
  
• My teeth - don't start
  
• I'm constantly hungry. I've learned to ignore it.
  
• I get sleepy after meals. Pop-tarts make me pass out on my feet.
  

[Nikia]

114. In WI now children need to be in seats up to 8 years old

Since some 8 years old are big, I assume that there are large seats somewhere. When I was little growing up in Ohio, the law was 4 years old or 40 pounds. If a child is as big as a child a year or two older, is there a reason that they should be in a car seat if they can sit still? I don't know about the reasoning of having 8 years old in car seats. I did fine in a seat belt as a grade schooler.

[MissB]

118. Booster seats.

There is a difference between child safety seats for younger kids and booster seats for older kids. When you outgrow the younger version, then you should move up into a booster seat. The booster seat just helps the adult safety belt fit across the child better. With just the seatbelt, the child ends up with the belt across the abdomen instead of across the lap. Plus, the part of the belt that should touch the shoulder ends up in their face or neck. So the booster seat lifts them up until they are tall enough to sit correctly in an adult seatbelt.

Generally, the child has to be about 4'9" tall or about 80 lbs - which happens to be about 8 years old for many kids.

It is more a matter of safety rather than a matter of sitting still.

[LeftyMom]

126. When you were a grade schooler, assuming you're not very very young

cars had lap belts in the back and they weren't very safe. Now they have much safer lap shoulder belts in the rear and boosters are needed to postion the shoulder belt correctly until the child is the size of a smallish adult.

[Nikia]

115. If children are getting heavier, it has to do with exercise

Children experience a high level orf growth and naturually have a lot of energy. If they are allowed to be active, they will not get heavy even if they do eat a lot of calories. Children seem to be discouraged from being active now though.

[Rex]

121. We will all have chronic conditions from mass consumerism

and still, the companies who feed us slow death now will find a way to make another buck or two.

[entanglement]

178. The big corps do what they can to make more $$$, but

an individual can certainly exercise responsibility and say 'no' to mindless consumerism.

[bleedingheart]

124. my neighbor's daughter got Type II Diabetes...until that happened

they did nothing about their weight or their child's...

When she diabetes...they buy a pool..take walks and she enrolls in sports...she slims down...but the damage is done...she is now a Type II diabetic the remainder of her life and at risk.

[Atman]

125. MEN need to hear this...diabetes TAKES YOUR PECKER. Seriesly.

You always hear about "circulation problems" in the extremities. Of course, in polite conversation, you hear about foot circulation, fingertips. But the penis has lots and lots of tiny blood vessels, and they go before the feet do! I have a neighbor who actually lost a leg because he ignored his doctor's warnings, didn't take his meds, didn't follow his diet guidelines. He's the angriest SOB I've ever met. Then my wife told me why. How'd you like to be only 50 and have no use for your unit except as a drainage device? Never mind pleasing a woman, you can't even get yourself off. No wonder the guy is angry.

Ladies, tell your hubbies! Diabetes isn't about little blood sticks and monitors and insulin shots. Your man could literally lose his dick. If that doesn't get him to lose weight, fuck him. Seriously. It may be your last chance!

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

127. "If that doesn't get him to lose weight, fuck him" - that's amazing

Jesus.

[Atman]

129. I'm not sure what your response meant, but...

...upon re-reading, I realized that it is a bit overly broad. Of course, not all diabetics get diabetes from being overweight. Adult onset, type II, there are different kinds of diabetes. I shouldn't have lumped all diabetics into that "if that doesn't get him to lose weight..." statement. My apologies to any an all who I might have inadvertently offended. Snarkiness overload...the attacks I'm getting on this thread have left me a bit dizzy. Maybe I need to eat something.

[Kailassa]

152. And the exercise might do him good ;-) n/t

[MaraJade]

168. Thanks for posting this!

If this doesn't get attention, I don't know what will--

How about penile amputation? Can happen--

I worked for PA Medicaid and we had several cases, all related to obesity (everything from the actual
crushing of the penis by the apron of abdominal fat to diabetes related loss of circulation). When
this is severe, the penis must be amputated.

Remember people, most obesity is caused by taking in more calories than you expend. Get active and
watch what you eat!

[SoCalDem]

134. Too bad they don't lobby to get HFCS out of our foods

and start taxing "junk".. They don't have a problem going after tobacco, and obesity can lead to life-threatening diseases too. It drives up insurance rates for everyone..just as much..maybe MORE because at least the dideases that tobacco user get, will kill them rather quickly and then they don;t get to even CLAIM their social security money...but lifelong diabetes, acquired as a child ends up costing more, and for decades..not months

[SoCalDemGrrl]

136. Yes SoCalDem HFCS..it's poison... see my post..

[SoCalDemGrrl]

135. Saw this too - it's pathetic

How can people let their children get to this size???

IMHO some of the food additives - especially HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP are to blame for this epidemic. Have you ever checked the food labels to see how many items contain ths CRAP??? You can't find a BBQ sauce or condiment without HFCS... and the next time you shop for bread or English muffins, check the label.. it's in most of those too.

The food conglomerates are making us FAT.

[MaraJade]

169. Look for foods that are sugar free

And you can generally avoid the HFCS.

[DrunkenMaster]

145. the next Generation of Ugly Americans

Like Jabba the Hut clothed in the Stars and Stripes, our beautiful children will drain the Earth dry and then discard it like a used juicebox on an elementary school playground. I salute you, my obese, SUV driving braindead overlords. You truly are the next American Idol.

[Name removed]

148. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Atman]

154. People don't choose their race or sexuality.

But parents can choose whether or not to feed their kids Coke and french fries.

Get a grip, dude. Very poor analogy.

[Puglover]

189. Atman

I have just gotta say I have enjoyed your posts on this thread to the max. You have posted with thoughfulness, humor AND class to some of the most idiotic crap I have seen on DU in a long time.

One of the things that haven't been discussed much is exercise. When I was a kid we would come home from school, drop our books and run outside. Back inside for dinner and then out again until Mom would scream at us to come in or die. :)

Kids today sadly don't do that so much. The world has changed and they tend to be more sedentary.

As for me, exercise is the big key. That and portion control and yeah calorie counting. I can occasionally have a double whopper with cheese, fries and a chocolate shake. And that is it. FOR THE DAY. And the next day I have to eat very healthy.

[Atman]

196. Thank you.

It's been tough! You can try to be "light" about a subject (honestly, no pun intended) and people think you're totally serious, and are posting some hardened position. Then there are the ones who lay down false challenges, and reject your response no matter what it is. I suppose the easiest thing would be to walk away. But then again...maybe not. Just ask the kid with the Whopper and XL Fries...walk away! Sometimes the aroma and the fat and all that nasty stuff is just too tempting!

Threads like this are like junk food. If you remove the fat and grease and the super-sized responses, there is actually some nutrional value buried in there. The key is not to make it a steady diet!

[Beausoir]

187. God, I love you for your way with words.

No nibbling around the edges with you. Just WHOMP!!

Thanks! Really!

[GoddessOfGuinness]

155. Does anyone know if baby formula contains HFCS?

It wouldn't surprise me somehow.

[LeftyMom]

160. It generally does

There are a few organic formulas on the market now and I would assume that they do not. However HFCS, conventional dairy or soy, lanolin (wool fat) and lot of other nasty things are the norm in US baby formulas.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

177. I wouldn't be surprised if that had something to do

with this problem...

[LostinVA]

182. OMG -- that's criminal

[progressivebydesign]

170. If you observe the line of parents at fast food windows...

then it would all make sense. Makes me ill to see how many parents take their kids out several times a week for that garbage. And.. how many times I would see parents buying kids the biggest sized sodas, fries, and a ice creams. I'm not shocked that kids are overweight now...

[bunkerbuster1]

185. We buy a kids meal on those fast-food refueling occasions

And the three of us split the "kid-sized" fries. It's plenty.

I can't conceive of how a family could consume individual "value meals". The medium-sized fries/soda are huge. If that's how you're filling yourself on a regular basis--and, especially, if you're not physically active--I don't see how you can possibly avoid becoming overweight.

[saigon68]

192. ITs Fat City

[DainBramaged]

188. It stems from lazy parents and super-sized meals

Yum yum, Mommy, I'll have a super duper fatburger, yum, yum.

Parenting one oh one went down the drain years ago, first by dumping the kid in front of the TV and then letting them eat what ever they wanted, just so the parents could ignore them.

[Quantess]

200. it's a form of child abuse.

Plump kids are healthy...but.. Obese kids are at risk of health problems and psycho-social difficulties. Obesity jeopardizes physical and emotional health, and I don't understand why anyone thinks it's okay to let their children get so huge that they can't fit into a car seat.

When I see grossly overweight children, I seriously question the parenting practices.
Too little exercise: Video games, not having to walk anywhere, shortened recesses so that teachers can focus on NCLB (no child left behind) testing.

Unhealthy eating pracices: Processed crap "food" with empty calories does not belong in stomachs. Even good food can be overeaten, though, but I suspect the main culprit is junk food, soda pop, and crap like pizza pockets.

Face it, it's the truth! If a child is obese, changes obviously need to be made for that child's physical and emotional well being.

[NMDemDist2]

201. enlightening thread in so many ways

I think HFCS is poison and in spite of my DH complaints, I refuse to buy or serve it anymore. and after reading this thread I'm grabbing my dog and going for a long fast walk.

:hi:

[oblivious]

203. Diabetes crisis (AUS) Doctors see 15-y-o boys with organ damage of 45 y-o

Diabetes crisis

April 11, 2006

THE state is facing a health crisis with new figures showing a 300 per cent increase in diabetics in NSW – the rapid rise being driven by obese children and teenagers.

Children as young as eight are weighing in around 70kg while doctors are seeing 15-year-old boys with organ damage of someone three times their age.

Health experts are now calling on the Government to address the escalating problem and introduce GP accreditation in diabetes care, lifestyle education and programs in schools and ethical food advertising.

"Our kids are getting to middle-aged, chronic diseases in their teen years," University of Sydney School of Public Health obesity expert Dr Michael Booth said.

New figures were released yesterday at a diabetes summit showing the number of type 2 diabetics has doubled in five years, numbers of children with type 2 diabetes was increasing at between 5 and 10 per cent a year and juvenile type 1 diabetes is rising by 3 per cent a year.
http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/story/0,20281,18778137-5001022,00.html