I have been to over 25 states in this country, and the fattest kids I have ever seen are right here in Southern California. It starts before they enter kindergarten and the older they get, the worse it gets, especially the boys. Some of the high school boys I see leaving school in my neigborhood are easily over 300 lbs. I think it's a combination of what the kids are eating and the P.E. and sports programs being cut.

Posted by: Rev. Meg Schramm | May 12, 2009 12:50 PM

Yes- although, I like fried foods (not meat!!) I don't indulge, though... I'd be vegan if I could live w/out milk....

Posted by: Vegatariansmakebetterlovers | May 12, 2009 03:15 PM

When they finally loose the weight in their 20s they can use that bottled up range to their advantage.

Don't ruin that for them PETA.

Posted by: Pepsi One is Fun | May 12, 2009 06:02 PM

It's very commendable to teach our young chidren and teens to respect the lives of animals and to encourage them to enjoy savory and cruelty-free meatless cuisine.

Posted by: Brien Comerford | May 12, 2009 08:26 PM

Santa Ana, California has one of the worst gang problems in the United States, so maybe Pepsi has a point about the rage but I sure don't see them losing the weight...I live near a funeral parlor which does a lot of business from the result of gang warfare (you can always tell them apart, they are the ones with the departed's name and date of death embroidered on their shirts, and they are flashing gang signs at the passing traffic) and they are all fat.

Posted by: Rev. Meg Schramm | May 13, 2009 01:25 PM

When kids see vegetables they think yuck! I know my kids do and my youngest son who is 3 pretends like he is choking and throws himself to the floor. I wonder how hard it would be to get these kids to switch from their normal diet to a veggie one. I agree there are to many overweight kids now days, I'm thankful my children are at a healthy weight, my daughter who is almost 7 only weighs 32 lbs and is healthy.

Posted by: Denise | May 13, 2009 02:23 PM

if parents ate healthy themselves then this wouldn't even be an issue.

trust me PETA, even if a fmaily is vegetarian they will still find ways to gorge on bad foods. Kids eat lil debbies, popscicles, etc. And um peanut butter and jelly sandwiches aren't that healthy ya know.

Posted by: brandie | May 13, 2009 04:47 PM

I heard that comedian Jerry Seinfeld's wife has published a cookbook with recipes for those who have trouble with their children eating vegetables...can't remember the title of it though.

Posted by: Rev. Meg Schramm | May 13, 2009 06:19 PM

I am the parent of a 5 1/2 year old who loves fruits and vegetables. She also exercises every day.

Parents are always amazed when they watch her eat and ask how I get her to eat what she does.

I tell them to serve fresh food, well-seasoned, but not hot. I also let her pick out her own fresh fruits and vegetables to eat.

I also toss in veggies, such as broccoli and cauliflower, into dishes where they aren't even really noticed to increase nutrition, such as something with a sauce.

We also have a small backyard vegetable garden that she is involved with from selecting the seeds to picking to food prep or preservation. She can't wait to eat what we've grown.

We visit the local park on a daily basis, weather permitting, where she plays with other children after school. At home, in addition to gardening, she rides her bike, plays with her jump rope and hula hoop, and does yoga. On some days, we go to a local nature center and walk the trails.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is that many kids simply don't have access to a big yard or park where they can play. Kids in those cookie cutter yards are cooped up with no place to run and just mess around. Playing in the street or cul-de-sac just isn't the same.

Posted by: Joy Rebello | May 14, 2009 06:37 PM