Japan, Seeking Trim Waists, Measures Millions

[darksyndrem]

Originally Posted by MMM

By letting Pepsi machines sit inside school, it tells students that drinking soft drinks every day is a good things.

You can't say taking soft drink machines out of schools does nothing to help.

A lot of schools have closed campuses, so little things like this can make a difference.

And how exactly does that tell them that it's a good thing?

Yes, actually I can say that. I've been in a school (like I said before) that has taken soft drink machines out, and replaced them with "healthy" drinks. What happens? Nothing. We (students) stop buying drinks from the school and get our "unhealthy" drinks elsewhere.

Most of the people I know, didn't buy soft drinks from schools to begin with.

[MMM]

Originally Posted by darksyndrem

And how exactly does that tell them that it's a good thing?

Yes, actually I can say that. I've been in a school (like I said before) that has taken soft drink machines out, and replaced them with "healthy" drinks. What happens? Nothing. We (students) stop buying drinks from the school and get our "unhealthy" drinks elsewhere.

Most of the people I know, didn't buy soft drinks from schools to begin with.

A school is an educational institution. Allowing candy bar machines and soft drink machines in the schools is the same as endorsing them.

Sure, teenagers have more freedom and ability to guy buy whatever they want, but tweens and younger kids don't have that freedom as much (some not at all) so it is probably more effective for them.

There were no soda machines in my school growing up, and I think that helps endorse the idea that soda is a sweet treat, and not a way of life. I know guys from the south that grew up with soda in school. and they drink it by the truckloads (and are obese).

[SSJup81]

I agree, some are just more prone to weight gain than others, especially if it's genetic. I know it is in my family. The majority of my father's side is overweight. I'm overweight as well. My own father used to weigh over 300 pounds, until he became diabetic and lost most of the weight years ago. He's like 220 maybe now. He's kept it off too.

Originally Posted by MMM

What I mean is, health eating education is not coming to many children at home, so I think the schools need to step up. I am not saying overweight kids should be expelled, but I think there are ways to counsel kids into better habits.

When did they stop? As a kid, for health class, we were always taught about how eating junk like candy or cakes wasn't good for you or drinking things like sodas were bad for you and how sugar in general wasn't good for you. It was told to us. If the kids don't listen, oh well. I know I didn't. I ate home-cooked meals. My mother didn't let me have a lot of stuff, just occasional treats, but when I wasn't at home, and had some "pocket money", I would buy snacks in school or buy whatever tasted good for lunch. I guess the only thing schools should do, is have healthier menu choices, not teach something that's already apart of the curriculum. Middle School and High School had terrible menu choices (health wise). That's where the majority of my unhealthy eating was done.

[MMM]

Originally Posted by SSJup81

I agree, some are just more prone to weight gain than others, especially if it's genetic. I know it is in my family. The majority of my father's side is overweight. I'm overweight as well. My own father used to weigh over 300 pounds, until he became diabetic and lost most of the weight years ago. He's like 220 maybe now. He's kept it off too. When did they stop? As a kid, for health class, we were always taught about how eating junk like candy or cakes wasn't good for you or drinking things like sodas were bad for you and how sugar in general wasn't good for you. It was told to us. If the kids don't listen, oh well. I know I didn't. I ate home-cooked meals. My mother didn't let me have a lot of stuff, just occasional treats, but when I wasn't at home, and had some "pocket money", I would buy snacks in school or buy whatever tasted good for lunch. I guess the only thing schools should do, is have healthier menu choices, not teach something that's already apart of the curriculum. Middle School and High School had terrible menu choices (health wise). That's where the majority of my unhealthy eating was done.

Overweight families like to claim their size as a genetic disposition, but I don't think there is a lot of evidence to support that.

I knew a family that was of that mind-set when I was in high school. I would visit them for dinner and eat 1/4 to 1/3 of the amount of food each member of the family ate (they were all overweight). "How can you not be full?" they would ask after I consumed 2 tacos to their 6 each. That isn't genetics, but lifestyle patterns.

Obesity has skyrocketed in the US in the last 50 years, but we still had the same genes we did in 1950s. Evolution 1) doesn't work that fast and 2) doesn't work to kill a species. As Nyororin said, you can argue that some people might have slower metabolisms, but it is the food they put in their bodies that makes them fat, not their genes.

And that is great that your father lost 80 pounds. He is proof it can be done.

I am not sure why schools shouldn't teach something that is already part of the curriculum, but it is hypocrisy to teach healthy eating habits, especially at such a vital age, and then line the hallways with machines serving the snacks that the curriculum says should be avoided.

[clintjm]

Should people be rewarded, say money or whatnot, for returning to approved weight/health? Should they be punished the same way for not remaining at the approved weight?

[MMM]

Originally Posted by clintjm

Should people be rewarded, say money or whatnot, for returning to approved weight/health? Should they be punished the same way for not remaining at the approved weight?

I think the idea that your weight is something that you yourself are the master of needs to come back to the surface.

Many companies thrive by paying people to meet goals and punishing for not meeting goals. We learn those standards in grade school.

Why do we pretend personal health is something we have no control over, when it is the one thing we probably have the most control over in our lives?

[Kyousuke]

Originally Posted by MMM

What I mean is, health eating education is not coming to many children at home, so I think the schools need to step up. I am not saying overweight kids should be expelled, but I think there are ways to counsel kids into better habits.

Where I live in recent years the corporate sponsored football fields are being rejected as usually the contract means putting Pepsi machines in high schools. In recent years these are being tossed out of schools and replaced with healthier drinks. More things like this need to happen.

i agree. many schools with healthy, more nutritious food tend to be better. the students are getting their required vitamins, meaning no crashing. i think waist checks are good, it helps people to live healthier lives

[clintjm]

Originally Posted by MMM

I think the idea that your weight is something that you yourself are the master of needs to come back to the surface.

Many companies thrive by paying people to meet goals and punishing for not meeting goals. We learn those standards in grade school.

Why do we pretend personal health is something we have no control over, when it is the one thing we probably have the most control over in our lives?

1. So then I take it then you say no to rewards and no to punishment in the form of money, grants or preferential treatment in general to individuals, schools, or businesses? If this is what you are saying, then I have to agree.

2. If the one thing we have the most control over in our lives is personal health, why should the Japanese or US government play a role in measuring waists and setting standards of the correct sized body and then rewarding or punishing accordingly? Who is government to decide how think one should be?

3. It is not natural to be over or under weight. But we are also a product of our occupation (physically active vs physically inactive), the free time we have and other variables such our commuting options in where we live, amount of lunch time, amount of vacation, amount of hours we work a week. This, like others have mentioned in this thread, is a big contributor. The other is simply the idea of bringing your own meal and not relying on the options the student or office worker is confined to.

[MMM]

Originally Posted by clintjm

2. If the one thing we have the most control over in our lives is personal health, why should the Japanese or US government play a role in measuring waists and setting standards of the correct sized body and then rewarding or punishing accordingly? Who is government to decide how think one should be?

3. It is not natural to be over or under weight. But we are also a product of our occupation (physically active vs physically inactive), the free time we have and other variables such our commuting options in where we live, amount of lunch time, amount of vacation, amount of hours we work a week. This, like others have mentioned in this thread, is a big contributor. The other is simply the idea of bringing your own meal and not relying on the options the student or office worker is confined to.

2. That's a very libertarian attitude, but it is like saying "Since we decide if we are going to have sex, why should there be sex education in schools?"

The reason is that education gives ammunition to making informed decisions. I am not saying education will stop kids from drinking pop all day, just as sex education doesn't stop teens from having sex, but on an individual basis educated people make better decisions than uneducated ones.

3. No, we are not the product of our occupation, unless we work 16+ hours a day. Just a few minutes a day of physical activity can have remarkably positive effects on our bodies. Again, you are falling into the "I am not in control of my body" thought. I know people who bicycle to work (I did when I lived in Japan), who jog on their lunch breaks, work out after work... Your occupation does not determine how healthy you are. You do.

[Kyousuke]

Originally Posted by clintjm

1. So then I take it then you say no to rewards and no to punishment in the form of money, grants or preferential treatment in general to individuals, schools, or businesses? If this is what you are saying, then I have to agree.

2. If the one thing we have the most control over in our lives is personal health, why should the Japanese or US government play a role in measuring waists and setting standards of the correct sized body and then rewarding or punishing accordingly? Who is government to decide how think one should be?

3. It is not natural to be over or under weight. But we are also a product of our occupation (physically active vs physically inactive), the free time we have and other variables such our commuting options in where we live, amount of lunch time, amount of vacation, amount of hours we work a week. This, like others have mentioned in this thread, is a big contributor. The other is simply the idea of bringing your own meal and not relying on the options the student or office worker is confined to.

i think most people would agree with you, but alot of people are tired of fat people complaining that people are being fatist towards them. like the lady who sued a movie theatre because they were too small for her, or the people who get fat eating mcdonalds everyday. you would think after they gained weight they would question the fast food first and stop, but i guess not. also inactive work doesnt neccessarily mean you can use it as an excuse to be inactive in your free time , or find a way to be healthy during work. the principal at my old high school used to join morning excercises for PE somedays instead of sitting in his office, but most of the time he was up and walking around doing things. I think the reason their doing it is because people dont care about themselves. you have the freedom to be overweight, but that doesnt mean its a good decision. by being overweight you have a higher chance of getting diabetes and other diseases along with it. i also think that the japanese are doing this because of the decrease in its population and the many people who die while at work who refuse to stop working.