School districts across the country, including USD 259, are adopting policies that limit access to sugary drinks and unhealthy foods. But Harriet Brown argues in this op-ed piece that these plans are “misguided and red herrings, based more in conjecture and politics than on solid research-based solutions.” She warns that these policies — along with the near-hysterical rhetoric that often accompanies them — could end up exacerbating the exact problem they’re trying to solve. What we could end up with, she says, are more weight problems and eating disorders.
Posted by Melissa Cooley
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11 Comments
That is why parents should take charge of their child(ren) well being, including their nutrition. I don’t see how limiting soda in schools will lead to more weight problems and eating disorders.
But I know many parents rely on the government to care and raise their child(ren). I believe that weight problems or poor nutrition is the result of bad or uninformed parenting, rather than the government not doing enough in schools to protect the kids.
The article barely mentions soda machines and candy bars.
Obviously, if kids aren’t consuming so much sugar–actually, corn syrup, subsidized by your tax dollars–they won’t be consuming empty calories.
That’s a good thing. Get that crap out of the schools, unless you want to put cigarette machines in right beside them.
Part of changing kid’s diets is to deny access to junk food. It’s thh right and responsible thing for the schools to do, now if parents would just follow suit.It makes me sick to see so many fat kids, they’re just headed for major health problems as they age.
The common thread is parental supervision. Parents need to take an active role in their childs upbringing. They need to monitor what their child eats, what they watch, who they hang out with.I know that kids love sugary foods and lots of commercials are focused in on kids. Tony Tiger, Chester Cheetah, the Leprechaun, KoolAid guy. Yeah, I keep some sugary snacks in the pantry for my family. I also make sure there are fruit and veggies for snacking in the fridge. I make sure the kids eat a good portion of their usually healthy dinner (I won’t make them stuff themselves to clean their plate) before any dessert is even considered. And I have unusual kids – their favorite veggie is spinach – they love it!I also know the characters on the shows my kids watch, the websites they visit and I know who my kids hang out with and who they don’t like.I know I must be weird too.
Gee, that’s great, Julie.
Straight from the right-wing talking points page of “it’s not my problem, so I don’t have to fix it.”
Did you ever see the parents of some of these obese kids? How do obese parents teach their kids good nutrition habits?
If your “conventional wisdom” worked, the problem would be solved already . . .
Dang TB! What did I do that pissed you off so early? Did I dare to have a different opinion?I never said that it wasn’t ‘my’ problem. I just stated what I was doing to help the problem.
Should I have gone into more detail? Most of my son’s friends come over to our house to hang out. We usually have 2 or 3 extra boys stay a weekend night or whole weekend. I feed these boys the same thing I feed my family. Sometimes I know it’s the first time they’ve had a fruit or veggie all week. We have one of his friends over a couple of nights a week for dinner – I know he may not eat at all if he goes home. If he shows up – I feed him.
I’m not a Rockefeller so I can’t afford to feed the entire school or city but I help out where I can. Yeah – I may just touch one or two lives – should I be ashamed that I’m not doing more? I’m doing the best I can.
What are you doing TB? Are you helping these kids? Are you helping your own kids? or are you just throwing stones at me because I’ve dared to state a differing opinion?
Ride on Julie!! So TB, what ARE you doing to make a difference?
Nutrition should also be a part of receiving food stamps. You look at the purchase being made and wonder why they are wasting their money on things that are not healthy and not only should their children not be eating that way the parents should not be eating that way.
Strange, before the war, country fans were just a bunch of redneck morons. Now they’re discriminating critics of music. You libs are hysterical.
Joe Blow, What does your post have to do with changing our kids diets for the better?
Sotheysaid, I have a client who has food stamps ($16 a month…big deal), who has to buy mostly TV dinners and prepared foods because he’s so disabled the only thing he can do is stick something in the microwave. Don’t be so quick to judge, you may not know the whole story.