Healthy Lives Start at Home

Posted on | October 18, 2006 | Comments Off on Healthy Lives Start at Home

In this week’s Health politics program, I discuss the history between the Federal Trade Commission, the Food And Drug Administration, and food. The program explores various attempts that have been made to combat obesity, and childhood obesity, in particular, with federal legal action over the years. And progress has been made, but the numbers can’t be ignored — childhood obesity rates have tripled over the last 20 years.

It’s fantastic that states are getting involved, as well as private organizations such as the Clinton Foundation’s Alliance for a Healthier Generation. Every initiative helps. But I think it’s also important that parents and family members not wait for other people to get involved when it comes to managing the health of their own children. Children learn many behaviors and bad habits at home.

Readers, don’t you agree that parents need to take more responsibility for the health of their children? The basic causes of childhood obesity are eating too much and not exercising enough. So as a parent, why not take more walks with your family, serve more vegetables with dinner, and get rid of high-calorie drinks and desserts? These are just a few ways to get a healthy home going, and Mayo Clinic offers other tangible suggestions, but I’d like to hear your stories and ideas. The key point is: Let’s not wait for the federal government to fix this mess. Please comment below.