I was looking on the internet for articles about obsesity and I found this article...I thought these numbers were pretty incredible and sad how they target children, no wonder why children today are obese!!

Is there anything we as teachers can do to help lower these numbers??

http://money.cnn.com/2007/03/27/news/co ... 2007032809

I actually went to a seminar today which briefly addressed this issue. Activity and movement is being implemented more and more into the classroom. In the third grade class I am interning in, the students get a twenty minute recess and a five minute "wiggle release." Their teacher has all of the students get up after doing work and has them get rid of all their wiggles. This five minutes consists of jumpin jacks, jogging in place, and other random exercies. I know this isn't much and won't wipe out childhood obesity it's nice to see that teachers are addressing the issue.

It is astounding how companies go to great lengths to target children. I watched a video last semester on consumerism called Affluenza. It said that children are the fastest growing segment of the consumer market. If you don't believe this, just turn the tv to nickelodeon or the cartoon channel. The movie also said that $200,000 a year is spent for adds on news channel 1, a new channel shown in many schools across the nation. There has been a huge debate over whether or not schools should have this program because of the exposure to ads. This movie also showed a clip of a business meeting where a man up front said "it's about branding and owning them", referring to the children. He also said, "anti-social behavior in pursuit of a product is a good thing". These companies don't care about the children at all, they are just out to sell their product. Children happen to be very manipulatable and these companies are taking advantage of that.

I am sad to see the numbers in obesity only rising. One of my nieces is actually on the verge of becoming obese. We at first thought that she just had baby fat...but it never disappeared. My sister has cut down her eating and they take walks everday. So far she has lost ten pounds which is a good thing but so sad that a five year old must go through that. The best thing that schools have done yet is raising the physical education standards. Children are spending a lot more time playing now than most of the time sitting and listening. Also, schools have done a decent job with cutting down the fat foods at lunch. For example, at Forest Hill Elementary, they have pizza only once a week and all other days they have a healthy meal with meat, veges, and a salad bar. Obesity hasn't lowered much so what else can we do?

"anti-social behavior in pursuit of a product is a good thing"

Oh my gawd, where is Marx when you need him?!

People worry about the influence of religious zeolots on our government officials, but corporate partnership is far more dangerous. The free market assumes no moral responsibility; consumerism is rammed down our throats. What is our government's responce to escalating risk of homeland attacks? Gluttony. It's the American way of life. Eat it.