Okay -- it's Saturday, I'm at work, and just about NOTHING is happening. In an attempt to stay up-to-date on current events (even if they do mention him), I browse around msnbc.com, where I noticed the exciting headline "Weight gain in girls blamed on drop in exercise".
No kidding, really?
But here's what really got me: in a age where women and girls are sharing tips on how to maintain an anorexic or bulemic lifestyle (especially without your parents knowing, because they might actually CARE about your health!), this article ticks me off.
I know the authors, publishers, et al. mean well, but come on, people -- what about weight gain in boys? You can't tell me that all of the 9 million young people in the United States who are considered overweight are female -- that's not even probable!
This ticks me off, and I felt the need to share.
Anyone reading some of my previous posts will know that I've recently started to make some healthy changes in my life -- more exercise, better eating habits -- so it's not like I'm suggesting that obesity isn't a problem -- but please, people, couldn't we have broadened the study in question to include youngsters with Y chromosomes?
While I'm on that, a new article suggests that "U.S. children [are] healthier than ever, report finds" -- and here's a line they use to support that: "'The overwhelming majority of children — about 83 percent — are reported by their parents to be in very good or excellent health,' Dr. Edward Sondik, Director of the National Center for Health Statistics, told a teleconference with reporters.
Well duh! How many parents have we seen that are in denial over their child's health problem? Anybody else remember the "My 2-year old weighs 70 pounds but I let him eat anything he wants" parents from various daytime talk shows? Even if you don't, I assure you, they were there -- and their children were obese.
Thumbs-down for scientific studies that rely on qualitative surveys.
However, there is hope. Check out "this article" about how Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products are joining the quest to help kids eat better. Heck, we use TV characters to promote food that's not-so-good for us, it had ought to work the other way, right?
Thumbs up for Nickelodeon!
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2 comments:
i agree...there is definitely a weight epidemic amongst in the US. maybe its too much TV watching. what bothers me is alot of schools are cutting our phys ed classes. to make matters worse, they serve crap like soda and pizza's for lunch.
I'm with you on this one. I remember going outside to play with the rest of the neighborhood kids, regardless of the weather. Even when it rained, we would pull up our pantlegs and jump into the puddles. And we did this until the sun went down... Later on weekends. Now, I don't see any kids out, except the ones on their way to their friends' to play videogames!
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