Fat Kids Are Our Fault
By George Anderson
Chris Plummer believes future generations may very well resemble Jaba the Hutt from Star Wars if something isn’t done quickly about the obesity problem affecting the country today.
In his commentary on the CBS MarketWatch.com Web site, Mr. Plummer writes, “Forget how badly we binge-eat ourselves — we’re stuffing our own offspring. Fast-food fare in place of home-cooked meals, sodas drunk throughout the day, and liberation from eating anything they imagine they don’t like is turning ours into a nation of little porkers who are indeed the mirror image of ourselves.”
Moderator’s Comment: Has obesity truly reached epidemic proportions in the US? If so, will relying on individual responsibility be enough to reverse the trend?
The American Academy of Pediatrics certainly thinks so. It recommends that pediatricians now check the body-fat content as part of a child’s annual physical.