Aussies crackdown on obese kids

In an effort to get a handle on the growing obesity problem in children, the Australian government is conducted a national nutritional survey with about 4,000 kids. In this study, the kids will be weighed, measured, and interviewed about their eating and lifestyle habits. Currently:

"Up to a quarter of Australian children aged between seven and 15 are overweight or obese, causing rising rates of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, the health department said."

The results will be available next year. I hope that the U.S. government, or some major U.S. health institution is doing some kind of similar survey. Although, you could almost guess what the the results are going to say. Kids are eating lots of junk food, not exercising, and have sedentary lifestyles. With the Internet and cable, kids are spending more time sitting in front of a computer or a TV. With the cut backs in schools, there are many kids who don't even have P.E. because physical fitness is not deemed as crucial as test scores. And, with a fast food restaurant on every block, and parents who are constantly busy, there is little time and sometimes money, to cook healthy meals.

When I was a kid, we didn't have the Internet or the Playstation. We frolicked outside in the playground, and I remember P.E. where we had to do those presidential fitness tests. I could never get that ONE pull up that was required for girls. Today, it would seem that kids are spending more time pulling up their laptops and dollar value meals. Not to say that, that is a bad thing. It's just making life more sedentary. Do the kids even do the presidential tests anymore?? Modern technology and convenience is making our lives easier, and in another way making us fatter.

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