Tomorrow’s GI Joe May Be Too Fat to Fight

[The_Penguin]

YES. under penalty of jail, and fines. we should force childeren to eat a certain way.

YES. When your convictions are questioned or tested, resort to a strawman argument.

 

[The_Penguin]

The State can only control what children eat for one meal a day-- perhaps two, for those students who eat breakfast at school. (Which the school system makes mighty inconvenient.)

I'm not advocating having the state controlling what you eat the entire day. Sure, school lunches could be healthier. However, we'll need to change how kids perceive exercise and nutrition and how it's taught in school. Say you mandate that every kid be able to run 2 miles within a specific time in order to graduate or each year. I'm just throwing this out there. If enough people are unable to fight and we have WWIII around the corner (China vs. India vs. Russia), we'll be in trouble.

 

[The_Penguin]

Well, eventually technology will find a way to make food that tastes good and is good for you. After that obesity will be a thing of the past.

Sure, but you gotta wonder, how far off is that? Hell, get nanotech, wire up your brain and now you control your urges. But if it takes 20 - 30 years, then we need an interim solution .

 

[cpwill]

i'm 5'8. when i decided to join the Marines I was managin the front of a 5-star Brazilian steakhouse and happily stuffing my fat face full of the free deliciousness i would take home every night. i'm talking entire legs of lamb and a solid pound or two of desert plus booze out the wazoo. zero pt = a 250 lb cpwill. in the process of joining the Marines and going through boot camp I lost about 75 pounds. There was a guy in my DEP named 'big sam' who lost considerably more. so fat kids doesn't equal out of shape military unless you lower your standards (National Guard, this means you). i'm less worried about obesity as a defense issue for that reason than i am as a national culture issue - like our debt it says some uncomfortable things about us; we are too dedicated to ignoring the good future in favor of the instant gratification. sure food science may one day solve that issue and wouldn't it be great - but it hasn't solved the problem; it's solved the symptom.

 

[Real Korimyr #9]

I'm not advocating having the state controlling what you eat the entire day. Sure, school lunches could be healthier. However, we'll need to change how kids perceive exercise and nutrition and how it's taught in school.

I'm just saying that the State's ability to counteract this problem is extremely limited. We can teach children about exercise and nutrition all day long, but at the end of the day it's the parents who control what they eat and how much physical activity they engage in. As long as nutritionally poor food and inactive lifestyles are easier than healthy nutrition and lifestyles, that's how most people are going to live. Something is going to have to drastically change within our culture before this problem is going to be solved-- and any State programs targeted at changing the way people live will be met with nearly insurmountable resistance from the populace.

 

[ReverendHellh0und]

YES. When your convictions are questioned or tested, resort to a strawman argument.

we need a national policy on nutrition (and exercise) so as ensure a large enough supply of healthy people who can serve in the uniform.

We have one. howzitworkin?


I assumed you knew this so the next step would be a forced plan...


I for one am not about forcing the individual to submit to government.

 

[TacticalEvilDan]

But isn't that what the rule of law all about? :lol:

 

[bicycleman]

Good point. However, it doesn't explain why obesity is now an epidemic in this country and not in others. Nor does it explain why obesity is an epidemic now, but wasn't when we were kids.

I can explain it. Just get caught behind a school bus and fume while the bus stops at every house to let off kids for safety. In my day, we walked a half mile to the one school bus stop, and that was it. Then again, how many kids do you see out playing in the streets, these days, riding their bikes, or playing ball? They're all inside playing video games on the idiot box.

 

[TennesseeRain]

I can explain it. Just get caught behind a school bus and fume while the bus stops at every house to let off kids for safety. In my day, we walked a half mile to the one school bus stop, and that was it. Then again, how many kids do you see out playing in the streets, these days, riding their bikes, or playing ball? They're all inside playing video games on the idiot box.

I specifically bought a house in a cul de sac so that my kids could go outside and play. So, the answer to your question is "plenty." My friend's MIL was at her house recently when a bunch of kids were outside playing and she made the comment that none of the kids outside playing were fat. She observed that, in this day and age, that was highly unusual.

However, I'm sure there are plenty of parents out there who use the television and the video game player as a babysitter.

 

[jujuman13]

YES. under penalty of jail, and fines. we should force childeren to eat a certain way.

So if the child does not eat that which someone says it should eat, then that someone will imprison the child.
I doubt that.