Driving home earlier today, I saw a girl - maybe age 9 - whose gut was larger than mine.

[Deja Q]

:( :( :(

That is just not healthy. To say the least.

(Yes, I'm working out more often so I can try to get rid of mine before a possible future takes its toll...)

[Odin2005]

1. Too many parents don't control what their kids eat.

My parents didn't, which is why I'm overweight. Schools don't help with all the vending machines and cheap processed crap served at lunch.

[Deja Q]

2. Or have a choice... it's pathetic that a pound of cotton candy costs less than a pound of broccoli

And the relative weight of cotton candy, there's a lot more in a pound...

Okay, I'm doing a mish-mash of three tangential aspects (price of food, what parents do choose, if the parents have the time...)

I think it's a bit more complex than all parents having no control...

If the school districts didn't put in the shit sugar machines that might help... but then somebody would probably sue. Let me write to my own district and see what happens... :)

[SeattleGirl]

3. Exactly, Q.

More people need to realize that parents aren't always being lazy about what their kids are eating. The kids aren't eating candy bars for dinner, but they are eating lots of pasta and other things that are cheaper to purchase than fruits and veggies. There's just something wrong with that.

[Odin2005]

5. Good point, parents are WAY overworked to make healthy food, or even can't afford it.

[elleng]

7. Right. Parents may or may not be aware of the dangers.

I'm afraid its partially a cultural thing.

[Roon]

4. I used to gain weight during the winter as a kid

then lose it all when I spent my summers in florida seeing my Father. Winter in Colorado? FAT!! Summers in Florida? SKINNY!!! I did this for three years.

After I was born I used to cry and cry all the time and my Mother didn't know what to do!! So she called my DR. and he suggested a little solid food (way before I should have been on solids) and it worked!! I truly believe that is where my eating disorder started! I was a BIG BABY..but I got even BIGGER when I started eating the solids per doctor's orders. Wish I could post the exact age, but I was VERY YOUNG!!!

[midnight armadillo]

6. the theory is...

...if you have a baby with acid reflux leading to constant crying, that a little solid food (like some rice cereal) will help thicken the stomach contents and reduce regurgitation and acid irritation of the throat.

I am, unfortunately, quite experienced with infant acid reflux. The solid food trick never worked for us. Prescription antacids and an Amby baby hammock did.

[valerief]

8. HFCS. Stimulates appetite unlike sugar. nt

[Joe the Liberal]

9. Yikes......

well can't say I'm surprised, this is America after all.