How silly.
Sure, some parents are to blame. But how to know if it was a thyroid issue for the child? PCOS? Genetics? Any other of many, many health issues that might make the child hungry and/or too tired to do much exercise?
Thinking a simple doctors visit would rule all of those things out is silly, too. How many people have had trouble getting a proper diagnosis for something? How many doctors make mistakes? Ooops.. sorry kids.. sorry parents... we ruined your lives because we were wrong. And who really wants to be under that kind of microscope, anyway?
PE in school is a joke. Alot of places, theres not much in the way of requirements to be a PE teacher. The schools I went to, the teachers had no idea how to deal with kids that simply weren't as strong as the others, let alone ones who were over-burdened from weight and couldn't run. They were yelled at the whole way around the track, and this was only 10 years ago that I'm speaking of.
Not to mention the other childrens attitudes towards them. Do people stop to consider that it takes a certain level of personal confidence to play sports, to exercise... to even walk in front of others? Especially for children. Now how are those overweight kids ever going to get that confidence to exercise if they are forced to embarass themselves every week day in front of their peers? Its rediculous
Then another point....
If people from.. ohhh... 60 years ago.. were eating the same processed food we eat today... I dont think they would have an obesity epidemic. They cooked with lard!
Then they *worked* for a living. Like, you know, with their bodies!
The kids too, came home to help out on the farm, around the house, whatever.
Sure, good parents out there have chores for their kids... but how much physical activity do the kids even have time for after the 2 - 4 hours of 'homework' they had to bring home to do? Read 'homework' as schoolwork.. because thats what it is.. the teachers were too busy as they played games, awarded prizes for good scores, and talked of the upcoming weeks schedule to actually *Do the WORK in CLASS like they should have!*
Homeschool... Homeschool and chores... I think that is the best alternative. Plus.. then parents can't ignore their childrens problems because they can fop the kids off on other people for most of the waking hours... they can see their kids... deal with their own childrens behaviours... and theres no one at fault but themselves!