Good to know that the government is doing their part to help our kids to fight and prevent obesity. We cannot control what food our kids eat at school, having to change the school lunch program would put us at ease knowing that they are eating right food even without our supervision. My kid is obese, we can control her food at home but we can't if she is already in school. I let her take Roca Labs Formula which helps her control her cravings. - 7/4/2012   8:16:27 AM

None of these statistics surprise me. I see the results regularly as I am a mother of 5 (3 adults now) and a teacher. I'm so thankful that my adult children are healthy, active and thriving. One of my teenagers at home is strong and lean but my other sweetheart teenager has succumbed to overeating for emotional reasons. The ways to "sit" in our culture must be deliberately overcome and she has now joined SparkPeople. I'm so happy for her!! - 2/19/2012   8:35:00 AM

A lot of folks say that protecting the kids from TV commercials is the way to go. My policy has always been to watch with them and explain how the ads are designed to manipulate them. I think it helps them to be smarter consumers in all areas. - 2/17/2012   1:22:54 PM

My kids are healthy and thin. They watch TV, they eat candy, they eat McDONALD'S, and play video games. However, they play outside, they are involved in sports, are involved in a running club at school, eat fruits and vegetables, drink water, and have all A's and B's.
I feed them a hot breakfast everyday of the week and they eat about 5-6 times a day to train their body not to overindulge. I believe the mantra of everything in moderation. If you let your child have a little hear and there, they won't gorge themselves and they will not get addicted to the junk.
Parents need to take control. If you buy it and bring it in the house they will eat it. However if our Government does not help, we will be paying for these children when they become adults through our taxes. And if we don't want the gorvernment to get involved we need to take a stand. Ban buying the junk! - 2/17/2012   12:12:27 PM

Once again the minority, 1/3 have the problem; and the other majority..2/3 are doing just fine, but the govt just can't stay out of the way. Gotta take over and write more laws and regs and who complies? the 2/3 who dont have a problem comply, while the 1/3 continue on the same path. And So it goes thru all aspects of our society. Each one teach one! Become responsible and accountable to/for yourself. Be the example to the 1/3 who just don't get it. - 2/17/2012   10:13:46 AM

Yet another instance where Government has no business sticking it's nose. If the PARENT would learn to say "no" then there wouldn't be an issue. If the PARENT turned off the t.v. the child wouldn't be sitting there hours at a time, if the PARENT allowed the use of computers for school work the kids wouldn't be surfing the net finding trouble. Personal responsibility not government control is the answer here as it is in most situations..... - 2/17/2012   9:45:37 AM

My big surprise was the out lay of that much money for unneeded junkfood.
Turning off the TV was my option for our sons till it became necessary for me to earn money for their college fund. When the cats away, the mice will play. Many parents are out working during the day time hours and the kids surf the channels and are in to the adult movies they were not supposed to see. The candy, soft drink and big AGRA. know exactly where to target. Ever notice where the candy is in our stores. In the aisles at the check outs. There once was a NO CANDY checkout, not any more. Movie theaters are just as bad they encourage sugary drinks by selling enormous tubs of salty popcorn. For most Americans they brought it on themselves. I am British and I would not give candy at halloween. A dime or a nickel was well received with joy from the little kids but now we have adults at the door we go to a movie every halloween. We leave the house in Darkness and spend our hard earned money on US!. Schools, offices and most gatherings have sugar laden snacks in their offices. We serve only healthy sancks for our concerrt intermissions. Grapes we always wash and portion and individual cheese sticks. They are a big hit with the women, The men are not so happy. Pat in Maine. - 2/17/2012   8:58:51 AM

Amazing information! - 2/17/2012   8:38:33 AM

Wow that's incredible! - 2/17/2012   8:15:18 AM

No surprises here. Kill your television, and you'll solve a lot of your problems.... - 2/17/2012   7:21:53 AM

I guess the reason why most kids are locked indoors is due to the rising of mishaps, peverts, kids getting kidnapped, etc....So parents are scared to let go, they would rather entice their kids with TV and candy! - 2/17/2012   2:10:44 AM

My children didn't have money to buy junk food, so I didn't buy it and therefore they didn't get it. I didn't buy junk cereal and they didn't bother to ask since the answer was no. - 2/17/2012   12:59:35 AM

Simply turn off the televisions and parent those children directly! I haven't "done" television in nearly two decades, and I STILL get bombarded with advertising for health-damaging garbage: alcohol, fast food, cigarettes, immoral sexuality, etc. Getting rid of the Nanny-state government interference would improve more areas of our lives than merely the latest episode of our-government-knows-best garbage about nutrition [that gets into a different discussion!]. Remember that these same government agencies have ignored much health, nutritional, and food-additive research findings while endorsing additives and food-industry practices that have been shown to be unsafe or unscrupulous -- but profitable. Eat simply and safely -- but without some regulatory agency policing every choice or indulgence! - MB Gregory - 2/16/2012   11:30:38 PM

You know as kids I can recall being out doors and ACTIVE a LOT more than perhaps this generation is. And if I can recall we still ate a fair amount of sugar and most of us were skinny. - 2/16/2012   9:47:18 PM

What about personal responsibility-turn off the TV and stop the government nanny state mentality. We're okay showing movies and shows during the day with people in the throes of sexual passion but put on a Twinkie commercial and we have to put Michelle Obama on the Disney Channel, talk about manipulation and shoving one party down peoples' throats. Good grief. - 2/16/2012   7:50:24 PM

Being a psychology major has opened my eyes to just how suseptible people (especially kids) are vulnerable to advertising and marketing. When I become a politician I will fight for food commercials of unhealthy foods to not be able to on children channels and hopefully ban all unhealthy food advertisment until after 10pm. I know this is extreme but so is the our problem in the USA. It's not right to watch families be destroyed by outside influences that threaten to make them depressed and suffer health problems that effect not only the victim but loved ones around them.
Love your kid...turn off the TV and go to the park please. - 2/16/2012   6:00:40 PM

The real problem is that the kids are rewarded with food and candy non-stop outside of the home. Every time I turn around my 12 year old is being handed some kind of crap for doing something in school, church, after school sports ect...... I'm not giving her the crap but, I'm the bad guy because I'm always taking it away. I wish people could find non-crap rewards! - 2/16/2012   5:20:51 PM

*sigh* Instead of the government getting involved and telling private businesses what they can and can't do how about we get involved as parents? Don't like the commercials? Limit your kid's exposure to the TV... most shows now come on Netflix or through some other form that eliminates commercials. Even with the commercials... most kids under 6 can't drive to the store and buy the junk food themselves! Teach kids about portion control and healthy eating. Practice those skills as a family. - 2/16/2012   4:00:48 PM

We have a television, but we only watch things through netflix on our xbox. For our entire family I find this a positive change, we are not bombarded with advertisements for consumer goods. I absolutely love it! - 2/16/2012   3:42:34 PM

I agree, I don't own a tv set, and my children are doing much better in school. At weekends, or when there is no school, I let them watch educational programs on line, or educational dvd - 2/16/2012   3:34:36 PM

For years I have tried my best to limit candy as the prize. On Halloween small trinkets in a little brown bag or Easter baskets full of mind challenging puzzles, fruit, and other things. Both holidays are so candy overloaded. Christmas and Birthday have "presents'" and Valentine's day has cards. Of course there is the traditional birthday cake and a scoop of ice cream. This Blog was certainly an eye opener as to how much children are bombarded with bad choice suggestions. - 2/16/2012   3:26:47 PM

I like the idea of limiting the "junk" ad/commercials that children see during their shows and of course I'm for limiting television as well. - 2/16/2012   2:30:41 PM