What do kids with cancer and obese kids have in common?

No one person or group should shoulder all the blame. Although parents are ultimately responsible, it does, indeed take a village to raise a child.

I think that alot of it boils down to education - not just the kids (although that is important too!), but the parents. Parents are the ones feeding their children. As far as I know, children generally don't have the means to travel to the store and purchase their own food - it is provided by the parent or caregiver. I feel that many parents just do not have the knowledge of how to feed their children properly. How we get parents to listen and accept the information is the real challenge. If prenatal classes are so popular and generally well attended by pregnant mother's and their partners - what about required "parenting classes" when childre are 2 years, 5 years, 10 years and 14 years of age. These classes would teach parents skills to raising healthy children including nutrition, behavioural issues etc. etc.
I think it would also be in the school systems best interest to assist in educating parents - through monthly newsletter or workshops. It would mean improved attendance and performance at school. Our school board recently eleminated water bottles from the school system (claiming too much garbage) but our school's major fundraiser is selling chocolate bars!!! There is a lot that can be done to combat childhood obesity. As president of our local skating club, one of my jobs is to eliminate "junk" food in our fundraisers and events and encourage healthy eating through our newsletters. Next year I am adding a recipe corner to our monthly newsletter so our parents can share there favourite "arena meals". As a sporting organization, healthy eating goes hand in hand with our sport and we need to make the effort to encourage it!

Clare, thanks so much for sharing how for many families ... the cost of food is a non issue... but for some it is CRITICAL. It sounds like you have experienced both situations.

Making the right decision is not easy on a day to day basis even under optimal conditions. (dual income family, stay at home parent, cheap veggies, etc.) let alone when you have the list of barriers that you just outlined. Not to mention children who are swayed by the 'pizza pocket' type commercials.

I'm not sure if figuring out who "shoulders the blame" is all that productive. I'd rather start with here's where we are, let's address it as fact, and now do something about it. We in the know need to teach about healthy eating (spread the goodness) and lead by example.

I agree that there a lot of different factors a play here. I try to promote healthy eating with my kids and get them outside playing. What really bothers me is that my kids will come home from school and tell me they didn't get phys ed today because the class was misbehaving....and no gym was their punishment. It doesn't make sense when we are trying to encourage more activity and the teachers decide to punish by taking that away. Teachers and schools spend a lot of time in non-teaching activities which usually include movies in the gym, or "parties" with junk food. Our kids spend most of their waking hours at school and teachers have a big impact on our kids....they too should be setting an example by promoting healthy eating and more physical activities.

We can't forget the vast amount of fast food companies throwing their unhealthy, fattening foods into our faces. Yes parents need to choose healthy foods for their children, yes educating parents and children on how to eat properly is a good idea and yes healthy food is way over priced but the constant commercials and advertising attempting to lure children into eating their food isn't helping.
Example... McDonald's is a Team Canada, Olympic sponsor. Think about the logic behind that. Olympic athletes who are role models for physical activity, sport and healthy living are sponsored by one of the worst fast food restaurants overtaking the country. We are telling our kids to look up to these great athletes, who have McDonald's written all over them. It's no wonder children are unhealthy, what kid wouldn't want to copy their role models?

Very well said, Carolyn. It definitely boils down to changing peoples thinking. We have developed an attitude that if it doesn't come "ready to serve" it is too much work!

Like Clare, I've been on both sides of the financial fence, and I agree that it is harder to prepare healthy meals that kids will WANT TO EAT on a tight budget! I capitalized that part because healthy eating doesn't have to be expensive. Items like NoName whole wheat pasta, dried beans & lentils, frozen whole fish filets, frozen veggies, brown rice, bananas, apples, etc... these things are dirt cheap! What's difficult is getting your 3 yr old (who would much rather be eating chicken nuggets and pre-packaged mandarin oranges!) to touch the unbreaded, non-deep-fried fish and brown rice that you've made for dinner! Most of the healthier versions of kid's favourite foods are expensive (e.g. PC all-white meat chicken strips cost more than double the NoName dino-shaped chicken nuggets), and that's a fact. All we can do is our best, and hope that the kids will come around in time.

As for soda pop, in my house it is just as much an "adult drink" as coffee or wine! We don't have pop often, but when we do it is strictly for the grown-ups. My 9yr old has never had pop, except maybe at a birthday party. At the mall this past weekend, I saw a woman pouring a can of Coke into her toddler's sippy cup!!! *sigh* Not cool. I bet that kid ends up on Ritalin for "hyperactivity" in a few years, when the real problem is that he's hopped up on sugar and caffeine!

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