Forget 'Yo Mama': Is Childhood Obesity a Crime?

In my youth, it was cool to make fat jokes and 'yo mama' jokes: "… Billy’s so fat, he plays hop-scotch like: ‘Pennsylvania,' 'Florida,' 'Texas' …" turns out, it's not so funny anymore.

Considering that, in 2004, about 3.8 million adults in America were over 300 pounds, figures like that were bound to attract attention. With steadily rising numbers that include obesity-related deaths, it seems that the average American might want to consider skipping their next visit to the drive-thru. Not only have state governments begun to consider taxing junk foods, sodas, and other fatty snacks in order to curb rising BMI (Body Mass Index) percentages, but it seems that the federal government may soon be stepping in when it comes to childhood obesity, as well.

If the five-year old statistics concerning overweight adults were startling, wait until I unveil the figures concerning children: apparently 60% of children in America are overweight today. This means that most of those children will grow up to be obese adults with the types of health problems that make insurance company executives foam at the mouth. At this rate, obesity (one of the leading causes of disease and death today) is quickly becoming the next big health battle in America – medically and politically. The problem has become so large, in fact, that there has been talk about whether or not the federal government should make childhood obesity a crime for which parents can be charged.

Attempting to make smaller progress, the Obama administration has also begun plans to increase state funding for obesity programs through the stimulus package. This money will, among other things, be used to introduce more fruits and vegetables into cafeterias and less soft drinks in school vending machines. The idea behind this move is to encourage healthy habits without being pushy ... which all seems well and good, but when it comes to the control of unhealthy habits, how far should the government actually go? Should people be federally tried for their children's BMI percentages? And what kind of embarassing system would be set up to monitor that kind of information?

As far as federal intentions go, I can understand why the government might find these kinds of restrictions and punishments necessary. A very small number of people actually suffer from genetic conditions that cause them to be overweight, which means that there is a fair amount of people in the United States that are willfully (though not intentionally) contributing to the serious long-term health problems that come with childhood obesity. In adults, the increase in diseases and deaths caused by obesity can also cause an unbalance in the healthcare system and jack up costs - especially with the uninsured. Now, realistically, attempting to control the eating habits of adults is one thing: legally, adults have the right to make their own nutritional decisions as long as they are lawful. Children, however, are entirely different situation. Most of their decisions, until they reach that awkwardly rebellious teenage stage, are made by adults. Apparently those adults have been making bad decisions, which means that the resulting problems are not their fault. So, who is to blame?

What better way to openly discuss and attempt to fix an issue of neglect such as this (and it is a form of neglect), than in a public forum headed by the federal government? But making childhood obesity a crime? Even I understand that this is a guaranteed path toward a very slippery slope.

When it comes to types of government control, I believe that there can be benefits if it is limited, like health care. Yet, in the face of obesity laws, I cannot help but shudder at the thought of ‘big brother’ putting restrictions on something as basic as sugar intake. Even the federal government’s recent “Cigarettes are Dead” campaign and its crackdown on tobacco products seems a bit extreme – attempting to force its citizens to consider health an important issue, rather than letting them make the decision for themselves will give the government a bad rap. There is a fine line between big and small government because it starts small. So something like state control over stimulus funding and food taxation may seem reasonable, but it makes me weary. Contrary to popular belief, it is not things like federally controlled health care that causes socialism, communism and the like, oh my! It is much smaller measures like these, ones that sneakily control our every-day lives, which hold the real threat.

Yet the question remains, how can we address the increasingly serious problem of obesity in America without government involvement? The problem is much bigger than anyone thought and actions like increasing federal funding are very beneficial in the long run. It allows the government to spread awareness in positive ways – introducing daily healthy foods and programs that some Americans might otherwise be unable to afford for their children. It allows a controlled environment that might help us understand exactly what factors - other than neglect or sugar binges - contribute to such a widespread health problem in adults and children alike. Negative reinforcement in the form of fines and criminal charges can only go so far because it makes the public feel threatened by a government they are already hesitant to trust. A tax regulation on junk food is one step closer to something more restrictive, like a weekly limit to the amount of junk someone can buy, etc, etc.

Is it more beneficial to punish under the law or to educate? If the government demands responsibility in regards to health, should we demand that the government lead by example? Demand that it take the initiative to fund education programs and after-school activity programs that promote health, instead of pulling out the rod after the worst has already occured? When measures like this are taken, we are offended because, in restricting our choices, the government is telling us that, like children, we cannot make good decisions for ourselves. Yet, when it comes to statistics: we clearly cannot! In a time when being overweight is classified as an epidemic, even a disease, and the rate of childhood obesity is quickly spinning out of control – there seems to be no other option than for the government, like a strict parent, to step in and try to do something. Maybe it will inspire us to take the reigns ourselves, even if simply out of spite.

One thing is certain - the government intends to do something, we will just have to wait and see exactly what that something is. It reminds me of a classic ‘yo mama’s fat’ joke: Yo Mama’s so fat, when she stepped on the scale it read, 'to be continued …'
You know what? I bet Obama is probably thinking the same thing.