By: Lee Ann Rush
As reported in the press recently, university studies have shown that obese children are more likely to suffer the indignities of bullying than children of normal weight. My initial reaction upon hearing this "news" was probably similar to yours; I wondered why academics and organizations persist in conducting studies that merely restate the obvious. According to an on-line article from the General Pediatrics, 64% of teenagers at weight-loss camps claimed that they had experienced "weight-related victimization." Does this come as a surprise to anybody?
Bullying the "fat kid" may not be right, but it's also nothing new. What has changed drastically in recent years is the incidence of childhood obesity. As I write this, one year removed from a decade-marking high school reunion, I'm struggling to recall any kids from my elementary school days who would have been considered obese. Today, there are overweight children everywhere.
Yes, there is a connection between childhood obesity and the Go Green movement: energy conservation. Kids who are outside playing are expending energy; something most of us did without even thinking about it years ago. Back then, few children were obese. In today's culture of structured play-dates and hyper-organized youth recreational activities (visions of soccer moms driving gas-guzzling minivans and SUVs come to mind), tempting technological gadgets that encourage sedentary use are ubiquitous, bicycles and tricycles have given way to battery-powered riding toys and even motorized scooters, and outdoor recess time is too often being curtailed in elementary schools because our federal government demands that no child be left behind academically. Many of today's children are unwittingly conserving their own energy while draining the batteries of their devices and running their televisions, computers and gaming consoles. Too few kids spend after-school time running around outside; instead, they're indoors running up the electric bill along with their intake of empty, sugar-laden calories and, ultimately, their weight and risks for developing heart disease, hypertension and diabetes.
In March, 2011 the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) reported the truly staggering estimate that between 16 and 33% of children and teenagers in the United States are obese. The "energy conservation" contributing to this obesity epidemic is nothing if not misplaced. Children need exercise and strenuous physical activity to achieve good health and proper physical and emotional development. The bullies don't need any more kids to target, our landfills don't need an inundation of snack food packaging and spent batteries from overused tech gadgets, and nobody needs higher utility bills. At the same time, busy parents must realize that their overweight children are at risk for a myriad of health problems if they don't unplug from the virtual world and spend more time burning energy in the real world. By adopting a greener lifestyle that includes an emphasis on non-processed foods, more walking and less driving, regular outdoor play, and limited tv, video games and other sedentary activities, parents can benefit both the environment and their families as they can take an active role in improving their children's health and well-being.
