Childhood Obesity and The Size of the Modern Kitchen
While listening to the news this morning, I heard that our obesity problem in America might have something to do with our enormous kitchens. They told us to think about how modest and functional June Cleaver’s kitchen was on “Leave It To Beaver”. I don’t know about the rest of America, but my kitchen isn’t 1/3 the size of the Beave’s. They had a dinette set in their kitchen and still plenty of room to walk around and work. I have about 4 feet between my refrigerator and my sink on the opposite wall; absolutely no room for a table and chairs. I don’t even have room for a breakfast nook. I just want to know where these kitchens are because they’re not here.
The program used statistics such as the obesity rate in children has tripled. They want to equate that to large kitchens and somehow make us believe that most children in the US have a home life that centers around these unusually large rooms. Mothers today for the most part do not have or do not take the opportunity to spend time in the kitchen. It has been made nearly impossible, by both sexes, for mother’s to stay home doing menial chores such as: what the maid does for pay; what the daycare does for pay; what the dry cleaners do for pay. We have been made to believe that it is impossible to be fulfilled as a stay-at-home mom. And yet, we’re all looking for work-at-home jobs.
I think it’s time the news media took a hard look at the link between obesity of school age children and the fact that these children spend around eight hours a day in a classroom. Many school have done away with recess because it is a waste of time. Recess is a thing of the past in all Georgia schools. Our own government school tried to end recess locally but meet with such fierce opposition they changed their minds, for now anyway.
In addition to no recess consider the fact that the ten or fifteen minutes of break-time given each day is used for eating snacks.
Not to lay the whole problem at the feet of the school system, my children and I were on our way to town during spring break one day and I commented on the fact that there were no children outside playing. It seemed unusual to me that there were no children riding bikes or shooting baskets. My oldest daughter said they were probably too busy playing video games or chatting on the internet.
This is simply my opinion. Maybe, I think it's worth a thought anyway, these are two of the primary reasons children are obese and I won’t even mention, ok maybe I will, the fact that more babies are on an unnatural formula rather than breast milk because young mothers were convinced years ago that formula was just as good and much more convenient. That’s just plain bull. Breast milk is always there and ever ready, no warming in the middle of the night. Is it possible this could also play a part in the jump in childhood obesity. Just a couple of things to think about.
The program used statistics such as the obesity rate in children has tripled. They want to equate that to large kitchens and somehow make us believe that most children in the US have a home life that centers around these unusually large rooms. Mothers today for the most part do not have or do not take the opportunity to spend time in the kitchen. It has been made nearly impossible, by both sexes, for mother’s to stay home doing menial chores such as: what the maid does for pay; what the daycare does for pay; what the dry cleaners do for pay. We have been made to believe that it is impossible to be fulfilled as a stay-at-home mom. And yet, we’re all looking for work-at-home jobs.
I think it’s time the news media took a hard look at the link between obesity of school age children and the fact that these children spend around eight hours a day in a classroom. Many school have done away with recess because it is a waste of time. Recess is a thing of the past in all Georgia schools. Our own government school tried to end recess locally but meet with such fierce opposition they changed their minds, for now anyway.
In addition to no recess consider the fact that the ten or fifteen minutes of break-time given each day is used for eating snacks.
Not to lay the whole problem at the feet of the school system, my children and I were on our way to town during spring break one day and I commented on the fact that there were no children outside playing. It seemed unusual to me that there were no children riding bikes or shooting baskets. My oldest daughter said they were probably too busy playing video games or chatting on the internet.
This is simply my opinion. Maybe, I think it's worth a thought anyway, these are two of the primary reasons children are obese and I won’t even mention, ok maybe I will, the fact that more babies are on an unnatural formula rather than breast milk because young mothers were convinced years ago that formula was just as good and much more convenient. That’s just plain bull. Breast milk is always there and ever ready, no warming in the middle of the night. Is it possible this could also play a part in the jump in childhood obesity. Just a couple of things to think about.
posted by Tammy | 8:32 AM
3 Comments:
I've actually studied the matter of obesity quite a bit on my own and a big kitchen is definately NOT the reason why, or should be considered a reason. I wonder how much money went into that study.
If you look at the Beaver's days, and our day, there's an interesting change that has taken in the food we eat and how much physical activity we do each day. Today we eat more food that has been overly processed and contain chemicals that our bodies weren't made to digest (like the forumla!). Thanks to television, internet, and cars, no one needs to move anymore. Companies make a killing with diet pills and in-home gym equipment that makes exercising look so easy and effort-less - because that's how we like it!
Sorry for the rant! I'm very passionate about this issues because I've struggled with weight for years due to poor eating and exercising habits as a child through early adulthood. I'm paying the price for that with a full range of health problems that possibly could have been avoided. There's several good books out there (Fast Food Nation, Fat Land, The Progress Paradox) with better explainations and ideas then those petty news studies. Also the movie "Super Size Me" is really really good.
Great post! I had no idea that recess is cancelled!! That's crazy. I think there are two big issues causing childhood obesity: conveinence foods and inactivity. I don't have any children yet, but I am planning on it and also staying home to raise them. I think it's important to have a parent be there to provide love, care, and proper nutrition. I can't understand why people buy so many conveinence foods. I am more likely to bake cookies than to buy Chips Ahoy. I think home made cookies are infinetly better for you than bought cookies full of preservatives! Same thing for all the other conveinence foods!
Also, there is a program on TLC called you might be interested in: "Honey, We're KIlling the Kids" I think it is on Monday nights. I haven't seen it yet, but it is about how the choices parents make effect the health of their kids.
Hello,
I'm with you, your thoughts are right on target. When my kids were small, we did all kinds of outdoor stuff and my boys weren't fat(sorry, obese). They helped us chop and haul wood and played outside until dark almost every night. TV and the internet and video games are like anything else, they have their place, but moderation is the key. Children don't have the discipline to tell themselves when enough is enough. That's the parent's job, but if they are not there(as in latchkey kids)the job never gets done.
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