Why are American children are growing sicker, fatter and dumber year after year?

1. 61

   sannyasinmanposted 13 years ago

   Why are American children are growing sicker, fatter and dumber year after year?

   replyreport
2. 60

   Anjiliposted 13 years ago

   My bet is that they consume too much junk food,
   They watch too much TV, they lack exercise and, instead of discovering things for themselves, there is a lot of pampering and spoon-feeding in academic matters. How can they excel? Cut out the pocket money and compel them to work hard. They might just start slimming down.

   replyreport
3. 71

   Naima Manalposted 13 years ago

   These are some harsh realities in this question. Nevertheless, a wholesome culture and lifestyle has gotten away from many people. So the dangerous combination of food additives and ingredients that are harmful to the mind and body, unhealthy foods that make it to the dinner table, watered-down, sugary drinks (no more high-fructose corn syrup and aspartame), less quality and less moral interaction with people across generations, and an exuberant amount of violence on TV and in their play -- their young bodies are probably in a state of chronic inflammation to the onslaught of these things. There is something special, and urgently important about returning to the simple life when raising children (home-grown foods, home-cooked meals, morally sound choices, wholesome interactions, more physical activity, decency and modesty in clothing, etc.)

   replyreport
4. 0

   Emily Sparksposted 13 years ago

   Many factors:
   -they don't teach they basics (the useful) stuff as they use to.  Time is filled with a lot of extra, some useless things.
   -they have "dumbed down" tests and quizzes because kids today can't handle harder things.
   As far as sicker and fatter:
   -they eat junk foods and don't exercise like they should
   -TV and other technology take tons of their time and other things suffer
   
   There are alot of factors that contribute to this!

   replyreport
5. 61

   ackman1465posted 13 years ago

   I wouldn't hope to offer details.... but I believe that many/most parents are abdicating their parental responsibilities.... and these (sick, fat, dumb kids) are some (but not all) of the results.....

   replyreport
6. 69

   CrescentSkiesposted 13 years ago

   Cuts in education spending, health awareness spending, and sexual education spending (also that abstinence only crap is causing teen pregnancies).
   
   But you should probably get your facts a little straighter. I mean America's youth is actually better educated in a lot of the country than in England and Canada. While obesity is growing here it's also growing in a lot of countries that aren't third world and dealing with starvation. And I've actually yet to see the kids today grow sicker...if anything they seem to be getting immune to disease of all sorts...

   replyreport
7. 80

   Express10posted 13 years ago

   There are many reasons but the fact remains that much of what a young child or teen does can be traced back to the actions AND lack of actions of the parents. If children are not getting a good education there is often just the minimum being done at school on the part of the student and the parents are not very involved if they are involved at all.
   
   Many parents do not communicate or visit the school if the child is making good or excellent grades figuring everything is okay. However, they are not taking into account that their child might get more of a challenge out of advanced courses that will help their child get more out of school whether they will go to college or not.
   
   Many parents are doing what they think is best but children need a lot of attention in a variety of ways and perhaps the parents aren't making many home cooked and nutritious meals and allowing kids to sit around watching tv, playing video games, or texting. All of this is not good for anyone, young, old, or anywhere between.

   replyreport
8. 82

   oceansnsunsetsposted 13 years ago

   While its a rough question, part of the answer lies in how people in America are thinking and how that thinking is changing over time.  Of course, this affects the children in this country. 
   
   There are a lot of changing values compared to when this country was founded.  People have gotten soft, and don't want (often) to share with their children the realities of life, and that life is often really about hard work.  Children are often watching their parents or caregivers, and pick up bad habits.
   
   It is no one thing, but I do notice that the things you mention are on the rise, which also happens to coincide with people thinking less about things, and not willing to think or work hard on many things.  Its a different world with a different mentality, and this is one of the effects I think.  A cause and effect, if you will.  Surely, some are turning things around, and trying to break bad habits which is hard to do.  It must be done if things are to change.  Its like we aren't preparing kids for a real world where they will have to fend for themselves.  You could add to the list, "why are so many living at home long term after they grow up...?" as well.  Its hard on everyone, and parents need to relearn tough love.  They are just resentful and the relationships are stressed anyway when we don't teach them how its going to be when they get out there.

   replyreport
9. 80

   Catherine Kaneposted 13 years ago

   I think it's a pretty big assumption that kids are getting dumber every year.
   
   Have you seen the kids writing novels on NaNoWriMo?....

   replyreport
10. 58

    kdawsonposted 13 years ago

    I've read enough history to know that every generation has complained about 'the kids,' even the ancient Greeks.  I'm old enough now at 60 to start bitching about stuff, but try to avoid it.  However, there does seem to be a lot of stupid going on around here.

    replyreport