reducing obesity in children ..

[clumsymum]

By teaching them all to cook. Will it work, or should they look at turning back the clock, getting all the school playing fields back, and getting them more active again.

Hmmmm - one day there's an announcement that schools will have metal detectors to stop teenagers taking knives into school. The next day there's an announcement that all teenagers will have to take cookery lessons. How will they chop up the food? With a plastic knife?

I think it is a ridiculous idea in practise. It would be mush better to put the resources into the right communities and offer the parents cookery lessons.

The report I read said "one hour a week for one term" - for 11-14yr olds.......and in a class of 30 - just how is that short amount of time going to help????

reducing obseity in children is the responsibility of the parents not hte school

they should learn to cook from the parents FFS

parents should take them otu to play sport

parents should teach them about healthy living

schools can enhance this but its foremost up to the parents IMO

but nailpolish - don't forget there's a whole generation (or two!) of parents out there who don't know how to cook - so they can't teach their children!

they are adults

they can learn

no one taught me

I agree with Nailpolish in that learning to cook should come from the parents. So for those parents who cannot cook, lessons! Subsidised by the council, or even free by some kind of council run scheme.

But whilst parents should take children for exercise, it will be hard for those parents that work.
I think schools need to go back to PE lessons on a daily or every other day basis. Bring back the school playing fields. Children need to let off steam at school to help with concentration etc, so a large amount of exercise should be done at school!

how is it difficult for parents who work?

I can't take my DS to any sports things - too far away or too expensive. I don't drive - DH can't take them to most of them either - as he's at work until 9pm most nights. We did find an affordable option (Rugby) for DS1 to try - but he didn't really enjoy it so after a full term of him getting no-hwere with it we stopped - and are now back to him only doing sport at school again.

walking - well yes obviously they do walk everywhere when with me during the week - as everywhere (except sporting things) are within walking distance.

Swimming - yes we have a new swimming pool - otherside of town - I'm not unemployed/on benefits so wouldn't get the discounted rate - and taking 3 children 7 and under swimming on my own is simply impossible.

Park - yes that's free - but not really much different to the racing around he does at school - and not really practical for me to take them all to the park on a regular basis after school. We do often go in the summer though - but I see lots of children going to the park regularly who are most definitely obese - so not sure it's that great a way of "exercise" tbh.

Beach - nowhere near

Woods - ermm what woods????

Yes of course it's the job of the parents (chiefly) to promote sport etc, but unfortunately it's more than often simply not possible. They sell off playing fields (the government/local council) for building, reduce funding for sporting facilities and then wonder why a large number or parents find it impossible to find a regular sporting activity for their children to participate in!

i agree with fio

swimming is v cheap
bikes
walking beach/woods
playing cricket in the park
football in the park

i know clubs and classes are expensive - i dont take dds to clubs for that reason either

I have devoted my whole life to preventing my ds from becoming obese.

For example, I have just eaten 3 walnut whips in a row on the principle that by doing so I am saving him from temptation.

of course swimming is cheap - but how do you propose I take an 8 month old, a 4yr old and 7yr old on my own??

Bikes..........we'll we're still working on getting DS1 off the stabilisers - I think we might crack it this summer though as he's now pretty determined to do it and has already told us that he will NOT be using them........time will tell

Oh blimey I agree with you that childrens health, eating/exercise etc should be the parents responsibility.

Unfortunately, many parents don't/can't take on that responsibility. Look at the obese kids in your area. I bet their parents are obese too. How do we make them do what they should?

I agree that an hour a week one term is going to make b8gger all difference. And what you can learn in a class of 30 isn't going to make any child think "oooh this is much nicer than salty, fatty turkey twizzlers, I must get mum into cooking real food".

Surely teaching the parents to cook is a better idea?

it does make a difference even an hour a week per term. my ds(14) can cook now, it's a springboard to get them interested initially.

still don't see that many obese children though tbh

My DC aren't fat either.........well not if the constantly falling down trousers because they've lost their belt (again) is anything to go by.

It's always impossible to take all 3 DC swimming with DH. There's a 2hr block on a Saturday afternoon that is "open to all" - the other "free" time is on a Sunday - which is totally impractical to us as a family - and having just double checked their website

Adult £2.70!
Junior £1.40!

So hardly cheap for a family of 5!!!!

we don't qualify for any of the incentive schemes - don't get any of the "right" benefits etc.

Maybe just go the park and climb trees or play races or something?
Walk to school schemes are a good idea.
I believe children are naturally active unless
conditioned to be otherwise.