Who's Problem Is It?

“We are concerned by the high levels of obesity and low levels of physical activity among elementary-school children.” - Clara Hemphill

"The problem is, obesity runs in our family. No, the problem is no-one runs in your family..." - unknown

 

Highland Sheep Pasture, Grantown-on-Spey, Scotland

I sat in a parking lot getting myself organized and idly watched the children out for recess at the elementary school across the street.  I couldn't help but notice that a significant number of children were overweight, many more than when I was a child.

I am constantly reading articles and books about the obesity problem, especially in this country of plenty.  Books about all the things people need to do to lose weight.  The epidemic of overweight children and parental failure to prevent it.

I have this to say.  Rediculous.  All of the blame is being shovelled on the individual.  Its the child's fault that he or she is overweight.  No wonder body image is only getting worse and worse for each generation.  Children are being made to feel inadequate in their self and responsible for their real (or imagined) weight issues. 

Rediculous.  Yes, children, and adults, eat way too much sugar and fat.   But, how does someone get away from it?  School lunches are processed slop with no nutritional value whatsoever.  (Although there are some schools that are trying to change and huge kudos to them) 

You walk into a grocery store and 85% of the store is packaged, canned, processed foods full of chemicals and high fructose corn syrup.  The only fresh food available is stuck way on the end in the produce section, meat counter and dairy case.  And even that is not actually "fresh".  Growth hormones in meat and milk.  Psudo nitrates in the vegetables that not only poisons the food, but the water table with the runoff.

Ever heard of the square tomato?  Round tomatoes are difficult to package and leave a lot of empty space.  The produce industry spends how many millions of dollars trying to create a tomato they can package easily and with the least expense, that will last as long as possible on the shelf.  Chemically engineered, chemically ripened, TASTELESS.

Buy organic?  Does a family on a tight budget  have $6.50 to spend on a gallon of organic milk?

Remember milk that separated?  I read an article that said that the process used today to keep the milk from separating actually breaks down the molecules and the resulting "chemical" is actually harmful to developing children.  And the process to make milk non-fat - turns milk blue.  BLUE!  They have to add back white powdered milk to make it look like it is supposed to.  If you can actually find milk that separates, you can skim the cream off the top and voila!  Naturally non-fat milk.  AND, you can use the cream in that recipe you always wanted to try without having to go out and buy a carton of (processed) cream.

So, when we look at the obesity problem we have, its time to place the blame squarely where it belongs.  On the food industry.  Out to make the cheapest product and the most profit with little concern that they are poisoning their customers.

Cancer, Alzheimers, Autism.  Botulism, Salmonella.  All kinds of medical problems on the rise.  Could this be the cause?

Instead of spending billions of dollars trying to find a wonder pill (more chemicals) to combat obesity and the miriad of health problems that come with it, spend it on helping the growing trend of small farmers and ranchers trying to raise healthy, chemical-free, sustainable and humane food.  Repeal the laws and regulations that make it difficult to impossible for them to sell at a competetive price, or at all.

If people could buy fresh, unpoisoned food for competetive prices, the "obesity problem" would become much less of a problem.

Ok,  I'll get off my soapbox now.

Some books to read: