Obesity: What are we doing about it?

[ntrog8r]

Beavah,

 

I like the partnership idea; maybe that's something that could be woked at the Council level in a given area. But I have to hope you're wrong about not having enough time wtih an hour a week. After all, we're trying to develop life habits in a lot of other areas in that hour and if it won't work we're just spinning our wheels, right? Certainly, one hour will not undo the choices they make during the rest of the week. But the hour may help mold those choices.

 

Maybe we don't know what to do ourselves?

 

Maybe National should push info through the magazine division - not just raw data but idea plans (program helps?), low cal recipes for the DO, healthy trail mix, low fat snacks, etc. Maybe balance every video game review with an active toy/sport review. Should SMs review camp meal plans with an eye to nutrition, ban "snacks" from a Scout's pack? How about a "Biggest Loser" challenge at the Council-level; it could be greatest weight loss by individual, unit, or even district. As Knoight pointed out, should Cracker Barrels be changed to no food or to healthy snacks only? Should units continue holding pizza parties? How about inter-Patrol competitions for fitness held over a six-month period - the adult "patrol" could participate? Do we just need to reemphasize the outdoors in the program and get the Scouts (and Scouters) outside - hiking, climbing, running, backpacking, swimming, etc?

 

In our Troop, the heaviest person is the ASM. But we're on a military base and everybody is pretty fit so when I say he's the heaviest, that means his stomach isn't flat. This guy can swim, canoe, backpack, hike with the best of 'em. But the national trend is alarming. Is our organization facing this problem? If not, are we not recruiting/retaining the overweight youth? If this is real problem we face, what are we doing/can be done/should be done about it?

[scoutldr]

How about we quit selling junk food as fundraisers? Time to walk the talk?

[packsaddle]

This just came up recently. Maybe BSA should move its headquarters to, say, Raleigh, NC. Oops, it only applies to state employees. Oh well.....

http://www.wcnc.com/news/local/stories/wcnc-100709-mw-fat-fee.1f31c6ec5.html