A big problem that's only getting bigger… Anyone with fully-grown kids will remember being made to watch Saturday morning cartoons. You know, those animated shows about super-heroes or even classic characters like Bugs Bunny and the Road Runner. They were fun, right? Real, quality time with the kids (or grandkids)… But what you may not remember so well are all those ads for frosted breakfast cereals and sugary fruit punch drinks and fast-food restaurants that were crammed in between these shows. Well, they're part of the reason why Americans are fatter now than ever before in history-because kids who develop bad eating habits become overweight (or even diabetic) adults who sometimes CAN'T BREAK those habits. Today, the barrage of these unhealthy influences on our youngsters is just as heavy as it was back in the 70s and 80s. The difference is that nowadays, kids spend even more of their time engaged in sedentary pursuits-not just watching TV, but playing video games, surfing the Internet, and chatting on cell phones. But as I've said before, this combination of poor eating habits and a life of inactivity adds up to only one thing: Obesity, and all the health problems that come with it… The solution lies solely with parents, too. That's right-it's up to Mom and Dad (yes, a two-parent family) to set reasonable limits with regard to food intake and type, and also to limit the boob-tube time so junior gets enough exercise to burn off all the Happy Meals and Frosted Sugar Bombs. But with the sad state of parenting in this day and age, I fear for the future health of today's tots. Actions to take: If you care about your children (and grandchildren), learn to recognize-and tune out-the predatory advertisements designed to program them to crave sweets, chemicals, food colorings, excess carbohydrates, and all manner of other unhealthy junk food. And make sure you switch off the tube (and the computer) every so often so they can develop an appreciation for the outdoors and exercise-and grow into the strong, healthy, well-balanced people we all hope they become.
Here's to getting the small fry moving (and NOT the big bucks),
William Campbell Douglass II, MD
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