Why Are Kids Fat? Researchers Find Answers

Lots of Unhealthy Pressures Go into the Mix

By Patty Oh, published Sep 26, 2007
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Why are kids fat? Researchers across America asked this question. They found a host of reasons from children's access to sugary products in schools, to the proliferation of fast-food restaurants in poor areas of town. The bottom line? Kids are surrounded by unhealthy options and influences in nearly every aspect of their daily lives.

In a recent press release, researchers shed light on their findings. Many universities across the country, including the University of Michigan, University of Chicago at Illinois, participated in this research. They found that kids are bombarded with messages promoting unhealthy lifestyles, which contribute to fat kids.

Money
Low-income neighborhoods have more fast food, and higher calorie foods, than wealthy neighborhoods. This contributes to fat kids.

Low-income neighborhoods have more convenience stores and fewer grocery stores. This contributes to fat kids.

TV
TV ads target kids, steering them toward junk foods, high in calories and lacking nutritional benefits. Minority kids watch more TV, so they're more susceptible to commercials driving their desires for junk food. This contributes to fat kids.

Schools
The vast majority of both middle and high schools in America have contracts with soft drink companies. While these contracts bring in money for the school districts, in exchange, the contracts give students access to sugary beverages all day! This contributes to fat kids.

How much money do these contracts bring to schools across America? What is the price on each childs head? Researchers determined that the average high school gets an additional $6.48 per student. The average middle school gets $0.70 per student from soft drink contracts. This contributes to fat kids.

Students are pressed for money. Many have cut gym classes. Kids spend less time in gym than ever before. While in middle school, students average 172 minutes per week in gym, or PE, classes. That drops to a whopping 89 minutes a week on average for 12th graders. This contributes to fat kids.

 
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Why Are Kids Fat? Researchers Find Answers
Location:
 USA

Childhood obesity.

Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Copyright: Wikimedia Commons

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Takeaways
  • It's cheap to grab fast, unhealthy, food
  • Schools have vending machines and soda pop
  • Lifestyles: more TV + less activity + high calorie foods = fat
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrjwaqZfjIY Money: High starch foods cost less. Schools: Children eat a mini-salad and are so hungry after school that they devour a large ice cream sundae and a McDonalds meal. TV: Well who the fuck is buying the products for the fat bastards?! I don't remember ever being grabbed by the collar and shaken until I bought a pack of Ding Dongs and a liter of regular Coca Cola.

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Posted on 04/11/2008 at 5:04:46 PM

 
Great article. Of course, most (if not all) of this falls on the parents. I make it a point to work out and to take my daughter for walks and let her play outside (even though we live in an urban area). Parents need to pay attention to their kids. Take them to the park, get a game of bball going, etc.

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Posted on 12/13/2007 at 6:12:11 AM

 
Accualy Chips Relucio dont blame it on the parents blame it on your self because your chooseing to make the choic of eating the Fast foods. And you can resist the urg of wanting the food. But you should work out daily and chose healthy foods!!!!!!!!!

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Posted on 12/09/2007 at 11:12:49 AM

 
Alot of the foods fed to children are full of HFCS (high fructose corn syrup). ALso, kids spend too much time "plugged in". That's my theory anyway. where I live 1 in 5 children (or more) I see are overweight. it's an epidemic!

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Posted on 11/21/2007 at 9:11:00 AM

 
Great article! Kids run around a lot and are usually very active. There is no other reason kids should be fat other than they are eating too much of the wrong foods! Blame it on thje parents.

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Posted on 11/16/2007 at 2:11:00 PM

 
great article! i definitely agree with susan as well as many others. The hectic lifestyle we've adapted to has led to the increase in weight gain because we are no longer taking the time to prepare healthy meals. It is up to us parents to keep our kids healthy!

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Posted on 11/14/2007 at 8:11:00 AM

 
The reason I think kids are fat today, because we as parents are fat. Our daily routines are "on the go" - we get up, rush to get ready, grab anything to eat, and get on the go. Kids don't have time for anything and if we parents would plan out our days to have good healthy foods at our reach, ahead of time, we would not have to worry about gaining weight because we would be putting in good food from the beginning of our day. Plus, our busy "on the go" lifestyles would work with us to keep our heart rate up which results in a better body and greater health.

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Posted on 10/23/2007 at 10:10:00 AM

 
I am writing a series of articles on this subject (and they aren't a review of just one study). I'd like to invite you to stop by and read what I have up now and more as it is published. ~Tamee

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Posted on 10/12/2007 at 10:10:00 AM

 
The epidemic of obesity in America has gone way beyond fat children who are being fed from vending machines and fast food restuarants. The human body was built to burn certain foods and needs to have exercise not only to burn calories but to assist with the digestive process (and other life processes). We have allowed our diet to evolve and our activity levels to decrease but our bodies haven't made changes to adapt to this change. This is the root of the problems we are seeing with depression, anxiety, obesity, insomnia, anger management issues, and even ADHD.

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Posted on 10/12/2007 at 10:10:00 AM

 
I agree totally!

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Posted on 10/12/2007 at 8:10:00 AM

 
in outdoor activity time is due to the increase in two-income families. Both parents have to work because of the financial demands of having a home and family, which translates into more time the kids have to spend in daycares or home alone. The best answer is simply for parents to be involved in their child's learning, and life in general. Teach these kids about healthier choices than what is shoved at them on a daily basis and marketed towards them from a very young age.

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Posted on 10/01/2007 at 12:10:00 PM

 
I agree with Kristina. When I was growing up, our family considered McDonalds a treat and it only happened once in a while. As for the vending machines, the school districts have the option of loading them with healthier options like juices and trail mix. So what if it's not candy bars and Coke? If the kids are hungry enough for a snack, then they'll eat what's in the machine. I also agree with Angela. Kids do not spend enough time just playing. When I was growing up, it was an entirely different world. We would leave the house at 10 in the morning and not show back up until 9 or 10 at night. This was at around the time I was 8 & 9 years old. We would go to the park with our friends and ride our bikes on the city bike trails and run from yard to yard having whatever adventures our imaginations could create. These days, if a child is gone for 12 hours, the parents should be completely freaked out and call the cops! (I'm only half kidding here.) I think some of the redu

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Posted on 10/01/2007 at 12:10:00 PM

 
Interesting Article Thanks! Plain & Simple Parents have the bidggest & most profound influence on their kids, especially when they are young. If parents model good, healthy eating habits the kids will usually follow, regardless of pressure when they get older. The problem is most household have 2 working parents nowadays, and most parents give into the fast food pick-up on the way home from work. And yes, financially well off families are the ones that can afford that $20.00 stop at Kentucky Fried Chicken. So, untill Mom can stay home, and have the time to prepare a really healthy meal, I guess the kids are going to lose out. I compromised when my son was growing up. I worked 6 hours a days when he was in school, and Always had a very healthy meal on the table. Most families will not give up the 3rd VCR or satellite TV, so both parents will continue to work, and serve unhealthy fast food.

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Posted on 10/01/2007 at 2:10:00 AM

 
I can understand the points made in the study that you reference, but I find it somewhat interesting that so much emphasis is placed on low income families resorting to junk food and fast food. When I was growing up we were struggling financially and as a result we almost NEVER had fast food or snacks. A trip to a fast food place was considered a treat for a very special occasion. It is pretty much the same for us now with a single income, fast food is much too expensive. I am very confused as to how fast food is considered something that is MORE accessible to the lower income families. You can buy one package of chicken breasts and feed a whole family for the price of one combo meal at a fast food place.

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Posted on 09/30/2007 at 9:09:00 PM

 
The one and only reason kids are overweight is because of their parents!.. PERIOD.. Not because of TV, video games, eating to many snacks, etc.etc.etc... If the parents paid attention to how much their kids were sitting around being lazy and stuffing their faces and not getting exercise then childhood obesity would not be such a problem that it is today....

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Posted on 09/30/2007 at 9:09:00 AM

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