why are people letting their kids get so fat?!?!?

Question

I was at a public pool this past weekend and I was noticing how fat everyone is!! I don't think when I was young that people were so grossly fat.. the worse of it is, is that the kids are so fat!

Why do parents do that to kids and let kids do that to themselves?? Its depressing!!

Answer 1

Yeah, economics definitely plays a large part, but so does culture and technology.

Education also plays a large role. Studies have proven that more educated people tend to eat healthier. Of course, there are correlations with income, as more educated people are wealthier. But I have friends who are not wealthy, but very healthy, because their parents taught them from an early age to enjoy healthy foods and to take care of their bodies.

Fast food is cheaper. Some studies have shown that people with less money eat fast food more often than people with more money. Also, the average hours which Americans work has been increasing - an article which I read linked this to growing inflation.

EDIT: As mentioned by someone else, the availability and popularity of junk food has increased.

Before, one parent could work, another could stay at home, watch the kids, and cook healthier meals. But now, most families need to have two income-earners to live a comfortable lifestyle. Personally, the only one-income households I know of now are the ones where the income-earner is a doctor, lawyer, or other highly skilled professional. Their families are all healthy, mentally and physically.

So in most American households, both parents are working. After getting back from work, few have the time and energy to consistently cook. Many order out, and often order-out food or take-out food is richer and unhealthier. Studies have shown that Americans are eating out more often than ever before, although in times of recession, that changes.

Plus, the nature of American jobs has changed. More and more jobs require sitting in front of a computer for 8-10 hours a day. If jobs require less physical activity, there is bound to be less general exercise in the population. Many people don't belong to fitness clubs, and go straight home after work. Many employers have started getting wise and have bankrolled on-site fitness rooms/centers, because it has been shown that it saves employers money overall, since less money is spent on health insurance if your employees are healthier. Also, healthier employees have been shown to be more productive.

So, with cheap fast food, increased working hours, increased dependence on 'passive activities' such as TV and computers (as someone mentioned earlier), it's no wonder Americans are getting fatter. There's simply less time and energy to exercise for many folks.

Answer 2

Guilt! Moms and Dads spend so much time at work they feel guilty for not spending time with their kids. They buy them anything they want, including junk food. They rationalize this to themselves, thinking that by spending less time in the kitchen, they will spend the time with the kids. Ha! the few extra minutes usually goes to watching TV, and there's another reason kids are fat. With a computer and TV in their room, why should they go out and play? Very sad!

Answer 3

We are all getting so incredibly lazy! Instead of sending the kids outside to play (which may not be real safe anymore) we let them sit inside and watch TV or play video games. Then, instead of having them walk or ride their bike somewhere, we drive them. Then of course, there's the high carb, high sugar diets we all eat nowdays. Way too much junk and fast food. Fat kids just happen in this age, unless you consciously make an effort to do something about it.

Answer 4

Because parents today generally are so wrapped up in their own things that they let the computers, video games, and TVs baby sit their kids. They feed them processed foods instead of actually cooking and baking things, and take the easy way out with Happy Meals and the like. You should see what passes for "linch" sent in by parents. What happened to making a sandwich, sending a piece of fruit? Those days are mostly gone.

Answer 5

video games, computers, and year around school.
All should be abolished. We should be able to ride horses and go swimming and camp trips and trade school for a boat and go water skiing. Live out of doors and only fed us Vegetarian pizza.
Let us go pick fresh fruit and grow a garden.
NO more school work that should all be banned.
Never sit behind a desk again. Oh Oh another have dancing and music all day every day. Let us have a dance party every day.

Answer 6

First off it is depressing. Its because people are so lazy and plus nobody want to try to help themself out. I use to be kind of fat and lost it all. The said thing is that it isn't that hard to lose it. Plus nobody want to eat right. It is easier to eat fastfood and people don't like stuff that is good for them.

Answer 7

some people are just built that way-aint nothing wrong with it my wife is a big woman most black women are also all 3 my sisters are big so it runs in familys a lot of times it aint just what you eat and my daughter kind of big too( shes 9)

Answer 8

you can get 4 double cheeseburgers for the price of one salad at McDonalds. Its about money, its a lot cheaper to eat unhealthy food.

Answer 9

everything is too convenient these days. what's the use of cooking when u can go somewhere and get everything u could ever imagine deep fried and sugar coated for a little of nothing.

Answer 10

They have this thing about passive entertainment. X-box & etc, out of sight out of mind, eat what you want and stay out of my way. The parents are just lazy and will not raise their children properly anymore. Drive-thru for dinner?