AMA pushes for required obesity education for children

[Serious]

CHICAGO (AP) — The American Medical Association on Wednesday put its weight behind requiring yearly instruction aimed at preventing obesity for public schoolchildren and teens.

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The nation's largest physicians group agreed to support legislation that would require classes in causes, consequences and prevention of obesity for first through 12th graders. Doctors will be encouraged to volunteer their time to help with that under the new policy adopted on the final day of the AMA's annual policymaking meeting.

Another new policy adopted Wednesday says the AMA supports the idea of using revenue from taxes on sugar-sweetened sodas as one way to help pay for obesity-fighting programs. But the group stopped short of fully endorsing such taxes.

Some doctors think soda taxes would disproportionately hurt the poor and disadvantaged. Others said taxes shouldn't be used to force people to make healthful decisions they should be making on their own.

Doctors at the meeting shared sobering statistics and personal stories in urging the AMA to sharpen its focus on obesity prevention.

"I can't tell you the number of 40-pound 1-year-olds I see every day," Dr. Melissa Garretson, a Stephensville, Texas pediatrician, told the delegates before Wednesday's vote. She said requiring obesity education "is a great idea."

The measure was drafted by the AMA's Pennsylvania delegation. It cited data showing that more than 300 million people worldwide are obese and said requiring nutrition education to prevent obesity has never been proposed.

Obesity affects more than one-third of U.S. adults and almost one in five children, or more than 12 million kids. Recent evidence suggests those numbers may have stabilized, but doctors say that's small consolation when so many people are still too fat.

Excess weight is strongly linked with diabetes, heart disease and some cancers, and weight loss of just 5 percent can help improve health, the Pennsylvania doctors' measure said.

Dr. Bruce Wilder, a delegation member, said he will ask Pennsylvania legislators to introduce legislation to enact that requirement in schools.

In other action at the meeting, the AMA voted to:

—urge online social networks to adopt bans on cyber-bullying, or "electronic aggression," on their sites.

—work to reduce suicide among gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender teens by partnering with public health and policy groups addressing the problem.

—encourage state and local drug courts as an alternative to incarceration for nonviolent criminals.

AMA pushes for required obesity education for children | WJLA.com

Always good to see this movement gaining more ground. It's pretty sad out here. I remember the last I was at the beach, I saw quite a few severely overweight children whom couldn't have been any older than 4 or 5.

If that doesn't indicate a problem than Idk what does.

Children aren't as active as they used to be. I understand there's a lot of sick people out there, sohh you can't necessarily trust your kids alone at the park, but parents need to step up and lead by example. Supervise their children, take them for walks. Walk to the store, park or library instead of using the car all the time.

As far as conflicting work schedules, I'd be willing to pay higher taxes, for a subsidized day care program, as long as children are gaining the proper exercise, nutrition and education....

America is sohh profit driven, it's not even funny.

Funny how America, compares in terms of obesity to the rest of western developed countries....

 

[Pool_Shark]

Who the fukk has a 40 pound one year old

Something like this should be required and I also believe classes on how diet affects mood and self esteem. Maybe something on the brain chemistry.

This is a good start and should have been done from the beginning. Too much time is spent teaching kids bullshyt that hardly ever gets used or the information is incorrect.

Watch all the parents of fatties coming out of the woodwork saying"bu....bu....but it's gonna hurt their feelings and give the other kids more reason to make fun of the blob I created." I'm not insensitive to fat people, I'm overweight myself and trying to lose weight, the issue I have is parents not realizing the damage they're causing to their children because it's easier then cooking them meals at home.

 

[Serious]

Who the fukk has a 40 pound one year old

Something like this should be required and I also believe classes on how diet affects mood and self esteem. Maybe something on the brain chemistry.

maybe a nutritional neuroscience class

This is a good start and should have been done from the beginning. Too much time is spent teaching kids bullshyt that hardly ever gets used or the information is incorrect.

Man this is why I think there couldn't be enough people majoring in biology,chemistry, physics and other branches of science.

Especially if they go on to do research. The major downfall is getting the approved funding

When less than 1 percent of the Universe is known. There's a potential growth in these fields to work on advancing society.

A relatively large portion of our population being overweight only sets us back....

Watch all the parents of fatties coming out of the woodwork saying"bu....bu....but it's gonna hurt their feelings and give the other kids more reason to make fun of the blob I created." I'm not insensitive to fat people, I'm overweight myself and trying to lose weight, the issue I have is parents not realizing the damage they're causing to their children because it's easier then cooking them meals at home.

Man it's not even hard to eat healthy nor expensive. Most of the prices appearing to be higher is all psychological.

As far as losing weight on your part breh, moderation and portion size is the key.

Part 2: Choices (HBO: The Weight of the Nation) - YouTube

 

[Spliff]

Who the fukk has a 40 pound one year old

Something like this should be required and I also believe classes on how diet affects mood and self esteem. Maybe something on the brain chemistry.

This is a good start and should have been done from the beginning. Too much time is spent teaching kids bullshyt that hardly ever gets used or the information is incorrect.

Watch all the parents of fatties coming out of the woodwork saying"bu....bu....but it's gonna hurt their feelings and give the other kids more reason to make fun of the blob I created." I'm not insensitive to fat people, I'm overweight myself and trying to lose weight, the issue I have is parents not realizing the damage they're causing to their children because it's easier then cooking them meals at home.

Ha, and that's the barrier from gettin these lil nikkas on the right path. A self-conscious child seems to be taboo for whatever reason. God forbid you put a kid on a diet, or make them aware that their weight isn't ideal. God forbid they view themselves as anything but "perfectly acceptable."