Why Can't We Leave it up to the Parents? - Michelle Obama's Fight on Obesity

So the obesity issue comes down to school lunches?  If that is true why are we then adding meals to the school programs instead of getting away from them?  Now, I have not eaten a school lunch in decades and from what I remember they were not all that great.  Matter of fact, I brought lunch.  Hey, that's an idea!!  We are slowly taking away parents responsibilities.  We are feeding children three times a day at school.  When do these kids spend time with their parents?  I understand that many parents have to work long hours, but spending time with your kids is too important to grant to the state.  All studies show that families that eat together on a regular basis raise children that are healthier, happier, and do better in school.  We should be promoting families spending time together instead of saying that the government will take care of all your needs. 

I am sick to death of hearing about how McDonalds is making our children fat.  Young children don't go to McDonalds by themselves.  Someone has to take them there.  If a parent doesn't know that McDonalds should only be a once in a while treat, that is something that government can't take care of.  You can't fix stupid. 

The Unintended Consquences of the Fight Against Obesity

Michelle Obama has decided obesity is the cause that she will trumpet as first lady.  While she is correct that obesity is a problem in our country, I wonder how much time she has spent looking at the intended consequences of her issue.  Eating disorders in this country are a very serious problem:

It is estimated that 8 million Americans have an eating disorder – seven million women and one million men



One in 200 American women suffers from anorexia


Two to three in 100 American women suffers from bulimia


Nearly half of all Americans personally know someone with an eating disorder (Note: One in five Americans suffers from mental illnesses.)


An estimated 10 – 15% of people with anorexia or bulimia are males

The causes of anorexia vary, but one common thread is the strive for perfection.  The constant images that young women see come from magazines and billboards.  We are bombarded with models that are picture perfect.  The problem is, even the models you see don't even look like the pictures that we see.  They are all airbrushed to look that way. 

We are hearing stories of school systems sending home notices about the body mass indexes of students.  While these particular students may very well have problems with weight that need to be addressed, what about that young girl that hears about these letters who isn't obese, but a little on the chunky side?  It puts additional pressure on young kids to be thin, a pressure that already exists. 

Anorexia also has long term health risks and the risk of a premature death:

Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness



A study by the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders reported that 5 – 10% of anorexics die within 10 years after contracting the disease; 18-20% of anorexics will be dead after 20 years and only 30 – 40% ever fully recover


The mortality rate associated with anorexia nervosa is 12 times higher than the death rate of ALL causes of death for females 15 – 24 years old.


20% of people suffering from anorexia will prematurely die from complications related to their eating disorder, including suicide and heart problems

It is not that I think that obesity is an issue that should be ignored, but we need to understand what the unintended consequences of this push can lead to.  More young woman die of anorexia than of obesity.  No where in the discussion have I heard this brought up.  Obama is strictly talking about being overweight.  Why is no one thinking of the young woman who is starving herself to death?  Why are they being ignored?  It seems to me that by concentrating only on obesity we are creating the atmosphere for a spike in the number of victims of this deadly illness.