American Kids Getting Fatter - It's the Government's Fault!

A recent study of American schoolchildren has discovered that, surprise, they're getting fatter. As if we really needed a scientific study to tell us that. Regardless, what is interesting in the article on CNN is the purported cause of this increase in obesity. It seems that over the last few years, regular attendance in Physical Education classes has declined. This is, in part, attributed to President Bush's 'No Child Left Behind' act because its "[focus] is on testing," causing P.E classes to be put on the back burner. Furthermore, the report asserts that the Government, through public schools, should be offering more in the way of Physical Education. There is of course, a real problem with all this reasoning; it doesn't take into account the chief reason American children are obese: their parents.

Think about it. Why are American children fat? Mainly because they eat McDonalds a lot and opt for playing Xbox instead of 'Cowboys and Indians.' In short, American children get fat because of what they do away from school. Besides, what does teaching elementary and middle school children Health accomplish? You can teach a 10 year old anything and everything about how to 'eat right,' but, last time I checked, the average 10-year old doesn't cook their own meal. Nor will they voluntarily ask for vegetables at dinner simply because it's 'good for them.' Indeed, no matter how hard you try, you probably won't convince a child that he or she needs to stop playing video games and go run around outside. In fact, convincing, teaching, instructing, whatever you want to call it, won't work with children; forcing (and perhaps bribing) will. This is, of course, where parents come in, as they are the ones who can force their children into healthier lifestyles.

Mom and Dad can say 'no' when the kid wants McDonalds for dinner. They can also force the kid to eat better by, surprise, making healthier foods to put on the table at suppertime. In fact, they could even take away the Xbox or PlayStation if their child plays it too long! Imagine how much thinner American children would be if their parents actually gave a damn about these sorts of things! In this day and age, I know it's difficult for parents to think of themselves as responsible for raising their own children; but if they just tried they could have such a positive impact.

Indeed, in the era of big government programs it is sometimes difficult to remember that, in the words of Ronald Reagan, "government is not the solution to our problem - government is the problem." In this case the reason government is the problem, is that its education policies offer a convenient scapegoat for youth obesity and allow us to ignore the real reason American kids are fat: their parents aren't doing their job.