Childhood obesity plagues the nation

By Lisa Moreno

If the alarm has yet to sound on the issue of obesity, then get your earplugs ready.

Children's car seat manufacturers have answered the call for safety restraints that accommodate overweight and obese toddlers. These changes came after a study in the April issue of the journal Pediatrics stated that one in six children have difficulty fitting into a standard car seat.

In 2001 to 2002, nearly one-quarter of American children ages 2 to 5 were overweight, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and more than 10 percent were considered obese. These numbers are frightening.

I'm certainly not advocating for parents to squish their chubby toddler into a car seat that is too small or does not fit properly, but the issue at hand extends far beyond seat belt safety.

We have recently seen the replacement of the "biggie-size" mentality with more health conscious concepts like salads at fast food restaurants and apples or carrot sticks as french-fry alternatives in kids' meals. Also, major companies and corporations have changed their catch phrases and commercials to address the necessity of a healthy lifestyle.

For example, Kaiser Permanente used to use the phrase "In the hands of doctors," but today the phrase "Live well, and thrive" echoes on television commercials and radio advertisements. And the First Five California Association airs a commercial where children are asking their parents questions like, "Daddy, can I have some diabetes?"

Though these changes are beneficial to the awareness of obesity, my concern is that we are doing too little too late. We have a generation of obese adults raising children with the same lifestyle and diet habits. A 4-year-old child is certainly not qualified to enroll in a health club or join Jenny Craig. It must be the responsibility of the parents to instill and model healthy habits.

I also find it ironic that in an effort to make people more aware about obesity, studios are creating television shows on the issue. For example, "Celebrity Fit Club" on VH1, "The Biggest Loser" on NBC, and the new TLC show entitled, "Honey, We're Killing the Kids," where computer imaging shows parents the health futures of their obese children and how they will look as adults.

The goal of these shows is to inform and encourage the viewers, but I'm not sure that it's necessary to develop television shows about obesity when an excess of inactivity (such as watching TV) is one of the leading causes of the disease.

I believe that if we are going to gain control over the obesity plaguing the country, then we have to start with the new generation that has not been plagued by inactivity and overeating.

Parents are required by most hospitals to take birthing classes in preparation for the delivery of the child, but that is where the mandatory training stops.

Until the obesity epidemic is under control, parents should be required to take classes on child nutrition and healthy living and should serve as role models of health, before they are required to purchase that extra-large car seat for their overweight tot.

Lisa Moreno is a senior communication major.