Mo Money Less Fat

I've never really paid attention to the childhood obesity epidemic because it just never really became something that I saw everyday. The whole "nationwide obesity problem" to me, was basically just the reason why I have to take gym every year. Not to say that everyone around where I live is in tip-top shape, but I think few would argue when I say that obesity definitely isn't the number one issue to deal with in Winnetka.

Then I asked myself, why is that? Why is it that we don't see as many overweight people around here? I read this article where the author questioned if the claimed drop in childhood obesity was really legitimate. That is why I began to think about the habits that the mothers in the North Shore create for their children early on.

I babysit for a family of 3 kids every week. Their ages are 3, 5 and 7. When the mom runs out the door quickly giving me instructions she tells me that the kids have to be outside for at least an hour before coming in to have dinner. Dinner instructions are always the same, written on a post it in the middle of the kitchen: "WHEAT bread pb&J for Declan, ORGANIC mac n cheese for Didi and Karys, and SKIM, ORGANIC milk for Karys' bottle." I never argue because this is what I grew up eating too. My mom would never buy whole milk or anything other than non-fat, and now if I ever drink it my stomach hurts.

The kids never argue either because they simply have never tried anything else. How are they supposed to know that Kraft mac n' cheese is like, 10 times better than Annie's Organic? Even when they play outside everyday they get bored inside. I think it is because we are surrounded by moms who really don't have anything else to worry about besides this kind of thing, and we all have backyards to play in. Kids in a lower income neighborhood who have never been in a whole foods might not get the same benefits of pretty much dodging the bullet that is childhood obesity.