What is your opinion of the teenage obesity epidemic in America today?

halt the tendency earlier on. stop feeding kids supersized happy meals!!!

i never had a problem with weight gain till i turned 18 then i just gained all this weight for no reason. i think its body chemsitry+stress type of thing.
Our President is a corporate butt kisser and the food processors want to sell more and more food. They spend billions in advertising to brainwash us into eating more food. There is even a Children's TV Show where Ronald McDonald is one of the Stars. We have the largest weight loss market in the world.
I strongly believe that the parents have the greatest influence on their children's eating behavior. Children see their parents as their role models so they try to be like them. Unfortunately, obesity in teenagers is a reality that is spreading throughout the country. I think that the parents should try to help their kids to make the right choice when it comes to eating habits.
Its horrible. Its partly cause of video games, partly cause of fast food, partly because wehenever a kid wants to go outside and climb a tree they arent alound, and partly cause some people have big bones. I live in the state that is 5th in lack of obesity, so their arent that many, so it doesnt seem as bad to me cause i only know 3 fat people. If we were jsut forced outside it wouldnt happen. My mom didnt let us play video games fr like EVER and none of us r fat.
i think there needs to be more opportunities for kids to exercise, like more cycleways, so that when we buy our kiddies a bike or scooter or rollerblades they can actually use it to travel to school and things like that.

I think the problem is that schools sometimes ban these "toys" too, like if one kid breaks their arm everyone has to stop using the toys.

It's really dumb because i was a very active kid who was skilled at balance and movement, and the school banned all the physical activity toys and tree climbing and stuff just cos a few non-athletic kids got injured.

Some of us are very into being active and we shouldn't suffer just because of kids who aren't very good at it.

It was so dumb because then we went on an outing and had to do climbing with harnesses and things and everyone was useless at it because we don't get to practise at school.

So the problem is to do with too many calories in McDonalds foods and things, but more so about the lack of opportunity for exercise. Teach your kids to be wiser to avoid "stranger danger" don't dress young girls like prostitutes, let your young kids dress ready for rough and tumble. Instead of worrying they will get picked up by a stranger take the precautions to prevent them from being so vulnerable.

And keep the opportunities happening for teens so they don't form bad habits.

There aren't enough safe places to ride scooters. It's too intimidating to others to ride things on the footpath. Skateparks don't suit people who want to increase incidental activity. Like using a bike to get to and from school.

Too many people just going with the flow and applying for a driving license because it's the norm.

i've not been to disneyland yet...
It should be called white collar crime. Everywhere you turn it is bigger and bigger meals with more unhealthy stuff piled on it. I blame corporations for going for the almighty $ without regard for community. And parents need to stop feeding their kids that cr*p. I went to McD's and ordered a fish sandwich and it came with tablespoons of tarter sauce. That must have added 1000 calories. And the meat-burgers-sausage-doesn't even taste like meat. What are they trying to do to us? It's no better at the other fast food places. Do you remember Burger Chef. They tested the hamburger and it turned out they were putting worms in the burger meat. What are we letting these places do? And the salads are just as bad as the burgers. . .And it's not just the teenagers-it's everyone. It's impossible to go get a reasonable sized meal anywhere. Then there is the lack of exercise. . .and the increase in diabetes and other diseases. . .We need to stop and change what we are doing. We are killing ourselves, our kids, the environment, and the planet. Please wake up and make a change. . .while you can. . .