How to curb the childhood obesity epidemic, leave your comment

Editor's note: Feel free to leave your comment. You don't have to register to leave comments. Just input your comment and the code and then click on "Submit".

The first lady Michelle Obama has been working on the issue for some months and President Obama on Feb 9, 2010 issued a memorandum to create  interagency Childhood Obesity Task Force.

Starting on April 9, the White House has been soliciting on facebook.com  ideas about how to curb the childhood obesity epidemic in the United States. Earlier. Ms. Obama asked for ideas on a webpage dated March 16.

In any case, Melody Barnes, assistant to the President for Domestic Policy wrote April 8 on the White House Blog that "We received over 2500 comments not just from researchers and experts but also from parents, teachers, and people from all walks of life who have a stake in our children’s future."

Here is one question and some of the 1,559 comments readers left on the facebook.com/whitehouse

What are your ideas to end childhood obesity within a generation? 

Cardon Edward wrote: 

Complex problem with no one solution. Here are some thoughts: 

-education-teach parents and children the need for good nutrition 

-fund schools so that PE programs are not eliminated due to school budget issues 

-low income people on food stamps should be required to purchase nutritious foods for their kids and not high calorie low protein junk food (separate food stamps or debit card that can't be used for junk food?) 

-teach boys and girls how to cook at an early age (remember home economics) so that they won't be dependent on fast foods as an alternative to preparing a 30 minute meal when they get older 

-early screening for children who are obese or inclined to obesity for early intervention before they become obese teens and develop medical problems later in life that will cost all of us ( Medicaid, Peach Care, etc).

Valerie Bishop wrote:

The first thing to do is require a madatory physical fitness activity not just a class of at least 45 minutes every school day. Secondly, revamp the school meal plans from junk and processed cheap foods to more fresh green veggies and fruits. More organically grown meats and other foods without all these antibiotics, pesticides, and growth hormones would be nice as well. Besides cutting down on obesity, it will cut the number of other health issues. You are what you eat.

Jill Craven wrote:

Kids hardly play outside anymore. Parents are afraid to let them out, and too busy to monitor them in outside activities. In addition, kids aren't walking to school because of fears of kidnapping. 

To make it worse, kids are too comfortable with the TV, Computer, Wii, and Ipods to care. 

Perhaps organizing free before or after-school physical activities at public schools would help parents with day care issues and help the kids get more exercise. As colleges and retirement communities are willing to get involved in community service, engage these folks in creating games and events to participate in. 

Kickball, frisbee, hula hoops, jump rope, yoga, tag... put a 170-day activity curriculum online and see how it works. In addition, a half hour of activity before school will help many energetic or hyper students focus better during school. Since many recesses were cut to prepare for the NCLB tests, it's the least you can do. 

For further incentive, you can have the kids collect their exercise time in some sort of contest. The 3 schools that exercise the most get a visit from the president and brand new playground equipment, or something of the sort.

Robert Cox wrote:

Don't tax so-called junk food. Let people buy what they want except in cases where something could have no possible health benefit. Some people have different intake needs than others (for example: sugar can be vital to a diabetic). Change the subsidies on crops to allow for healthier crops. Educate people to make better choices. Support local recreation centers. I think that recent technology such as the Nintendo Wii could be helpful because it encourages active play.

Maryanne Adams wrote:

Need to look at the way food is processed. There are to many chemicals and taste enhancers. Get rid of corn surp soldis.. Until we change the way food is processed..nothing will change. Right now strawberries are very cheap.... let's encourage children to eat them!

What is your opinion?