School does what it can to reduce childhood obesity

The tale of a Wyoming school district's proactive policies on reducing childhood obesity is detailed in the WSJ article "In Obesity Wars, A New Backlash" (sorry, subscription needed). The 'new backlash' comes from teachers (because soda machines are banned from schools including the teachers' lounge), parents (some are acutely sensitive to their kids being called fat by school) and kids.

However, the main proponent of the Healthy School Task Force policies at the school district, Dr. David Fall (a pediatrician who also serves on the school board), says that "the importance of the program 'outweighs any temporary hurt feelings'." Also he says there hasn't been public opposition to his committee's policies outside of a few negative comments, putting the backlash in a new perspective. Here's one person who's glad the school is helping him lose weight.

More power to Dr. Fall and his task force I say. Why? Because obesity is a medical issue. Obesity is associated with higher risk of heart disease and diabetes in adulthood, period. Are high blood pressure and high blood sugar bad? Yes, for these conditions impair the quality and the quantity of life. We think nothing of promoting those habits that reduce hypertension and hyperglycemia. Ergo, obesity is bad too and should be prevented.

Furthermore, as the doctor in the article says, kids who are obese are more likely to be unhappy; this study in a 2003 issue of 'Nature' journal adds to the body of evidence asserting that obesity causes mental health problems like depression.

School is the best place to teach kids how to be healthy and to help obese kids lose weight and improve their prospects for good health in the future.

Kids spend more time in school than anywhere outside of the home. School is where kids learn about all kinds of subjects deemed important by society like writing, reading, mathematics, history, natural science and so on. Why should health not also be taught? I can't think of a good reason not to teach kids those things that are scientifically proven to be good for the body (e.g., eating more fruits and vegetables is linked to increased longevity, eating less saturated and trans fats is linked to lower levels of cholesterol, etc.).

Plus at school kids gain habits that stay with them for life, like how to be social and work with others, how to read and how to write and how to learn. That's undeniable. Thus if healthy habits can be picked up by kids at school and if such habits will stay with the kids for a lifetime, should schools not do what they can to better ensure healthy habits are promoted at school? Yes.

I was all for taking fatty foods and sugary drinks out of school as Texas' agricultural commissioner did years ago (old post) and I am all for teaching exercise and techniques to reduce stress (after all chronic psychological stress is linked to eating more and obesity) because good diet and physical exercise means better health for these kids as they become adults. Go Dr. Fall and his team in Gillette, Wyoming!