Monday, 08 April, 2002

Denver Fights Childhood Obesity

In a pilot program in Denver, aimed at battling childhood obesity, 200 overweight school kids will be given pedometers in hopes that they will compete among their peers to see who walks at least 10,000 steps a day. This article has the details.  Yeah, right.

According to the article, "[D]octors and pediatric psychiatrists say the problem of childhood obesity is complicated and can't be blamed just on video games or the prevalence of fast food in middle and high schools."  True enough, but certainly those are contributing factors.  The claim that increased academic loads are a culprit is pure B.S.  Kids are fat these days because their parents feed them too much (or allow them to eat too much junk), and don't force the kids to be active.  So what if they can't walk to school.  When they get home, send them outside to play.  Or enroll them in soccer, karate, marching band, or something else active.  The blame for childhood obesity  lays squarely on the parents.  Period.