Childhood obesity was front and center on Day 2 of the CDC’s conference on obesity prevention and control, The Weight of the Nation. HHS Secretary, Kathleen Sebelius, spoke at today’s meeting and said a national focus on childhood obesity is overdue.
“If there was an epidemic of little kids getting cancer, it would be a national crisis,” she said. “But because it’s obesity and the damage doesn’t come until later in life, we’ve been slow to act.”
To help reverse the obesity trend for children and adults, Sebelius says the government wants to help people eat healthy food by serving it in places like public schools, child care centers, recreation centers, senior centers, and other government buildings.
“This isn’t rocket science,” Sebelius explained. “People want to eat healthy diets, but they tend to eat whatever’s convenient and affordable. If we want to reduce obesity, we need to make eating fruits and vegetables convenient and affordable for all Americans.”
There’s much more of what Sebelius had to say here.
What do you think? Do we need the government to help reverse the obesity epidemic, or should the government stay out of it?
We need more government involvement to provide a financial incentive for people to make healthy eating choices. If the US government spent less money subsidizing the production of corn syrup and more money subsidizing the growing of fruits and vegetables we would be in a better position to provide the public with an incentive to eat healthily. The New Yorker has a great article that is featured in this video:
http://www.newsy.com/videos/the_weight_of_weight
It just breaks my heart when I see an obese child! It’s a tide that will not be turned until obesity in parents is cured. Then our whole obesogenic society will behave non-obesogenicly. Simple, isn’t it? Nothing less will work.
PS: There is no $^&^&$%& way in the world that people want to eat a healthy diet! Who is she kidding. They want to eat their “cake,” period!
If you are not willing to see what really is, how can you expect to change it?
Childhood obesity is becoming much too common. I remember being a child and no one was obese because we didn’t have televisions and video games to play, we actually made games and played outside. Now if parent’s would just be a little more strict on their children and encourage healthy diets and exercise we’d be ahead of the game so much more.
I think we’re on to something when we’re talking about kids. Teach them what diabetes is—show them how people lose limbs and die. Make it graphic. Show them how much money obese people spend on lost opportunity costs, healthcare costs, etc.
Then give them real empowering information. Explain: Why people get fat. What foods cause it. Why the eating patterns they set now will follow them through their lives.
Yes they’re kids–but they have brains. Let society treat them that way. Then, we (older generation), have truly done our part.
HB
Adam – Good point about subsidizing growing fruits and veggies instead of corn syrup production. Thanks for sending the link to the video!
Dr. J – Wow, you had to pull out the $^&^&$%& for this one, huh?
Christine – I remember those days, too, when we all played outside a lot. I do hope things change soon. Childhood obesity makes me very sad.
hb – Yes, I think teaching them is key.