Obesity and faith

NFP1Kate · #1 May 12, '12, 11:50 am

The other day I went into a public elementary school to gather information for tutoring my 6 year old son (who is in a Catholic school). I was astonished at the high number of obese children. I have heard it is a growing problem, but I hadn't seen it as a problem until I saw line ups of kids and the number that were overweight.

It doesn't seem to be a problem at his school, and I can;t imagine that it is a faith issue. By the contrast was so extreme it surprised me.

Lately people have been really bashing overweight people. I heard that Michelle Obama said something demeaning- not sure what it was. What;s going on? And what are we called to do as Christians in an overweight society?

Rita77 · #2 May 12, '12, 12:16 pm

I never thought about it before but at my son's Catholic school there are hardly any obese children. I also doubt its a faith thing. I think depression can have a lot ot do with it and some parts of inter cities might not have access to better nutrition. I was watching a PBS show on it last week some parts of inter cities are considered food deserts. I think all we can do is promote better nutrition.

Nec5 · #3 May 12, '12, 1:16 pm

I'm less concerned about the greater girth people supposedly have than I am about their lack of wisdom.

**GEddie** · #4 May 12, '12, 2:01 pm

Weight has become the new smoking; and it is easier to bash overweight persons because they are not "beautiful people." There is no glamor associated with bodymass as there was once with smoking.

Why is it a faith issue? There have been heavy and endomorphic Saints.

Dieting is not fasting, nor is it a commandment of the Church.

We all have flaws in our bodies and lives, including the causes of our future death.

ICXC NIKA

Allegra · #5 May 12, '12, 2:37 pm

It's probably less of a faith issue and more of a social and financial issue. Children from impoverished families tend to see alot of dry, processed foods that are very cheap and easily stored. Alot of their parents don't have transportation so whatever is sold at the nearest gas station or Walgreens is what is for dinner. They may also rely on donations from food pantries which are almost always canned or boxed meals. Wealthier families tend to provide their children with fresh meats and vegetables more frequently and are more likely to have the time to cook them.

Allegra · #6 May 12, '12, 2:41 pm

I haven't heard the first lady "bashing" overweight people. However, I am aware that she has taken it as a personal mission to improve the public's knowlege about fitness and nutrition. I don't really see anything wrong with that, however, people do need to realize that peoples' weights are caused by different factors and not every person who is pudgy does nothing but sit around eating ice cream all day. There are many people who go to tremendous lengths trying to shed pounds to no avail. It does no good to anyone to belittle someone just because their vices are so much more visable than one's own.

JacarandaPurple · #7 May 12, '12, 7:25 pm

Isn't gluttony one of the seven deadly sins? It could be a faith/moral issue.

Personally, I think some parents of obese children should be prosecuted for abuse. Not all, but some. Because with some people, it really is just neglect of their parental responsibilities.

agnes therese · #8 May 12, '12, 7:54 pm

I haven't heard the First Lady say anything demeaning. She is promoting exercise and healthy eating.

constantconvert · #9 May 12, '12, 8:21 pm

Well, it's not rocket science. High caloric food is plentiful and cheap. People spend a lot of their time in front of screens. And yes, it is a faith issue. People turn to food for comfort instead of God. And except in the Catholic religion there really isn't a place for temperance. Also once you are overweight it is extremely difficult to lose it and keep it off. I speak from experience. We're all overweight in my family and it is a constant uphill battle to try to instill healthy habits in myself, my husband and my kids.

MrsFlapjack · #10 May 12, '12, 8:24 pm

Another factor is that kids don't get nearly as much exercise today. Sitting inside, watching TV or playing video games burns almost no calories. Plus, a lot of parents let their kids munch of snack food while they are sitting around.

I hear stories about kids decades back playing outside from dawn until dusk. That just doesn't happen anymore. Nowadays, if you let your kids play outside, you are expected to be out supervising. If you let them out of your sight for just a second, you are labeled as a bad parent.

Nec5 · #11 May 12, '12, 9:28 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrsFlapjack

I hear stories about kids decades back playing outside from dawn until dusk. That just doesn't happen anymore. Nowadays, if you let your kids play outside, you are expected to be out supervising. If you let them out of your sight for just a second, you are labeled as a bad parent.

Because you are. The culture has rotted. Gone are the days of a close neighborhood where your neighbor could *gasp* spank your kid on the bottom for playing in the middle of street and send you home.

JacarandaPurple · #12 May 12, '12, 9:44 pm

Wow.....you know for certain that I am a bad parent because my kids go out and play in my neighborhood without me watching them at all times? And you know this without any details about us or where we live? Boy, you must be psychic. And I would have any non-parent who spanked my child arrested!

NFP1Kate · #13 May 12, '12, 10:20 pm

Well, really I was just searching for what might be the best , most charitable, approach for getting families to be healthy in home, heart, and spirit.

I don't think this thread needs to become uncharitable. I have very young kids, and I would not let them outside alone, not even in our backyard without supervision. As they get older, I will let them play with neighboring kids as long as I know their families well enough.

I don't know what Michelle Obama said, but it really upset a lot of people that I know that are heavier. They are saying there is a backlash from her 'cheerleaders' that are speaking out in hate against overweight people.

It makes me sad to hear such a thing. Why isn't good nutritious food cheap enough to afford? I suppose it is, but just people don't know how to prepare it. Maybe cooking and home ec and basic living skills come back into the school curriculum. I don't know.

JacarandaPurple · #14 May 12, '12, 10:29 pm

All food costs have gone up. Because transport costs have gone up. Why? Ask Michelle's husband and his Energy Secretary about our energy policies.

AthenaC · #15 May 12, '12, 10:32 pm

Well, I know from my experience on food stamps that processed food with empty calories (read: no nutritional value) is the cheapest. If you are poor and want to feed your kids, the best way to make your money stretch is to get the processed junk. Now, with regard to the pricing structure of food, I could get into a discussion of the sugar / corn subsidies that make this the reality, but that does nothing to alter the day-to-day reality of the grocery shopping landscape of the poor.

Now, the good news I can offer is that WIC (program for pregnant/nursing women and children up to 5) gives families free milk, eggs, cheese, juice, peanut butter, and cereal. Great brain-building food. By the time you are seeing these same kids in school, they are off WIC themselves and maybe not getting the best nutrition.

Bottom line - feeding your kids nutritious food is a choice that involves budgetary sacrifice. Currently, the structure of incentives is all out of whack and encourages the purchase of nutritionally empty food. And unfortunately, people in the aggregate respond to incentives like these.