Political & Elections

SamuraiLandshark · Guru

RE: Michelle Obama says childhood obesity is a national security threat

Cardinal Fang · Senior Member

Obviously there's some genetic disposition at work, but genetic disposition doesn't explain why current Americans are fatter than their grandparents and great-grandparents were. Same genes, different weight.

SamuraiLandshark · Guru

Genetic disposition does complicate things.

The problem I see is when your genetics are already working against you, and then you load up on junk food and don't exercise.

I think it's a problem that infant formula has high fructose corn syrup in it. That kids nowadays live in a virtual world where they don't actually want to play tennis, but will play the Wii version in their house, instead.

That there are toys like this on the market aimed at young children:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=balEIQNZQqQ

I have no problem with a product that encourages learning or fitness, but this one just appalls me to no end.

Wanna bet that there will be some kids in 20 years that don't know how to ride a bike because their parents saw no need for them to, with products like this? Why leave the comfort of your home when you can do it all in front of your tv!

Hey, I am lazy, too. No doubt about it. I am not as physically fit as I used to be. I spend too many hours on the computer and less engaged in the physical activities that I used to. And I am paying the price for it.

pmrlcomm · Senior Member

I went to the local Academy of Physical Education from 5th through 8th grade. We had gym 3 times a day. I played baseball, football, basketball. The summers were spent playing football and wiffle ball in the street or riding our bikes endless miles. Was still fat. Hate to say it but there is still some genetic disposition at play... Some people will never be thin.

By the way, was told by our family practitioner that the height/weight charts are flawed. According to her they are developed back in the 50's in Colorado so all of the averages are based on a small sample size. Said they haven't really been updated. She could be blowing smoke so i'm assuming the truth is out there somewhere. Someone here may even have the answer. All I know is they put my daughter's BMI in the overweight range. Um, GTF out of here. If she's overweight there is definitely something wrong.

SamuraiLandshark · Guru

Wow, really? We actually had it made from scratch in our district when I was a kid. We all wanted to eat in the cafeteria, because we had homemade turkey and potatoes, tacos, spaghetti and meatballs etc.

I don't remember any of the food in a bag which pervades cafeterias nowadays. Not saying it was less in terms of calories. It probably wasn't. But I will guarantee you it was less in salt and msg, because it wasn't pre-packaged.

I work in a school so I see the kind of crap that is on the steam table, and on occasion have eaten it when I rushed out the door in the morning. The key ingredient seems to be salt.

Most of our stuff is baked or heaten up, but the common denominator is that it seems to all be deep fried, frozen and then shipped to our school, first.

Kids are going to eat what they like. Why eat a baked chicken leg or thigh when there are nuggets and sauce?

I am no fan of the nanny state. I believe parents should make these choices. It all starts at home. If this is regular fare for the family, they might not see anything wrong with these choices. My mom used to serve boxed macaroni and cheese. To this day, as nasty as I know every ingredient is in a box of that stuff, I crave it once in a while. I think we get hardwired to crave salt and sugar. The more you eat it, the more you want it.

At home, I make it from scratch. It's still has too much fat and calories, but at least I can monitor what goes in it and what gets served with it.

And the key is exercise. If you eat that crap growing up and don't exercise, then you will get fat. Sedentary kids = sedentary adults.

One of my big issues is not even what food is served in a school but PE activities. So many schools are losing PE and fitness classes. Getting kids moving when they are young is the key to keeping them fit and making smart choices when they are adults.

-- Edited by SamuraiLandshark on Thursday 16th of December 2010 08:13:54 AM

pmrlcomm · Senior Member

Loaded with preservatives and salt. Then, serve it with ketchup or ranch dressing. Have the kids help themselves to an apple (sure. Let's do a math problem: How many apples are left at the end of the lunch period. A. All of them B. Most of them or C. None of them. If you answered A or B, you will be likely to be correct!)

Trying to figure out where this is different from 35 years ago? I distinctly remember eating those cardboard pizzas the size of Montana that we folded in half and every Friday eating the McFish substitutes loaded with tartar sauce and fries. Our district outsourced to a third party bringing healthy lunches...guess what? We don't lose money anymore but a lot of the kids just skip lunch or bag it and bring what they like from home. Once again, the schools can't be nannies now matter how much some want them to be.

soccerguy315 · Guru

@soccerguy315 - I am lost on your comment. sorry.

BigG said that Sweden's military is more intellectual... I'm just saying out in the field, that doesn't matter very much.

catahoula · Guru

Healthy food is generally the things you don't want to eat. High in bulk but low in fat, sugar, salt, etc.... the things kids dont' want and McDonald's can't sell.

Since we're all assumed to be responsible for our fellow citizens health and care, the only long-term solution is likely to be that you won't be able to find the things that are detrimental to it.

Poetsheart · Senior Member

The problem of obesity in this country is multi-variable. And one of the major variables is the type and quality of the food we ingest. It just isn't true that diet doesn't matter, only calories. The quality of our diet has direct baring on not only our weight, but our overall health.

SamuraiLandshark · Guru

I know we had a thread about healthy food and school cafeterias on CC.

One of the big issues that I see as leading to less healthful food served is that cafeteria workers don't usually get to make their meals anymore. Their budgets are cut and have less staff and time and resources to cook an actual meal. They are heating up food and opening cans and even where there is produce like lettuce, it's not always the most appetizing looking greens.

I have eaten a cafeteria lunch or two recently. Chicken nuggets and baked french fries was the most recent one.

Loaded with preservatives and salt. Then, serve it with ketchup or ranch dressing. Have the kids help themselves to an apple (sure. Let's do a math problem: How many apples are left at the end of the lunch period. A. All of them B. Most of them or C. None of them. If you answered A or B, you will be likely to be correct!)

justamomof4 · Veteran Member

poetgrl - you are right, of course.

We live in a land of plenty with lots and lots of food. Hence the problem. School lunches are packed with calories. Kids just don't burn off calories sitting at their desks all day. Additionally, since most lunches are gross, kids and parents demand 'ala carte' items. More food packed with calories.

@soccerguy315 - I am lost on your comment. sorry.

Woodwork · Senior Member

poetgrl wrote:

FOOD is not the enemy, it is the amount of food that people eat.

It's all about calories in/calories out. There is very little actual evidence that it even matters what "type" of food you eat, though people would like you to think it matters. It's just simple math: calories in=calories out, or you gain weight. I suppose we have already established our children's time would be well spent learning better math skills.

My wife says the same...and she is a chemist.

soccerguy315 · Guru

the dude on the ground with a machine gun doesn't need to be intellectual. he needs to be able to kill the other guy before the other guy kills him.

poetgrl · Senior Member

I"m exhausted by the Obesity "fight," personally. But nobody in my house or family struggles with weight and we all eat what we want. (Don't throw anything at me, because we all work out a lot, too). FOOD is not the enemy, it is the amount of food that people eat.

It's all about calories in/calories out. There is very little actual evidence that it even matters what "type" of food you eat, though people would like you to think it matters. It's just simple math: calories in=calories out, or you gain weight. I suppose we have already established our children's time would be well spent learning better math skills.

That said, I can't blame the first lady for this one. The military did say it first. They gave her, pun intended, all the ammo she could need.

BigG · Guru

Regarding one of the Fox posts;

I have no doubt our military is the best fighting force in the world. Maybe not the most cost effective but excellent at what they do.

We could easily kick Sweden's a$$, probably even on a one to one basis.

But in terms of "most intellectual"?

I gotta go with Sweden on that one.

nbachris2788 · Senior Member

jazzy wrote:

What's the joke here?

Oh, now I get it. It's the hilarious way Fox coupled the story with a photo from some unrelated event showing the FL eating a cookie. That's vintage Fox --- fair and balanced as always.

Here's the photo that went with the story as reported by a news organization that's not functioning as an arm of the Republican party.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1210/46303.html

That's the Fox school of humor isn't it?

"Snort snort! Get a load of this guy! He thinks the world is ROUND! Then why don't I fall off the edge, smart guy? Snort snort!"

Reminds me of the time when right-wingers laughed at Obama for the tire gauge thing. Only that AAA or some similar organization had strongly endorsed such efficient cost-saving measures.

Stupidity and ignorance in the face of facts. That's Fox's mantra!

-- Edited by nbachris2788 on Tuesday 14th of December 2010 04:09:31 PM

nbachris2788 · Senior Member

Hindoo wrote:

Where's the problem in this? How many of you howled like banshees over Nancy Reagen's "Just Say No" to drugs campaign? And how many were screeching over Barbara Bush's concern over illiteracy in this country? Is this "outrage" because Michelle Obama is the wife of a Democratic president who you happen to ideologically despise? Be honest. ... How is this different. (IMHO: Childhood obesity IS a major problem, for now and the future, in terms of insurance costs and shorter life expectancy. Deny that.)

Unlike marijuana, obesity does kill.

But being fat is American. Smoking that hippie leaf is communist.

Jordcin · Veteran Member

More interesting than the Fox News article is their readers responses:

tripmom925 8 hours ago

Think maybe Michelle needs to follow her own advise -- eat healthier. She seems to had added some pounds since being in the White House. Also I am tired of seeing her bare arms... she spends enough on clothes.. surely she can afford some sleeves.....
Also, this is just another way of the Obama adminstration to meddle in more and more of our lives.
Seem more and more like a dictorship.

_______________________________________________

I don't suppose in this era of transparent government that our dear, sweet, ever so caring first lady would care to share her BMI with us?
brent.robertson 19 hours ago

_______________________________________

I can recognize radical/socialistic governing when it is paraded before you. We have had and still to have the greatest most intellectual fighting force in the world.

sarahpalin 21 hours ago in reply to freedomlove66

You guys are pewsys I would have more respect for you guys if you showed some backbone and just call her a
N *** I*****G******G*******E******R******

______________________________________________

Military leaders tell us that when more than one in four young people are unqualified for military service because of their weight.

Close our borders - we would only need one in four
(Edited by author 22 hours ago)

Flag 1 person liked this. Like newhenri 22 hours ago in reply to dndlwls

. She is a moocher who likes to take expensive vacations on the backs of Americans all the while calling them racists and stupid. Now tell me why that would be respected by anyone?
Flag Like fourmoreyears 22 hours ago in reply to camellia

Stop being mean, bad-tempered, and angry. Quarreling, harsh words, and dislike of others should have no place in your lives. Instead, be king to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving you because you belong to Christ.
Ephesians 4: 31-32 TLB

Flag 2 people liked this. Like camellia 22 hours ago in reply to fourmoreyears

No, Jesus takes no side but what is good and honest. That will be decided by actions, not words.
Flag Like beretta12 22 hours ago

Shovel it in, wide load .............Tell the peasants to eat cake .......................................
Flag 1 person liked this. Like camellia 23 hours ago

She talks around her mouth full of cookies. What a pathetic woman we have in the WH.
Flag Like freedomlove66 22 hours ago in reply to camellia

She does not even have to be consuming a cookie to be pathetic. It comes natural.
Flag Like stevieray 23 hours ago

Flag 2 people liked this. Like stevieray 23 hours ago

Barack Obama is a RABID communist, but it's George Bush's fault.

Michelle Obama has declared that obesity is our nation's TOP security threat, thereby landing her fat, ugly ass on the terror watch list.

And his birth certificate has never existed because they didn't have a printer in the Kenyan hut.

___________________________________________________________________________

Fox News fans never disappoint.

blankmind · Senior Member

Let's look at bright side for a minute. What we have here is an opportunity to help out all future Miss America contestansts. If we become too fat to fight, we will default into world peace. We should not be fighting childhood obesity, we should be exporting it to China et al.

pmrlcomm · Senior Member

Out of curiosity, does anyone know what percentage of kids from each graduating class goes on to serve in the military? Not necessarily out of high school but for that age band. What I'm getting at is what is the consumption needs of the military? I know in our high school traditionally less than 5% go into the military. For the record, I was one of those fat kids that joined the Navy and had to have my start date pushed back until I could lose weight and meet the requirements so I do understand what they mean.

justamomof4 · Veteran Member

Good job Fox. too funny.

Michele Obama did not make this up. Too much credit is given to her. There is indeed a commissions comprised of retired military generals who wrote a report about this:

Mission:Readiness
Mission: Readiness is the nonprofit, bi-partisan organization led by senior retired military leaders ensuring continued American security and prosperity into the 21st century by calling for smart investments in the upcoming generation of American children.

As senior military leaders, we have spent our lives in service to our country. We understand the challenges we face at home and abroad. We are proud that America has the most highly-skilled, best-equipped, and most professional military in history.

Competent, educated, and healthy young people are the future patriots tasked with defending America’s national security and prosperity.

Today, 75 percent of 17 to 24-year-olds do not meet the basic minimum standards required for military service.

http://cdn.missionreadiness.org/MR_Too_Fat_to_Fight-1.pdf

http://cdn.missionreadiness.org/CNR-Sign-On-Letter-2.pdf

They lobbied Congress back in September to pass the Child Nutrition bill.
One interesting tidbit - the original school lunch program was instituted to help assure that the United States would have an ample supply of healthy kids to become soldiers and defend the country if necessary.

Perhaps you could say.... the PURPOSE of the child nutrition bill (school lunch program) has always been about National Security.

Woodwork · Senior Member

Certainly childhood obesity --obesity in general, is a significant feature of modern American life. As are other things like AIDs and unwed mothers.

I am not sure how far, however, the government should be involved in regulating behavior. Whether gay sex, pre-marital sex or individual eating patterns and desires. I hate to think of the federal government regulating and managing our desires whether at the dining table or the bed.

People in general but particularly on the left hated the idea of religion regulating our carnal desires (fish on Friday would likely be a vast improvement to a Super-sized Big Mac and fries on Friday) but too often seem altogether too sanguine when the government intends to regulate desires in a similar fashion, if not in an even more significant way (the power to tax and incarcerate). The churches believe they are working for the public good, as well. Every do-gooder thinks they are doing good, by definition.

The Puritan strain is always lurking in the halls of power. Michelle is by no means an exceptin.

jazzy · Senior Member

According to the writer of the study linked:

"Military spending on obesity is over $1 billion annually already....It's more than the military spends on treating tobacco and alcohol related illness combined."

I don't think the military considers this issue a joke or some socialistic attempt at nanny rules to control the "masses."   Childhood obesity is making it difficult to fulfill recruitment goals and meeting military weight standards for enlisted personnel has become such a problem that they've had to alter the rules and discharge thousands and the health-related costs are consuming the military budget voraciously.

What is to the point of being opposed to tackling this problem and getting a healthier approach to eating to be more widely accepted by Americans?

Whether it's "Obamacare" or not, aren't we all as payers-in going to benefit if there are fewer future cases of diabetes and heart disease that require long-term treatment and hospitalization?

The "push back" against the FL and the issue ---- just read some of the responses commenting on the Fox "news" story ---- is pointlessly partisan, myopic, and just plain dumb. IMO.

soccerguy315 · Guru

fat children are harder to kidnap

inthenews · Veteran Member

As anti-American as apple pie?!

catahoula · Guru

Calling childhood obesity a "national security threat" beats saying "let's whip those fat little butts into shape for the benefit of the masses", in my opinion.

Either way, her real point is probably that Obamacare can't hardly look like a cost saver unless it begins with a healthier population, one free of obesity issues.

Where's the problem in this? How many of you howled like banshees over Nancy Reagen's "Just Say No" to drugs campaign? And how many were screeching over Barbara Bush's concern over illiteracy in this country?
Illiteracy sucks and I believe it was the left that was bent over laughing about "just say no", Hindoo.

jazzy · Senior Member

Sure, the combination of "fat" and "national security threat" could lend itself to comedy.

I can see SNL doing a great skit with Sumo-costumed "soldiers" in uniform waddling around a training base, barely able to pick up their weapons or bounce off an obstacle course.....funny stuff.

I'm just pointing out that it was military leaders who said after a Cornell University study that they consider obesity a threat to military recruitment and readiness (and therefore national security) so ridicule them first before lighting into the FL. Interesting factoid: in 2008, some 634 members of the armed forces were discharged for violating DADT. In the same year, 4,555 were discharged for failing repeatedly to meet military weight standards.

www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Oct10/TooFatToServe.html

Hindoo · Senior Member

OK, I'm with you there. Childhood obesity is many things, from heartbreaking to tragic to financially disastrous. But, a national security threat? Not so sure about that one.

amazing · Veteran Member

Hindoo wrote:

Where's the problem in this? How many of you howled like banshees over Nancy Reagen's "Just Say No" to drugs campaign? And how many were screeching over Barbara Bush's concern over illiteracy in this country? Is this "outrage" because Michelle Obama is the wife of a Democratic president who you happen to ideologically despise? Be honest. ... How is this different. (IMHO: Childhood obesity IS a major problem, for now and the future, in terms of insurance costs and shorter life expectancy. Deny that.)

There's no problem with this. Its just that when you call Childhood obesity a "national security threat", there are just so many jokes that could be made that its just to good to pass up.

It makes it seem like a bunch of obese children are trying to invade the US.

AHHH run away! The fat children are coming to take all my poptarts and fruit rollups!

-- Edited by amazing on Monday 13th of December 2010 05:41:24 PM

jazzy · Senior Member

   What's the joke here?

   Oh, now I get it.   It's the hilarious way Fox coupled the story with a photo from some unrelated event showing the FL eating a cookie.    That's vintage Fox --- fair and balanced as always.

Here's the photo that went with the story as reported by a news organization that's not functioning as an arm of the Republican party.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1210/46303.html

Hindoo · Senior Member

Where's the problem in this? How many of you howled like banshees over Nancy Reagen's "Just Say No" to drugs campaign? And how many were screeching over Barbara Bush's concern over illiteracy in this country? Is this "outrage" because Michelle Obama is the wife of a Democratic president who you happen to ideologically despise? Be honest. ... How is this different. (IMHO: Childhood obesity IS a major problem, for now and the future, in terms of insurance costs and shorter life expectancy. Deny that.)

pmrlcomm · Senior Member

Yeah, I read that also. Had to chuckle. "It takes a village..."

Razorsharp · Guru

First Lady Michelle Obama plans to warn in remarks Monday that the nation is seeing "a groundswell of support" for curbing childhood obesity, and she is unveiling new ammunition from current and retired military leaders.

"[M]ilitary leaders ... tell us that when more than one in four young people are unqualified for military service because of their weight," the first lady says in prepared remarks, "childhood obesity isn't just a public health threat, it's not just an economic threat, it's a national security threat as well."

http://nation.foxnews.com/obesity/2010/12/13/first-lady-childhood-obesity-national-security-threat

I think I agree but I am afraid of what the government will do in response.

Read more: http://nation.foxnews.com/obesity/2010/12/13/first-lady-childhood-obesity-national-security-threat#ixzz182XcCh3Y