Who's to blame for child obesity?

The media or the parents?

Unless the child has a lymphatic/metabolic disorder...70% parents, 30% The child or media.

Parents most certainly. My husband's cousin has three children. Two of them constantly eat candy, ice cream and fried foods. They are incredibly overweight (the 4 year old weigh more than 60 pounds). And her 9 year old weighs well over 100. If you allow your children to eat whatever they want, especially if they have a predisposition to be overweight, then they are going to be overweight. People blaming the media for kids being big is just a scapegoat, they don't want the blame to be pushed on them.

Parents are really pressed for time these days, I know, but I still set time limits for my kids in terms of televison and video games...to do that, I have to step up and fill the time with activities, so I do...I don't want to get on parents that don't do it, but I see some of the children my friends have -really obese kids - and I know where those parents spend their time away from work, and a majority of it ain't with their kids....

Maybe the media/video game industry does bare a little bit of the blame, but it's not healthy to blame anything without taking a really deep look at yourself and what you could do better - and we can all do better....

Parents/ genetics.
Parents that have overweight children are letting them eat whatever and not giving them enough exercise. If by chance you are not giving your child junk and they are active and still obese then it must be genetics. You can't always blame someone for something they have no control over.

The PARENTS.

The media may not be a positive thing in our lives, but pple need to stop using it as a scapegoat and look at themselves. Who is raising the children anyhow, the parents or the media.

Parents need to take responsibility. Stop taking your kids to McDoonalds and learn to cook at home.

Little bit of both. The parents have to make sure the kids aren't spending all their time in front of the TV or playing game boy. On the flip side the media puts a lot of importance on look. Kids pick up on that and learn that if you don't look like so and so your not pretty. That puts stress on them, stress makes you gain weight. Even if your not eating more, you still gain weight. Also kids at school always pick on the over weight kid so that makes them gain more weight. On top of the fact that PE is almost non exist in schools any more. The combo is whats causing our trouble. Some times, people are meant to be over weight, no matter the age. If you look at other cultures like Germans and Irish. They are big people, and they live an active life style. So you also have to take into a count genetics. There is never one thing that causes a problems. It's mostily a combonation of all of things.

Both play a role. I have four year old twins who are far from obese (one only weighs about 30 pounds when he is fully clothed and soaking wet - but he eats a lot!) but everytime they see a McDs commercial they know what they eat there and that it's a fun place that they like.

It doesn't help either that when we go to "real" restaurants the serving sizes are gigantic. A HUGE bowl of Macaroni and cheese which we often split between them and still have enough to take home.

Parents can mitigate these things to a large extent if they want to. A lot of places, McDs included have some healthier options available (apple slices instead of fries; BK has applesauce instead of fries) you just have to ask for them. Plus a lot of parents give kids everything and anything they want whenever they want it. We have snacks in the house....but they are fairly healthy snacks. And the boys don't get to eat constantly. I say no plenty of times a day to snacks. And they aren't harmed by that at all.

I believe the parents are responsible.
IF as parents we get the kids used to healthy diets and snacks while we have the control, we won't have to worry too much about the advertisers. keep them off sugar AND salt for the first year at least, and you'll see they won't really be that much interested in them later on.

Parents have total control over children ( I know that sounds horrible). They can control how their children spend their free time--watching tv vs. playing outside. They can control what they buy their children to eat--fruits, veggies, nuts, granola vs. chips, snack cakes, candy. A parent can help a child learn how to make good, healthy decisions. That's what we are here for. It is our job to teach our kids what is good for them because they are not born knowing the difference. If we do not do our job, then they learn from the media. Unfortunately, if they are learning bad habits from the media, the only ones that can be blamed are the parents.

The parents!!!! TV and magazines,are'nt providing the food they stuff their face with all day..thats the momma and daddy doing that! Totaly their fault period.

EDIT** I think that it sould be charged as a crime!It is premeditated attempted murder. Obesity eventually will be the death of a person,and anyone obese or not knows this. So if you are making your kids obese..that is killing them in the long run, I dont see how parents are getting away with this.

well, it's not always about diet alone. many kids play video games indoors on a couch, instead of getting out and playing with friends, running around, and such. you know, things that kids did before video games. there are several reasons for this: parents' fear of kidnapping or molestation; the old games that people even as young as me (27) used to play when we were little just seem plain boring compared to all these video games out today.

so, it pretty much comes down to diet AND exercise. and while parents do have control over much of this, fear and boredom control much of it too.

Parents, because parents control the media and what food to put on the table. There is also genetics to consider too, so that is also the parents' responsibility. Parents should be good role models for their kids. If they eat sensibly, I'm sure kids will too.

PARENTS!! The media can't make you buy their product it is up to the consumer. As a parent it is up to me what I cook and put him my home for my child to eat. There is nothing wrong with eating out once and a while. There is nothing wrong the kids going outside and playing like they did when I was younger.

the ...gasping for air...PARENTS !!!! they control want is bought at the store, not the children. if they buy junk food, the kids will EAT the junk food !!! if you want your children to eat healthy, buy healthy snacks..or make them yourself !!! i know, making healthy foods..in the kitchen..cooking..yeah, takes time...but a person's children should come first and are worth the time spent...right ??? i hope so....

Most children who are obese became obese before their exposure to the media. It is mostly parents to blame as even if the child has a genetic tendency towards obesity the parents can keep that in check with a proper diet.

Both. Parents for getting the child in bad food patters in the first place. However, Kids should be smart enough to realise what they are doing, but then again, thats all in genetics, again, this goes back to the parent doesnt it?

parents b/c parents control the media as well as controlling what and how much the child consumes.

everyone is to blame children are taught by anyone who is involved with the child. parents,teachers yes even the media but it also depends on genetics

definately the parents.

for giving in

its not like the media is actually handing them a choc bar everytime they watch the ad

The parents. In my opinion they need to provide their children with healthy choices and keep them active. they should have the most influence in their child's life, not the media.

The parents. They let their kids watch too much TV and play various games. They never go outside. In a very few cases its genes.

The parents lack of initiative coupled with the crappy school lunches.

The parents and all the hormones that are pumped into today's food.

Absolutely, the Parents..
They chose what foods to introduce to their children.

Parents, children can only eat healthy if thats what food is available to them

Parents, unless it's a medical condition that caused it.

Parents
Genetics
Media
All Play a part

PARENTS

I agree with Lee

Not the parents in my case: My son is slightly over weight and it is because every weekend he goes to his grandparents where he gets what he wants when he wants anytime of the day or night... they feed him 4 pancake on a stick for breakfast and 3 corn dogs for lunch and 20-30 chicken nuggets in between meals... he wont eat nothing but microwaveable or junk food over there and here i cook meat, veggies, salads, and whatever as my hubby and i are both diabetics and have to lose considerable amount of weight... so far i have lost 45 lbs... and my son has gained 25 lbs. from the junk they feed him... It is true if the parent are over weight the child will more than likely be, but not if the parents provide good nutrition to the child so that they dont gain excessive amount of weight...

Both. Parents choose what to bring into the home to feed their children, but the advertisers makes everything look so exciting to where the kids "just have to have it". They use cartoons and slogans to reel the kids in.