I'm doing a paper on Childhood obesity. Any Ideas?

Question

Do you have any ideas on how econimic incentives and government actions might help to address the problem of childhood obesity?

I only can think of highering taxes on junk food.

I need more ideas.

Thanks! =)

Answer 1

high tarrifs on junk foods,
tax rebates for sports fees (club fees and sporting equipment)
a sliding scale of health care subsidies, where by the unhealthier you are and more overweight you are, the less subsidiesed your medical support is.
enforced fat camps, where by children without a medical exception exceeding a certain body mass index would be considered abused, and as such would allow government to remove the child from that environment and place them into an intensive weight loss and education program untill their weight becomes acceptable (this also puts an onus back on to parents to ensure their children dont become overweight in the first place).

these are a few ideas, and some may be considered extreme, but wehn you consider that 90% of obesity stems from inactive lifestyle and poor dietary choices, there really is no excuse. i do however feel for those that have a genuine medical condition that makes them overweight, but they are a small minority

Answer 2

The lack of physical activity is probably a huge contributor. Children spend most of their time indoors playing video games, on the computer, or in front of the TV.

Additionally, public schools have cut funding for most physical fitness programs.

I think those are good reasons, but I am clueless on how they could be addressed other than higher taxes for parents. I will have to agree that if a child is obese, the parent(s) should not receive their tax benefit for the child (but I also think that this will only work for so long without a backlash from parents).

Answer 3

When I was growing up we had a PE program that included playing softball,running,gymnastics and basketball. With the budget cuts most schools have recess but do not have a structured physical exercise program. If you can access the percentages of obesity in the 70's compared to now a graft will show the differences in the rates of obesity. The budgets cuts have not totally created the problem of obesity in childhood but it will show how children will benefit from daily exercise if the schools had the funds to implement exercise programs for one hour a day.

Answer 4

There is a HUGE rise in Diabetes in children due to obesity. This causes more health problems later in life causing increased costs to insurance companies.
The insurance companies could offer incentives such as checks back for the cost of wellness visits when the child falls into a healthy normal BMI for their age. This is in essence encouraging parents to work towards maintaining the child's weight.
States or insurace companies could contribute more funding towards PE classes in schools. Scholarships to offer assistance for sports such as equipment or "pay to play" to give incentive to children to participate in extracurricular sports.
Childhood obesity is becoming an epidemic. It's great that you are doing some research into this.

Answer 5

Right now parents get an extra $1000 (IRS) tax credit for children under 16. Take it away if the children are obese even overweight.

Answer 6

Public schools are so concerned about the floor in the gym's getting scuffed, that they will only let kids play if they have on certain shoes. Otherwise, the student has to sit out and watch....way to encourage exercise!

Answer 7

more sports,
more education on the effects of obesity after childhood
maybe start with the parents who are feeding their children this stuff, give them fines for children who are morbidly obese
sort of like child endangerment, there has to be a law that it would fall under,

Answer 8

explain why diet and excercise is so impportant and if ur reading to a class or something scare them with statistics

Answer 9

Notice how in movies,the fat kid always the funny one.

Answer 10

send fat people to iraq.