What a world we live in when children are obese !

And when did the schools take out gym class?

Why are kids allowed to stay in the house and play video games in their free time?

When I was a kid you came in the house to eat sleep and shower. My friends and I were not obese.

Parents don't cook at home anymore?

We have to educate our restaurants how to feed out children?

Maybe I am old school but that doesn't sound right.

We need to educate children about nutrition because it is obvious their parents aren't teaching them !

Obese children, obese animals....weird...

I say this too much but they have bigger fish to fry. It isn't the states responsibility to help the fat kids. 95% of these kids know why they are obese and know how to lose the weight. I understand some people have conditions that make it difficult to lose weight and that is the other 5%.

I really find it hard to believe anybody walks into mcdonalds and expects health food.

The know-it-alls of the legislature would better spend their time cutting fat from government than fat from children.

OH THANK YOU NANNY STATE

SIEG HEIL! SIEG HEIL! SIEG HEIL!

Isn't Maine behind the times on this? Caloric information is displayed at most fast food restaurants, and you can't really gauge a caloric chart at a regular sit-down restaurant based on portion-sizes and whats used in the meal. DUH

First and foremost, if the state is worried about obese children, they should alter the food stamp program so that ONLY healthy foods may be purchased. I don't know how many times I have seen people use their food stamps to load their grocery cart up with ring dings, soda, chips, ice cream, etc. I am not saying that food stamp recipients shouldn't have a treat once in a while, HOWEVER, when the majority of the recipients are not spending their allotments correctly, I feel they should have restrictions in place. For instance, look at the WIC program. Very well implemented, and the recipients are told what they can and cannot buy. My father, growing up in the 30's remembers when things were rationed. People were issued ration cards, and they were allowed to buy only certain things, which included vegetables, meat, cheese, milk, toliet paper, laundry detergent, soap, etc. Of course, they didn't have the junk food available back then as we do today, but they did have "pop" and that was not allowed. You want pop - - you get a job, was the motto. I know that not everyone using food stamps is overweight, and there are many overweight people that do not use food stamps. But if the state wants to start regulating things, let them start with that.

And, I personally feel that schools monitoring children's weight "for state statistics" is absolutely ridiculous! The schools should be concentrating on education and yes, nutrition is an avenue they can take. Physical education is another, and having actual recess where the children CAN go out and play, run, jump and have fun to burn off some energy is another. Let boys be boys, and girls be girls. They learn how to handle many situations in life starting on the playground. And, I might add, having the opportunity to "burn off" that energy during recess may help those kids sit still in class and learn, rather than doping them up because they are "ADHD" when it is normal for them to be fidgity and restless when they are not allowed to burn off that energy.

Last but not least, many restaurants DO post the caloric information, but many parents just don't seem to care when they are eating out. My parents always told us, "Eating out is a treat . . . get whatever you want." And, guess what, I never ordered broccoli!

Weigh the schoolteachers and leave the kids alone.

What the heck.... The moonbats don't want us to project to children that they are fat because they think it will promote a bad self body image and eating disorders such as anorexia in teens, BUT they do want us to tell them they are fat... Common with these Nanny laws..... Let the parent's teach their children healthy habits... I don't think measuring these children's BMI's is healthy for them.... Too much pressure!!!!

nonyabusiness I agree... THE food assistance program is a joke. It is way cheaper for these people to buy soda than juice, ring dings than fruit.... These are the people that need to be educated on healthy food/meals and have some restrictions in place for what they can/can't purchase with assistance.

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I also agree with the comment... cut the fat from our govt first!!

I say the state should butt out. Noble cause but......the state his bigger problems. Let the parents parent and leave well enough alone.

What everyone seems to be missing is that this isn't just a problem with overweight kids. Data very clearly shows overweight kids have an 85% chance of becoming overweight adults. Three of the top four diseases and causes of death in Maine that are also draining our Medicaid and Medicare system are based on obesity. This has long term effects. Many schools had to cut gym class to meet the "no child left behind" standards Mr. infinite wisdom bush put in place several years ago.

I agree that the TANF program needs to change. Nonyabusiness has it right (and there is data to support this if anyone is interested in fact-checking their assertions)- design it like WIC and it is far more nutrionially beneficial. WIC works and folks keep buying junk with TANF.

Parenting seems to be an archaic notion from the past. Government has slowly become responsible for the children; ask teachers, doctors and police-parental involvemnet is declining.

Put Dr. Mills on the scales too.

So what are they going to tax now? Yesterday I saw tax on plastic bags. Last week was...don't remember. But I know there was something.

Before my kids started school they ate very little processed foods. Chicken nuggets, fries....All they had was homecooked meals. The elementary school had decent meals but when they hit middle school and high school most of the time the food was greasy and high in calories. Going to McDonalds was a rarity. The public schools changed the eating habits of my kids. I know over the years cafeteria food improved but there was a time when it was not healthy lunches.

Why is it that for some reason they think we only get fat eating at chain resteraunts? If this has to be, it should be equal treatment!

all resteraunts must post the information.

In a lot of cases it's not the high caloric count of the food, it's the unbelieveable amont of food on the plate.

exercise, push the plate away from in front of you!

Maine FOOD STAMP program needs to implement what types of foods they are required to buy, like the WIC program. I have seen several times a family in front of me using food stamps and their cart was full of frozen pizzas, crappy cereal, ice cream, Doritos, and pastries...AND they used cash to buy the 2 -24 packs of beer on the bottom of cart!!! If they can afford beer they shouldn't get food stamps. It just seems to be a vicious cycle...their parents probably taught them how to eat...and they are passing it on. Fast food is SO expensive also, I don't know how some people can afford every day? Of course if these type of parents are obese and inactive couch potatoes...their kids will be too...what selfish parents. Kids learn what WE teach them!!

FIrst off it isn't TANF. TANF stands for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. That is a cash supplement. Just because someone recieves Foodstamps doesn't mean they are on TANF. This is just to clarify.

Second, most families that recieve Foodstamps don't go out and buy junk food, and they can't afford to go out to eat every night. Yes, there are those that abuse it or simply never learned how to eat healthy. Education is the key on obesity. And before anyone starts screaming that it isn't the school's responsibility, I'm saying educate the parents on nutrition, so they can help educate the kids. Exercise is another area that needs to be looked into. I'm not sure that one recess a day, and two PE classes a week is enough to satisfy this area. Of course after school playing is great, if it is not 20 below zero and already dark outside by the time the bus drops them off.

As to the ring dings or little debbies snacks, what else can you send with your kids for snack time? Not peanut butter, it might make someone's allergies react. And buying fruit for snack doesn't work either, not only is the cost prohibitive, but the kids don't get to finish it. As a matter of fact I sent a banana to school with my child, the kids on the bus crushed it...so no snack that day. It is simply easier to send a packaged snack that is more likely to survive the bullies.

My children are healthy and not obese, but they are active, karate classes, cheering, etc. I realize that these are expensive but I also realize that my children can't afford to NOT be active. It is up to the parents to make the kids get off the couch and be active.

Folks..as always, just follow the dollar. Parents do not want be bothered to learn how to cook as mothers did in the past. Food companies and fast-food places know this and make money from it. The right foods are there at stores to buy and prepare and in the long run, cost far less money,but they are not convenient and easy. As one example, hot cereal such as oatmeal is an excellent breakfast , but it is far easier to toss a box of suger-laden cold something or other [ I will not dignify it by calling it food ] at the children to go to school on.

Lawmakers aim to curb childhood obesity---------

What other state would have a legislature that would assume it was the Gov. job to control this issue--

The Nazi state--

ME. has some very serious losers in Augusta----very serious. Wow.

Hail to Big Brother comrads

nonyabusiness,cookiecrumbles,etc.: You make some good points. It is really sad that those on food stamps are not allowed to buy toilet paper with the stamps, but can purchase soda and candy,etc., with them. How intelligent or helpful is that!

I agree that cooking oatmeal for breakfast (even though it might take a few minutes longer) is much preferable to those sugar-laden cereals.

Too bad the price of fresh fruits and vegetables could not come down some so those on food stamps, or not, would have more good options. Yes, bananas are mostly affordable, but how about berries , grapes, etc., which are so healthy!! It can become discouraging for many, no matter how hard they try.

Yes, nutrition education for families is important (not just for the children in schools, but that too.) It is going to take a lot of work and effort and responsibility on everyone's part.

This is one where parents have to take a proactive role in RAISING their kids, not just being their friend or overwhelmed. What goes on in the environment also affects weight. While Maine doesn't have the toxic affect that many states have, overweight is a good response to a toxic environment in many areas.

Will the revelation of restaurant foods help? Probably not, they are too complicated for the average person to WANT to read. It would be okay if the restaurant listed the food from least negative to most negative so you wouldn't have to read a book to order a hamburger.

Its a problem for the state because of long term health problems associated with and we dont have real good health care here unless people are on the dole...

JimMacey: I agree with what you say here about the those restaurant food listings being too complicated for a lot to want to bother with. They (restaurants) need a different way to convey this message, I agree. I am not so sure how helpful this is anyway; do enough people heed the information and apply it?

I saw a lot of cases when I was raising my sons where the parents wanted to be their kids' friend rather than providing limits, discipline, etc. They could not,or would not, say "no" to their kids' demands, whether is was for an extremely expensive pair of sneakers, or whatever the case was. It was almost painful to observe. These kids, not surprisingly, grew up with a sense of entitlement; when they heard a "no" later on, or could not deal with something on their own, the frustration and anger set in. They had not been given the proper tools and background to deal with all the frustrations and disappointments that life inevitably hands one. Very sad.

Does anyone else think it's ironic that someone with the handle "nonyabusiness" is disserting at length on dictating the dietary habits of food stamp recipients?

Anyway, gym class doesn't make fit children, it's simply a purgatory for the ones that aren't. I tire of punitive school policies.

State of Maine......stay out of my life. It sounds like another opportunity for you to spend my money on another stupid program. I think the state should conentrate on the food stamp program. I have seen people take food stamps to buy candy, and junkfood. When someone uses a food stamp the receive change for any demonination smaller than a dollar. A person who uses food stamps can go into multiple stores and buy a 5 cent pc of candy and receive the change. A couple of times of this and then they can purchase a six pack of beer or even a pack of cigarettes, now that is what needs to be changed not the labeling in restaurants. The retarded legislators need to think these things through, but instead they will concentrate on what I am feeding my kids.

It's lazy parenting plain and simple.

Yes, I know my name is spelled wrong.