M. Obama: Childhood Obesity is a Threat to National Security

mb90535im said:

Obesity is a threat similar to that of the malnutrition that was encountered during WWII with incoming draftees and enlistees.

There are kids going to bed hungry in the US and the problem has gotten worse with this deep recession.

I doubt if generally speaking the kids going to bed hungry and the kids who are obese are one and the same although poverty does lend itself to more unhealthy diets in general.

Of course, since the First Lady is the one who said it it is obviously wrong and stupid, so don't take her word for it.

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Ha, this is laughable. It must be true because CNN said it was! :lol: Do you really believe that if a child is starving in this country, the parents cannot find a way to feed them? There are soup kitchens all over the country, there is food stamps and welfare, and heck, if you just went out and asked any church out there to get your child a meal, they would do it. Heck our government will give you free housing, or government assisted HUD housing, they will give you food stamps so you can feed every single one of your children.

If one child is starving in this country, the richest country in the world, it is nothing but the parents fault for not giving a crap about their kids to get them food stamps, take them to a soup kitchen, or go to a church and ask a pastor or parishioners. This is completely absurd. The statistics on child hunger and starvation in this country have already been proved bullcrap and a lie, yet the media and politicians keep using those stats over and over again. I guess if you repeat a lie for long enough, people, such as yourself, will begin to believe it.

If a parent can truly not do anything to get their child fed, and nobody is taking care of a child, the state takes care of the child, and they will get plenty of food that way.

Our country is almost completely socialized. Are you really going to sit there and tell me that they do not take enough from the rich in this country and give back to the poor enough? My goodness, there are so many ways to get a child fed in this country if you are willing to go out and ask or go through government programs.

Secondly, it is kind of dumb for the 1st lady to say such a thing about "national security" when her husband has contributed to the biggest current national security threat. If she wants to start talking about threats to national security, maybe she should point the finger at her own husband for quadrupling our national debt in this country. That would be an excellent place to start.

I find the whole premise absolutely absurd.

ChipM said:

I can buy it. Beign able to field a military is essential to national security; anything that prevents forming a military is a threat to national security. Right now, obesity is making it more difficult to field a military: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2010/12/08/soldiers-turn-diet-pills-liposuction-meet-weight-standards/

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A 18 year old is too fat to make the military?... simple... go buy P90X, do it for 90 days, diet and exercise, and boom, you're fit. If you've got a physical problem that doesn't allow you to exercise, you probably won't make the military, anyway. Its not rocket science.

Find a diet and exercise plan that works, eat good food, that you prepare at home, know what you put it in, and exercise.

Sure what we eat has effected our entire country and made us fat, but the other part is a sedentary life style. You have to get out and exercise hard if you're also going to eat a ton of fat and carbs as well. Its simple chemistry.

I really don't think anything our government is going legislate, and turn into law, is really going to help the fat kids in this country. A lot of it has to do with NO self-control (eating bad food and lots of it), and just being lazy. Americans have become entirely too lazy.

Look at all of our fast food restaurants. They all have drive-thrus. Everyone of them. People are too lazy to get out of their car, walk inside a restaurant, and order a healthy meal at a good restaurant.

The problem is really not that hard. Cook your own food at home, diet, exercise, lose weight, become fit. I suggest P90X for anyone that is looking for a way to get the weight off and keep it off through a diet and exercise program. Of course, ask your physician before you start any diet and exercise program.

EJR914 said:

mb90535im said:

Obesity is a threat similar to that of the malnutrition that was encountered during WWII with incoming draftees and enlistees.

There are kids going to bed hungry in the US and the problem has gotten worse with this deep recession.

I doubt if generally speaking the kids going to bed hungry and the kids who are obese are one and the same although poverty does lend itself to more unhealthy diets in general.

Of course, since the First Lady is the one who said it it is obviously wrong and stupid, so don't take her word for it.

Click to expand...

Ha, this is laughable. It must be true because CNN said it was! :lol: Do you really believe that if a child is starving in this country, the parents cannot find a way to feed them? There are soup kitchens all over the country, there is food stamps and welfare, and heck, if you just went out and asked any church out there to get your child a meal, they would do it. Heck our government will give you free housing, or government assisted HUD housing, they will give you food stamps so you can feed every single one of your children.

If one child is starving in this country, the richest country in the world, it is nothing but the parents fault for not giving a crap about their kids to get them food stamps, take them to a soup kitchen, or go to a church and ask a pastor or parishioners. This is completely absurd. The statistics on child hunger and starvation in this country have already been proved bullcrap and a lie, yet the media and politicians keep using those stats over and over again. I guess if you repeat a lie for long enough, people, such as yourself, will begin to believe it.

If a parent can truly not do anything to get their child fed, and nobody is taking care of a child, the state takes care of the child, and they will get plenty of food that way.

Our country is almost completely socialized. Are you really going to sit there and tell me that they do not take enough from the rich in this country and give back to the poor enough? My goodness, there are so many ways to get a child fed in this country if you are willing to go out and ask or go through government programs.

Secondly, it is kind of dumb for the 1st lady to say such a thing about "national security" when her husband has contributed to the biggest current national security threat. If she wants to start talking about threats to national security, maybe she should point the finger at her own husband for quadrupling our national debt in this country. That would be an excellent place to start.

I find the whole premise absolutely absurd.

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EJR914....I agree that Michelle Obama's comments were completely obsurd if not bordering insane. I agree with you on most issues.

I have to disagree with you about children being hungry in the USA. If it wasn't for so many churches and church groups the problem would be much worse. There are many people in the state who have lost their jobs and have taken what work they can just to pay the mortgage or rent and keep the utilitiys turned on. Most times that dosen't leave much money in the budget for food. You are right that parents will do what they can to feed their kids, but churches are streched thin right now on the ammount of help they can give. If both parents are working a full time job, even in a fast food resturant you probably make to much money to qualify for food stamps of government assistance.

My wife has been out of work for over three months and it has taken a toll on our finances. We have been able to keep food on the table, barely at times. I am by know means well off and live a modest life. I make way to much to qualify for any government programs including Peach Care.

You might want to reconsider your statement that there aren't hungry kids in the USA, and if there are it's the parents fault. From where I sit your wrong in your post.

budone1967 said:

My wife has been out of work for over three months and it has taken a toll on our finances. We have been able to keep food on the table, barely at times. I am by know means well off and live a modest life. I make way to much to qualify for any government programs including Peach Care.

You might want to reconsider your statement that there aren't hungry kids in the USA, and if there are it's the parents fault. From where I sit your wrong in your post.

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I've been out of work for 6 months, I'm the main bread winner of our family. I used to bring home triple what my wife brings home, and its taken a toll on our finances. My wife works a crappy job making very little money. We are still able to cloth, feed, and pay for doctors visits for myself, my wife, and my 7 month old daughter. I have a mortgage, car payments, utility bills, two dogs, a cat, and doctors bills for my back surgeries, and many other bills I have to pay. I do odd jobs for people and family to make a little extra money and its still not enough. We have had to cut back an unbelievable amount on our budget, but we're still making it. I'm not out buying filet mignon and expensive foods, but we're making it. My wife, I and my baby don't go hungry. You can make it with drastically reduced finances. I also haven't taken one bit of unemployment, or government money to make it. Mainly because I do not believe in it.

With all the government aid, churches, and free places to feed the homeless, I just don't buy it. Sorry. I really do not think we have a hunger or a starvation epidemic in this country, even with the recent recession.

Are times worse? Yes. But I literally do not think you will starve to death in this country if you have your priorities straight, and go out looking for free food and government handouts. You can find help if you just ask for it, and I'm sure if any kid goes hungry it is completely on the fault of their parents and their parents alone.

fausty said:

EJR914 said:

A 18 year old is too fat to make the military?... simple... go buy P90X, do it for 90 days, diet and exercise, and boom, you're fit. If you've got a physical problem that doesn't allow you to exercise, you probably won't make the military, anyway. Its not rocket science.

Find a diet and exercise plan that works, eat good food, that you prepare at home, know what you put it in, and exercise.

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A recent study by a Kansas State professor proved what we already know. That if you burn off more calories than you take in, it doesn't matter what you really eat, you'll lose weight.

http://www.infozine.com/news/stories/op ... sid/43238/

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In the "medium run" (1-3 years) this is true. But if you wreck your metabolism with malnutrition (low vitamin D, low iodine, low fat, low magnesium, etc) your body will fall apart and will eventually poorly handle calories leading to weight gain in the long run and other health problems. If you fry your thyroid and your nervous system by not getting enough iodine or enough fat, cholesterol, and magnesium, you will gain weight on anything but the most meager fare. This also goes for damage to the intestinal lining caused by grains, beans, and other allergens.

The measurement of calories is often difficult and somewhat flawed as well. Protein, for instance is realistically only worth about 3 calories per gram rather than 4, as was once thought, owing to a higher TEF. It also is more satiating that other macros. Protein and Fat (the only essential macronutrients) tell your body when it is full -- as opposed to carbs which drive you to eat more and more. Most people don't have the discipline to stop eating carbs when they are full (why do you think dessert is such a big hit?) and so the issue is further complicated by poor macronutrient composition.

The USDA's years of supporting big Agra and pseudo science to that end have to take their share of blame for the "obesity epidemic". Their policies, recommendations, and subsidies have created a food pyramid that is almost completely inverted from what it should be in the american diet. If Mrs. Obama wants to point fingers, she needs to start there.

budone1967 said:

I agree with you on most of this. We have not taken a dime of government aide either. Believe me ramen noodles, rice, beans and hamburger helper have become a main menu item in our house. I agree you can survive if you have your priorities straight.

Where I disagree is that it is completely the parents fault. That they should go asking for government handouts. You claim to be a libertarian, yet you are saying people should go out and get on the government dime to support your family.

I have seen hard working people in this country with their priorities straight struuggle to feed their families. I think you are being a bit short sited baliming it completely on the parents.

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You might want to go re-read my post. I don't believe in any welfare, and I don't think that people should take from the rich to give to the poor. I despise any type of socialization.

I said what people DO, and can do right now. Not that they should. There is a big difference between the way I want thing to be, and the way things are.

Right now we have welfare, right now we have churches and soup kitchens. I don't agree with welfare one bit, but if my family is starving and about to die, because we don't have food, I'm going to try as many churches and soup kitchens as I can. If that fails, we would have to try something else. I would never take a government hand out. I'm not taking one now, in the form of unemployment when I could be, but I choose to not be a hypocrite.

I think its really funny that you choose to claim that I'm not a libertarian because I am saying the way that things are right now. Nice try.

Yes, a child is a parent's responsibility, it is your responsibility to provide for it, and feed it. If you are too proud, to go ask your local soup kitchen and church, friends and family for help with feeding your family, then yes, that is your fault. If you also refuse to look for any work, any odd jobs to do, to help provide for your family, then yes, that is your fault as well. Like I said, get your priorities straight, and you can make it work.

Most people who let their children go hungry do not have their priorities straight. It could be drugs, or they care about material things more than feeding their babies, but if that is the case, then I agree the state could come in, and that way at least the children can have three meals a day and not die of starvation or hunger. Yes, I think most is the parent's fault for not providing for their children.

However, the way our government is spending and socializing everything, I think all of us could have a really hard time. At that point, we may all have to grow our own food, and there won't be any more government assistance. If our government doesn't turn away from socializing everything, our economy is never going to be as strong as it was in the past. I say start a garden in the back of your property if you can like I have with my neighbor. Helps save on the grocery bills now, anyway.

Obesity is a threat to security? Really? That alone has to be one of the most dumbest things I've ever heard. theres plenty of young adults that fall between the lines of acceptable for the military. And honestly if the military didn't create a wish list for the perfect soldier then this wouldnt obviusly be the issue. I understand equipment specs and what not yaddi yaddi yadii. But come on the entire country isn't fat. This is her way of appealing the issue to law makers and the military. Believe it or not kids being over weight falls back on the parents. When I was a kid my parents MADE ME go outside and play. Kids wake up go to school , WHERE THEY REMOVED PE FROM ALOT OF CURRICULIUMS!!! Kids sit in a desk, eat breakfast, lunch, come home and go straight to their room to get on the Pc or PS3. Ultimately its up to the parents to direct these kids and take control of bad habits. Quit feeding kids junk in school. Remove coke machines and snack machines. Require them to play for an hour during school, then parents make them go outside when they get home. Enroll them in sports or after school activities at the local YMCA.

Just a quick source look up gets a hit that we spend about 50 billion a year on welfare pay outs. So that means we could send 1 Billion ($1,000,000,000) to every state. Buy 400-500 acres of property strategically across the state, and install necessary equipment to achieve goal. For people who necessarly doesnt need anything from the market you offer tax breaks for those who contribute to these places. Donations, hours worked, repairs what ever it may be, have the community help keep these areas up and running but give them something back in return.

Even after my rant and idea, I still think M. Obama is full of crap.

As for kids starving in this country, the only reason a kid will starve is either the kid is homeless on the streets, or the parents are selfish. You say what you will about churches being stretched thin, but I know for a fact several churches here in Forsyth that has done closed donations for small kids. They hand out food weekly. For $20 Angel Food ministries give you an entire box to fix food for a week. Theres food shelters all over Atlanta, but no church would EVER turn away a starving child and I'm 100% sure I wouldn't. I've been known to pick up homeless people and take them to mcdonalds and buy them a high caloric meal. I don't believe in food stamps or any form of welfare. these things should be acheived in different ways other than free hand outs. Build community gardens, for you to receive things from the garden you must tend to those crops with the community. Sell some of the vegetables and what not to gain some sort of cash flow back into the system for equipment. Gardens will feed the homeless, live stock yards, you name it. There should be a program that runs these centers that have regenrating foods such as cattle and produce. And trust me the money we hand out in welfare every year, we could support a program like this in every state.