Who Is Responsible For Childhood Obesity In America?
My #1 tip to end childhood obesity
On today’s episode of Live Lean TV, I’m we’re discussing the following, who is responsible for childhood obesity in America?
But in this episode of Freestyle Friday, I’m looking for your feedback in answering this question.
This topic was inspired by a 17 year old who sent me the following question:
“I’m 17 years old, how can I Live Lean?”
After reading this question, I thought to myself, as a 17 year old, whose responsibility is it to teach kids how to be healthy, and Live Lean.
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It’s pretty clear, more and more overweight kids are growing up in a lifestyle, that doesn’t teach healthy eating habits, or encourage activity and movement.
So the ultimate question is, who’s responsible to help kids live a healthy lifestyle, and avoid this obesity epidemic that is affecting so many children of America?
Lets discuss.
Is the epidemic of childhood obesity in America the responsibility of:
- the parents?
- the children?
- the education system?
- the government?
But before you share your opinion, the goal of this post is not just to place blame.
The goal is for you to have your say, by sharing tips, strategies, and experiences that has worked for your family.
How do you help your children live a healthy lifestyle?
I know my parents were really good with me, as they encouraged me to be active in sports at a young age.
I really believe that moving your body more, by playing sports as a kid, is so important.
But the other critical part of a healthy lifestyle, is nutrition.
What are your children eating?
How do you get your children to stop eating junk food, especially when their school vending machines are filled with soda, potato chips, and chocolate bars?
Now that I have a 2 year old daughter and a newborn son, I often wonder how can I educate them to make smarter food choices.
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In other words, how can I get my kids to avoid the temptation, especially when they’re probably being peer pressured by seeing their friends eating junk food.
So I’m very interested to hear from you.
What you have you done with your kids and what recommended tips and strategies would you share with new parents?
The goal is to help everyone in the Live Lean Nation community, learn how to instill a healthy lifestyle for their young kids.
My #1 tip to end childhood obesity
The number one tip I recommend, besides getting your kids more active, by enrolling them into sports, is reducing the amount of soda consumption.
I can’t believe the amount of kids that go into grocery stores and walk out with soda or sugar filled energy drinks.
Some of these sugar filled sodas and energy drinks contain over 200 calories and 50 grams of sugar per serving.
So I want to hear your best tips for this 17 year old.
If this 17 year old’s parents, the government, and the education system are not helping, hopefully as the Live Lean Nation, we can help him, and his parents, make better decisions.
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So you see that comment section below?
That’s where I want you to share all of your best tips and strategies.
If you’re new to Live Lean TV, you’re going to find out very soon that this is a very interactive community.
I’m not just sitting behind the camera and computer talking at you.
I also want you to share your experiences with me, in the comment section below.
I hope you enjoyed this discussion on who is responsible for childhood obesity in America?
Share your healthy tips for kids, and their parents, to help them live a healthy lifestyle.
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Thanks for checking out this Freestyle Friday post.
Have an incredible weekend and go spend time outside to absorb that healthy vitamin D from the sun.
By the way, I have another quick, healthy, and delicious iced protein coffee cooking recipe coming up.
See you soon.
Check out more of our fat burning 4 minute tabata workouts here.
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Brad Gouthro is the founder of Live Lean TV, a media company focused on helping men and women “Live Lean” 365 days a year. Brad’s programs and content have helped millions of people all over the world learn how to get in shape, and more importantly, sustain it for life.
It is up to each man, woman and child to decide what they are going to move and what they will put in their mouth (and swallow)…. As parents we help to shape those decisions and do so best by ‘walking the talk’… At 17 you have the resources/access to the resources to know what a healthy food decision encompasses or what being active entails… You do not need much to get fit, I’ve not had a gym membership for five years… Don’t need one to hold a plank pose, grab a neighbor kid if you need some extra weight for a well executed squat or lunge (with parent permission and good technique)… It is all about gotta wanna, if you don’t wanna do it, you won’t… My six year old has been the only one in her class to NOT take chocolate milk for two years now… She doesn’t want it, she wanted to ride her bike the 11 miles around our local lake and hot damn she did it… An equally active/healthy food conscience friend has a son in my daughters class he only takes chocolate milk and barely rides his bike on his own down their driveway, not his thing… Gotta wanna…
great points!
I’m not a parent, yet. One day… 😉
However — I know that what MY parents did was contradictory. I was put into sports before I was old enough to know why or even really remember starting. I dont remember the beginning of my gymnastics career because I was barely 3 years old. But — I’m so glad that they did because it instilled an active lifestyle into me. I will always be active because it’s ALL I KNOW. I am thankful for that.
However, with that being said. Nutrition was not part of our day to day lives growing up. My mom was a single mother of 3 and life as a single mother is no easy task. So — to save HERSELF some headache (at least this is what I assume. Perhaps I shouldnt just be assuming) it was just easier for her to buy the foods we liked and make them for us for dinner. I honestly can’t even remember very many times that we sat down as a family and all ate the SAME meal, other than holidays or special events. I trained at the gym 5-6 days a week and would miss dinner most nights. My sister was a cheerleader, and well — my brother fell off the band wagon at a young age. So, she would basically let us eat what we wanted. The amount of hot pockets I consumed as a child is terrifying. HOW I didnt become overweight is astonishing. Thank goodness for being an active child.
But, in my opinion that isnt how it should be. I shouldn’t have to train 6 days a week to balance out the crap I’m putting into my body. Now that I’m older I certainly don’t do that. I however do not blame my mom. She did the best she could and she was an incredible mother (and still is) I probably would have been unhealthy skinny if I was eating perfectly and still training the way I was. Pizza was consumed at least 3 days a week and I STILL somehow never so much as got a fat roll. So maybe in a way that was her way of keeping me healthy. She knew I trained way too hard for my age, but I had an olympic dream and she wasn’t going to stop me from making my dreams come true.
I strongly believe that parents need to instill healthy eating and activity into their child at a young age. As one of my favorite bloggers, MizFitOnline said in one of her posts recently “if moma aint healthy, aint nobody healthy” and its true. We grow up learning from our parents. How many times has EVERYONE said “wow that was just like my mother or father” we learn from them. we watch what they do, we learn what they WANT us to do…. We cant expect children to grow up eating junk food and then suddenly just magically know HOW to eat healthy, and with proper portion control, and how to fuel our bodies. It’s something we learn, not something that just happens one day.
well said! i was fortunate…i was put in sports early…and my mom was a home economics teacher
Ah. How do I do this without writing an ENTIRE post on your blog??? I’m a mother of two little girls, 5 and 3. I’ve battled weight issues for as long as I can remember. At one point, it was “safe” to say I was obese. I’m still slowly losing, but I’ve lost 59 pounds since my second daughter was born. Why has it been a battle?
I grew up with two parents who thought that a balanced, healthy meal was anything with a meat, vegetable, and starch. Steak, potatoes, broccoli. Hamburger Helper w/ salad. Hot dogs and French fries when Dad was on duty for the night at the CG station. Dessert was an every night thing. By the time I was a senior in high school, I was battling a childhood that involved everything from infidelity to alcoholism. Emotions were soothed with food.
What was the problem? Here’s my take: my parents don’t know what proper nutrition is. They come to ME for advice on how to properly fuel their bodies now. They weren’t educated enough to make healthy decisions for us…and while their intentions were the best, the solution to our (my sisters and I) weight problems was “Well, don’t eat three helpings.” (Well, don’t SERVE three helpings. Don’t BUY the dessert.) Children also learn habits from their parents…I watched my father have the munchies EVERY. SINGLE. NIGHT. (Guess that’s where my problem came from.) I’ll be honest…it drives me NUTS to see children so obese they can’t walk or run or play. That’s absolutely the parents’ fault…there comes a time when seeing your children cry over wanting a bag of Doritos is more okay than succumbing to it. It DOES mean life or death here.
Parents are absolutely responsible for teaching their children healthy habits…how to properly nourish their bodies, to teach moderation, to make sure that their children know that help is available to them. I was terrified to ask for help or for a gym membership or for healthier food. They’re the ones paying for everything, so it’s up to them to be willing to help their children. What’s worth more? Saving money or making sure your children are fed healthy foods or are staying active?
I don’t blame my parents for anything, because it wasn’t that they didn’t care. I do know they were responsible for me…the problem was they didn’t know HOW to help me. What should have happened at a certain point was a doctor should have told them that there was a problem and how to fix it. Family walks. Family hikes. My kids are very active, very healthy, and will choose a cantaloupe over an ice cream any day. I chose to educate myself…for THEIR benefit as well as mine. It MUST start from the beginning…teaching them that yes, it’s okay to have a hot dog, but not every day. Yes, it’s okay to enjoy ice cream, but not every night. Another big thing is making sure that people understand that “healthy” does not mean that something is going to be bland or taste gross. Parents need to open up to healthy foods before their children can. Once you have a child, what you choose to do or what you choose to put in your mouth affects them, too…we set the example.
This is actually something I hope to help with in my 10-year plan. To help children and adolescents overcome obesity or eating disorders…by helping educate them AND their parents. To help them understand there IS help out there. (My sisters went the opposite direction from me…both suffered from bulimia.)
Sorry for the novel-length comment. I posted about this a while back myself. I’m pretty passionate about this subject. 🙂
My biggest suggestion is this: parents should, themselves, open up to the idea of being active and eating healthy. Make it a FAMILY thing rather than only focusing on one individual.
And if your teenager comes to you begging for help…do it. Help. Pay for the gym membership. Pay for the healthy meals. It’s SO crucial.
For younger kids…don’t push them. Don’t make them do anything. Offer two snacks. Carrots or celery with hummus or apples with peanut butter? They then feel like they are making big decisions on their own without knowing that you just made them choose between two very healthy snacks. Let them choose…but YOU choose what they get to choose from. ALWAYS works with my girls. 😉
Such great stuff…and unfortunately there are many other kids today that are going through the same thing you did.
And as sarcastic and rude as this may sound…even some (not all) doctors don’t know what proper nutrition is.
It’s a tough situation!
Oh I absolutely agree about the docs! I have a friend who was told by her doc to go on the SlimFast diet. (Rolls eyes.) If the doc knows they aren’t the best source of information, they should absolutely refer someone to a doc/nutritionist that knows.
I could go on and on and on on this subject. I’m a new mother and it has been my absolute mission to raise her with healthy food. We only eat whole foods, I make everything…no processed foods no sugar. ANd I am SO fearful of when she starts school. I need to play it right so she chooses the right things! I am also a trainer and nutritionist and I have clients come to me about their children and grandchildren who are obese. Bordering on type 2 diabetes. ANd the number one thing is “DO and I do!” Not just “Do as I say!” The parents need to set an example at home, and as far as our schools go…it’s scary. The waves that have been made with taking soda and flavored milk out is good..but they still have highly processed foods they are serving. High sugar foods. It’s a disgrace.
For the 17 year old..he should get moving…pick up a few books on healthy living, read more blogs and try and get his parents on board with buying more healthy food. Offer to go food shopping with the parents and chose fresh veggies and fruit. Stress how the only oils they should be using in cooking–coconut oil and olive oil. Things like that!! I don’t have time to write it all out but there are so many things! I applaud that kid for taking charge and WANTING to live healthier! That is AMAZING!
Incredible suggestions! I’m on board with them all.