New Scouting Health Initiative

[alancar]

Just read on p. 4 of the Jan-Feb Scouting magazine article "From the CSE" about Scouting health and wellness initiative.....hmmm Robert J Mazzuca http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4036/4391231792_ace45294c1_o.jpg we need to lead by example...then 32 pages after that is a Dutch Oven recipe that calls for 1/2 lbs of bacon, hash browns, 11 tbs of butter, and 3.5 c of heavy whipping cream. turnt he page and we have a krispy Kreme ad, turn the page and we have a trail mix ad......lets walk the walk leaders.

[SeattlePioneer]

I'll be candid, I haven't read this initiative. I may or may not.

 

 

My priority as a Cubmaster is to introduce Scouts to hiking, camping, swimnming, bicycling and other outdoor activities.

 

Secondarily to get Scouts started to learn how to cook things THEY LIKE to eat. (at our pack campout last June the boys made taco for dinner and made pancakes and sausage for breakfst. For a number of boys it was the first pancake they had ever turned).

 

Thirdly, the boys do the den program that has a nutrition achievement to complete. When I lead discussions it tends towards the mind bending idea of why a diet of Halloween candy isn't recommended.

 

The third is a slightly academic approach ---the first two are intensely practical by nature.

 

Perhaps someone can tell me what I'm missing if I don't read this.....

[desertrat77]

Our scouts' health is a reflection of the adults in their life.

 

"Physically strong" can be achieved in any number of ways, but we all--scouts and scouters--have a duty to pursue this ideal to the maximum extent possible.

 

Alancar, it's a mixed message, I agree. On a related subject, I marvel at the salesmanship of expensive gear and uniforms in scouting publications--we want to recruit more scouts, but then send the message that Johnny really should have an $100+ rain fly to sleep under during light camping, etc., thus insinuating that scouting is an upper middle class activity.

 

A shower curtain from the dollar store would work just as well under most circumstances.

[acco40]

When our council Scout camps made corporate deals with Pepsi & Coke distributor ships to exclusively hawk their products - and then try to teach Scouts that water is best - I've kind of given up.

 

I know that for Jambo, the Scoutmasters now have a similar requirement (height & weight proportional) that they have for high advanture. Not sure if it was an image issue or due to the "Bataan Death March" at Jambo in 2005 that led to that.

 

 

[SeattlePioneer]

Hey acco---

 

I've never seen soda pop served in summer camp mess halls, have you?

 

 

And speaking of that article in "Scouting," is it just me or does Chief Scout Executive Mazzuca look like he's definitely on the porky side?

 

 

 

 

[Rockford8070]

Seattle, I've seen Pepsi vending machines at one of our council camps, it made me sick just looking at it.

[Gary_Miller]

SeattlePioneer "I've never seen soda pop served in summer camp mess halls, have you?"

 

I have and I don't really have a problem with it.

 

While I think its good to promote healthy habits, its not good to do it by force. Which is starting to happen in our society.

 

The height and weight standards recently put in place by BSA, are not an accurate measurement on ones fitness. It does not take in to consideration a doctors assessment or ones daily activity. It only uses Height and Weight in determining ones ability to participate in an activity.

[Gary_Miller]

Rockford8070, "I've seen Pepsi vending machines at one of our council camps, it made me sick just looking at it."

 

Whats wrong with a soda vending machine at camp?

 

Why would you get sick just looking at it?

 

(This message has been edited by Gary_Miller)

[acco40]

They don't serve pop (or soda) at the mess hall because that would interfer with sales at the trading post and vending machines. However, at all the far flung stations (archery, swimming, shotgun, etc.) the vending machines are in prominent display. Water is harder to access - again, it interfers with sales.

 

I pay for medical care for folks who smoke, drink or eat themselves to poor health. Therefore, I have no issue with "big brother" regulating school lunches, nutritional labels, smoking, etc. I have no issue with doing it by "force" either - the devil is always in the details. How much force? Would it be considered child abuse to feed a three year old nothing but happy meals (with fries, not applesauce) everyday? What about four times a week? Twice a week? Once a week? Once a month? Yes, it is a slippery slope but I'm not for "no" regulation nor total bans but something in the middle I have no problem with.

[SeattlePioneer]

I have no objection to selling candy, soda, snacks and treats at the trading post, or soda pop vending machines.

 

The menues I've seen at summer camp look fine to me. They are a balance between what boys want and will eat and what is good for them. There are enough choices of each to keep boys (and adults) fed.

 

That's what I've seen. No big issues for me.

[EagleBeaver]

A BSA camp that offers soda, slushies, candy bars, and other nutrionless sugar treats should also offer healthy alternatives. That does not happen at our summer camp or the three other council camps our troop has used. The only treat I could find that was not sugarful was a bottle of flavored water - exactly like you can buy at Costco for $.33/bottle - priced at the trading post for $1.25 Soda was priced at $.75

 

My consistent evaluation at the end of summmer camp for the past 6 years is to mention that alternative healthy snacks would be appreciated, and repricing unhealthy items higher than healthy ones would subsidize the healthy choices. Moving soda to $1.00 and water to $1.00, for example. I'm not asking to remove the big money-makers, just include some alternatives so I can have a healthy snack and be a good role model. My wee voice crying in the wilderness, I guess.

 

Our council has soda vending machines sitting on the porches of camp lodges. I have two reasons why it's wrong to have them.

- Being out on a night hike and seeing that artificial, luminous beacon from over 1/2 mile away is one of the more obnoxious parts of using camp. It certainly adversely affects the experience.

- Nutritionless soda does not support any part of scouting and directly contradicts one of the three aims - personal fitness. Plenty of studies have shown the contribution of soda to national obesity.

 

I would also say there are many reasons why soda should not be part of a dining hall (or any) menu - tooth decay, stimulant, addiction, obesity - all with no reasons why it should be included. An occasional soda is not a big deal, but having it constantly available to scouts at camp is effectively approving and promoting it.

 

Scout On

http://ScoutChallenge.com

 

[Gary_Miller]

acco40,"I pay for medical care for folks who smoke, drink or eat themselves to poor health. Therefore, I have no issue with "big brother" regulating school lunches, nutritional labels, smoking, etc. I have no issue with doing it by "force" either - the devil is always in the details. How much force? Would it be considered child abuse to feed a three year old nothing but happy meals (with fries, not applesauce) everyday? What about four times a week? Twice a week? Once a week? Once a month? Yes, it is a slippery slope but I'm not for "no" regulation nor total bans but something in the middle I have no problem with."

 

I choose not to give up my freedoms to anyone, let alone the government. The biggest freedom I cherish the most is the freedom of agency, being able to choose for myself and my family. While what you have mentioned above may seem like a good idea and may seem necessary to protect the cost of health care and the obesity of society. We all know that the solution to obesity is education and physical activity. Not taking ones agency away by making regulations on what one can and cannot do.

 

Give up one freedom and "big brother" will take another one.(This message has been edited by Gary_Miller)

[Gary_Miller]

mn_scout, "A BSA camp that offers soda, slushies, candy bars, and other nutrionless sugar treats should also offer healthy alternatives."

 

The trading post sales items that youth would like to purchase. It is there to make money. Just how much money do you think they would make by selling granola bars and Milk VS selling Hershey bars and soda pop. While I do feel that there should be healthy alternative to choose from, the bulk of the money for purchasing stock should go to those things that will sell.

 

mn_scout, "The only treat I could find that was not sugarful was a bottle of flavored water - exactly like you can buy at Costco for $.33/bottle - priced at the trading post for $1.25 Soda was priced at $.75.

 

My consistent evaluation at the end of summmer camp for the past 6 years is to mention that alternative healthy snacks would be appreciated, and repricing unhealthy items higher than healthy ones would subsidize the healthy choices. Moving soda to $1.00 and water to $1.00, for example. I'm not asking to remove the big money-makers, just include some alternatives so I can have a healthy snack and be a good role model. My wee voice crying in the wilderness, I guess."

 

Nothing is stopping you from bringing your own snakes and treats, and last I looked water out of the tap is free.

 

mn_scout, "I would also say there are many reasons why soda should not be part of a dining hall (or any) menu - tooth decay, stimulant, addiction, obesity - all with no reasons why it should be included. An occasional soda is not a big deal, but having it constantly available to scouts at camp is effectively approving and promoting it."

 

I guess we could serve water at every meal and nothing else. Just think of money that the dinning hall could save.

 

I don't think a week at summer camp has ever made a boy a soda addict. And I know its never been the case of tooth decay, or obesity. And as fare as a stimulant maybe we should stop serving coffee as well.

 

[Scoutfish]

Two things I want to say:

 

1) If National wants to push a Heathy Initiative..cool- as long as iyt starts at the top. I fairly heathy. Not gonna compete in the olympics, but won't have a heart attack walking to my mailbox either. But I don't want some 350 pound overweight slob talking about being heathy when the only exercise he has is countring the $$$ in his account.

 

The guys at the top do it too..then I'm cool with it!

 

2) Our trading post sells soda. Not a big variety either. I think it was only coke products, and only Coke and Diet Coke, and Hawaiian Tropic at that. Really sucked as I am a MtDew dreinker myself.

 

So at the weekend campout, moms and dads and various pack leadres cooked food, brought snacks and for the most part, kept their kids full of water, milk and healthy juices. Same for the adults: waters, teas, coffees and such. So when we had time to kill, we hike over to the trading post to see what kind of souveniers/momenos/junk they had for sale. Bought a t-shirt, a bumper sticker and my son had a CowTail and Hawaiian Tropic drink.

 

Now, that one drink (which isn't even a carbonated soda) and cowtail didn't cause my son's health to suddenly plummet, and wasn't any worse than what he might eat drink anywhere else.

 

But considering that he ran and played his but off and did all kinds of running around, hiking , climbing , etc...that weekend, and figuring the amount of calories used up...not to mention all the water he drank above his normal consumption - well, I think he came out ahead .

 

As other said, the trading post has to make a profit in order to stay open. Scouts do not flock to the shop to buy cream of spinnach ice pops or sparkling water milkshakes.

 

Besides, I think it's more of the scouts and parents/leaders responciblity to teach a kid to refrain than the guy/gal behind the counter.

 

We want to promote healthy diets that much, we'd have to drop all popcorn sales.

[acco40]

I have no issue with a drunk telling me it is not wise to drink too much.

 

I have no issue with a 350 lb cardiologist telling me I need to lose weight, reduce salt intake, etc. to obtain better cardiovascular health.

 

I have no issue with a dietician who eats to much chocolate to inform me of healthy food choices.

 

I do have an issue with being at a long term scout camp during a heat wave and trying to keep the kids well hydrated and their main liquid choices are Mountain Dew, Coke and Pepsi.

 

I had an Assistant Scoutmaster hospitalized with heat stroke - he was overweight, out in the hot sun, on an antibiotic regimen, drank caffinated pop, etc. As Scoutmaster, I required the Scouts to only leave camp if they had a water bottle filled with water. I couldn't make them drink, but I did make them carry. I wasn't so anal with the adults and maybe I should have been.