This Week’s Finds – H1N1, Playing Games, and Child Obesity as Parental Abuse?
Image from Change4Life video
I’ve reading about the H1N1 pandemic, which President Obama has declared a national emergency. Of course I know the symptoms of this flu and that the vaccine is in short supply, but here’s something that shows how connected the various parts of our lives really are–including the fact that we’re all connect through the Internet. As it turns out, experts are worried that the congestion in our lungs will lead to congestion on the Internet. Our evolving view of health helps us see that illness can have many causes, but now we see that it can have just as many affects on other systems that seem unrelated. Maybe we need an app to keep ourselves in the know. Who would have thunk a health crisis would effect us geeks so much!
Speaking of disconnects, evidence is growing that despite it’s reputation as a cause of lethargy and obesity, some video games can improve health. The UK’s Department of Health takes a look at the Nintendo Wii, and CNN reports on eye health and gaming. Speaking of the UK, have you seen the Change4Life campaign?
Here in the U.S., government efforts to improve health never fail to cause a stir about the proper role of government. Check out Scottish courts taking an obese mother’s newborn child away.
I’d been wondering about this idea that childhood obesity could be a form of neglect or abuse. now that childhood obesity is being seen as a serious crisis, I suppose we need to start criminalizing *some*thing in order to deal with it. kids DO have to live with life long ill effects of poor health in their youth, over which they have very little/no control.
I would like to point out that the article does note that the court system says they won’t target families for weight issues alone.
I can see this from both sides of the fence, but i think in reality, this is a case-by-case issue. some families dont have the knowledge or means to eat well and stay healthy, and they should not be punished because certain socio-economic situations make it more difficult to provide nutrition and healthy habits for kids. at the same time, I dont think socio-economic status is a free ticket to making kids miserable.
maybe putting the money that it would take to obtain/keep custody of a kid, could be spent on outreach and good quality, (one-on-one) education?? the response of the family in question was uplifting.
c