SO, Child Obesity IS "a Form of Neglect" Shame on YOU!

[DIVA]

I was raised in a single parent, low income household, my mum isn't the smartest person in the world and she worked her self silly to raise her three kids, not one of us have grown up obese. Do you know why? She always bought fresh ingredients, meat, fruit and vegetables. She bought very little processed food because it was always quite expensive, I remember the amount of tantrums I used to throw if I couldn't have the food in the shiny box, she just ignored me and very rarely gave in. My mum always made sure fresh food was made for us come rain or shine, she still does it now even though she lives alone. Most importantly she taught us how to prepare and cook food for ourselves, I think the finance argument is a lame one, parents aren't too skint to buy consoles and tellys for the nippers. So thank you mum, you got on with the job even though it was hard, she did her best to bring up her kids and never asked for help.

 

I think you've hit the nail on the head. Processed foods which used to be more expensive than fresh foods, have now become cheaper than fresh food.

 

Your mother probably had a good example herself somewhere along the line, and so did such a good job. Unfortunately, too many parents today have not had that background. A lot of grandparents I come across are more interested in going to the bingo than having a positive influence on their grandchildren.

 

There is a lot of pressure on parents to provide their children with the latest consoles, fashion labels, etc and some parents definitely need educating to escape from the consumerist trap.

[Halibut]

I think you've hit the nail on the head. Processed foods which used to be more expensive than fresh foods, have now become cheaper than fresh food.

 

Your mother probably had a good example herself somewhere along the line, and so did such a good job. Unfortunately, too many parents today have not had that background. A lot of grandparents I come across are more interested in going to the bingo than having a positive influence on their grandchildren.

 

There is a lot of pressure on parents to provide their children with the latest consoles, fashion labels, etc and some parents definitely need educating to escape from the consumerist trap.

 

Wise words DIVA.

[Bago]

I was raised in a single parent, low income household, my mum isn't the smartest person in the world and she worked her self silly to raise her three kids, not one of us have grown up obese. Do you know why? She always bought fresh ingredients, meat, fruit and vegetables. She bought very little processed food because it was always quite expensive, I remember the amount of tantrums I used to throw if I couldn't have the food in the shiny box, she just ignored me and very rarely gave in. My mum always made sure fresh food was made for us come rain or shine, she still does it now even though she lives alone. Most importantly she taught us how to prepare and cook food for ourselves, I think the finance argument is a lame one, parents aren't too skint to buy consoles and tellys for the nippers. So thank you mum, you got on with the job even though it was hard, she did her best to bring up her kids and never asked for help.

 

Wanted to add, I also remember she would never let me stay in and watch TV or play computer games all day, she literally threw us out to get some exercise. She was a worrier too, she always worried about her children's welfare, she just wouldn't let that worry harm our development as children.

You seem to be proud of your mom. I am too of my mom. Especially so under the circumstances that she was in. However, I still remember that she did not live a 9-5 existence, and we also had to rely on a small budget to survive. At the same time, she goes as far to buy from the Castle Market as often as she could. Just because she is used to buying from what we call a "wet market", and she can choose the freshness of the ingredient herself. Yet, fair is fair, not everyone can do that or has the flexibility of their lifestyle to do that.

 

I don't know whether this was the case in the UK, but McDonalds were seen as luxury food items to me as a child. It is as someone else had said here, that they "treat" their child to a meal like that. I remember my grandfather did the same with me too. Yet, I still recall how much I liked my processed noodles which (in reality) were not that great a food item, but the older versions are better quality than the ones which are produced now. I know, cos I still had it occassionally balanced with other food items too. However, that was my grandad's generation and he didn't have an education. Yet, what can be said of this generation now? I do not think that many others can say and point fingers at others for their decision on their child. When they themselves still make bad choices.

 

As to the point about finance, there still are reasons why some people do not live so healthily when they cannot access the market for their cheap food. A lot of people actually go and buy food from Icelands, or Aldi, or even Netto because they think that they will get their money's worth. Or it stretches further to feed a family.

 

Yet, processed food is processed food. I've checked out all these places in my life time, and I can say that you are not always buying nutritious items. If a piece of frut can stay looking the same for 3, 4, or 5 days... there is something quite wrong with that. Whereas in the past, if a fruit goes off, it goes off. There is an irony with this country that fresher food or organic food actually costs more than processed food.

[Bago]

1986 new Social Security Act means that families receiving family credit had the price of a school meal included in the benefit. Large numbers of children lose their entitlement.

 

1987 only 49.4 children now take a school meal - since 1970 there had been an average of a 1% reduction in school meal take up every year.

 

1991 Introduction of of compulsory competitive tendering led to many school meals services being contracted out to the private sector which is accompanied by reductions in the quality of the meal.

 

1995 less than half of all school children take a school meal.

I think this is a very good indication of changing times. I remember having a school meal. We were also entitled too. I cannot believe that the school meals are contracted out to third-parties. No wonder it ends up being processed food.

 

I can't believe that there is a stigma to having a school meal. So what are the other kids fed then? Just sandwiches for their lunches? Won't they be hungry just based on a cold lunch and not a hot meal?

[Halibut]

 

Yet, processed food is processed food. I've checked out all these places in my life time, and I can say that you are not always buying nutritious items. If a piece of frut can stay looking the same for 3, 4, or 5 days... there is something quite wrong with that. Whereas in the past, if a fruit goes off, it goes off. There is an irony with this country that fresher food or organic food actually costs more than processed food.

 

Can we perhaps escape from the notion that processed food necesarily equates to 'bad food'?

It just isn't the case. A tin of grapefruit is processed, a carton of orange juice and a bag of oven chips are all processed, as are many other items that we all eat regularly. There's nothing intrinsically wrong with any edible foodstuff ( moral / ethical considerations aside ). It's all about balance.

And regarding fruit - there's nothing sinister about a fruit looking the same and not losing a good deal of it's taste and edibility for weeks. Apples for example (even before the days of modern preservatives, pesticides et al) carefully stored, can last for months. As can potatoes and various other foodstuffs.

[Bago]

Can we perhaps escape from the notion that processed food necesarily equates to 'bad food'?

It just isn't the case. A tin of grapefruit is processed, a carton of orange juice and a bag of oven chips are all processed, as are many other items that we all eat regularly. There's nothing intrinsically wrong with any edible foodstuff ( moral / ethical considerations aside ). It's all about balance.

And regarding fruit - there's nothing sinister about a fruit looking the same and not losing a good deal of it's taste and edibility for weeks. Apples for example (even before the days of modern preservatives, pesticides et al) carefully stored, can last for months. As can potatoes and various other foodstuffs.

Well, this is the "social perception" isn't it? Which is the basis of this thread surely?

 

I have heard that you can store apples for months too if done correctly, yet, how many apple these days have no wax on them?

 

At the end of the day, FMCG makes millions every year, and we fuel their profit. As to whether the food itself is good for us is another matter surely.

 

I know people also go on and on about how the standard of life used to be, but have they truly paid attention to the food that they eat and consume from then til now? I think that a burger cooked in the 1970s were probably more healthier than a burger these days. Never mind the fact that many chickens from a KFC are now from genetically modified featherless chicken too. How wrong is that? Many chains possibly did use true and real meat in the past and not mixed processed crap.

[*_ash_*]

Well, that's taken me an hour to read.

 

Almost every thought that I have had during reading this thread has been said already though, with some excellent posts.

 

I'm amazed at the posts by certain posters:shocked:, but the earlier post by someone about the 'dummies' series, was a great idea! In fact I think it should be mandatory to read/study.

 

I live on crap food now, but I am an adult and my choices (albeit bad) are my own doing.

I was brought up by my Mum and Grandma, and reading this thread has brought home all the memories of being bored, 'traipsing around the markets' with me Gran, picking up fresh (and cheaper) food.

 

I never really thought how much they were doing to bring me up well. -I feel quite ashamed:gag: Maybe I owe my Mum a phone call tomorrow:love:

[Cyclone]

What the heck is this?

 

You ought to know better than that Cyclone. So I typed a word or two wrongly cos there are so many threads splitting off in different directions and some comments are being thrown at me at the same time. Others are harrassing me to say that I am not addressing their points as per usual cos that is considered as "rude". So I reply to that, and only to get misquoted out of context as per usual.

You find yourself in this situation on quite a few threads though Bago with people apparently misinterpreting what you said.

I wasn't having a dig, but you do seem to make implications sometimes without having intended too.

There is no out of context, everything you post needs to be able to stand alone or together as a continuous thread of your point

 

I find some comments which got very personal rude too. As per usual. Yet, have they considered what is being said, rather than jump to assumptions? Just because I did not take on their implied meaning.

 

Is it truly myself that do not understand or are people are really making a lot of assumptions on what is to be understood as a socially accepted decision?

 

I certainly do not think that overfeeding a child is neglect and should be criminalised for it, and prosecuted as many have proposed.

I got that, nearly everyone here disagrees with you though

 

For the record, chips are not as unhealthy as many people understand it as because freshly cut potatoes are much more healthier than manufactured McCann full of starch powder. Other people presume that obese children's diets are based on that alone. Really? Have they met the mother?

Who mentioned chips? And what mother are you talking about?

[Cyclone]

I think this is a very good indication of changing times. I remember having a school meal. We were also entitled too. I cannot believe that the school meals are contracted out to third-parties. No wonder it ends up being processed food.

 

I can't believe that there is a stigma to having a school meal. So what are the other kids fed then? Just sandwiches for their lunches? Won't they be hungry just based on a cold lunch and not a hot meal?

 

The stigma would generally be one free school meal, rather than the meal itself.

[cgksheff]

Processed foods which used to be more expensive than fresh foods, have now become cheaper than fresh food.

 

 

This is a generalisation which is misleading.

 

'Some' processed foods may be cheaper, but it is still generally cheaper to buy unprocessed basic ingredients with which to feed children a healthy meal.