by Cynserity Stevens

Created on: April 04, 2009

Who is to blame for childhood obesity?

The person in charge of the child.

It's simple really. If you are cooking the food, or buying the food, or allowing the child to have access to unhealthy food options, it is your fault the child is eating unhealthy food. If you are allowing the child to spend all their free time in front of the television or a computer, it is your fault the child isn't more physically active. If you don't have the time to teach your child that healthy eating and an active lifestyle are important then it is your fault your children are ignorant. Are you overweight? Is your car littered with fast food wrappers? Do you come home from work and flop down on the couch to watch television? Then it is your bad influence your children are following.

Unfortunately as a society we want to blame someone else. Our problems are always caused by someone else. It is always someone else's fault and always someone else's responsibility to fix the problem. In the case of childhood obesity fast food restaurants are blamed. The claim is that if the fast food chains offered healthier food options on their menus then our children wouldn't be fat.

Really? Who buys the food for the children at the fast food place? I frequent McDonald's and never once have I seen an eleven year old pull up to the drive thru and order a "Number Four Extra Value Meal Large Sized with a Coke". That two year old didn't get out of its stroller and walk up to the counter and order a cheeseburger happy meal with fries and a fruit punch either. You did. You ordered the food and put it in front of the child to eat.

The blame isn't exclusive to fast food restaurants though. The schools are also blamed. It is the schools fault that the child doesn't have healthy food options on the menu. It is the school that is serving breakfast pizza and hot dogs to our kids. It is the school that allows its vending machines to be filled with soda and candy bars and potato chips.

While this is all true is it still your fault your child is buying the soda and eating the hot dogs. It is your fault your child would rather eat a pop tart or a blueberry muffin instead of a bowl of Cheerios or an apple. Then it is said that the school doesn't offer enough physical activities for the children. This one has got to be the schools fault. Sorry, but it isn't.

If your child is already overweight, do you really expect them to want to participate in organized sports? Chances are good that your child doesn't have the first idea

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