Continued from here ..

Parents in both Australia and the and the UK take the rap for fat kids. Now, of course, it's a political hot potato (baked, with butter AND sour cream):

Labor today said that by blaming parents for childhood obesity, the Government was showing it was out of touch with working families.

"The Howard Government has abandoned parents in their fight against childhood obesity," Labor's health spokeswoman Nicola Roxon said.

"Parents are trying to help their kids develop healthy eating and exercise habits and are clearly going to get no help from the Government."

Ms Roxon said an Access Economics report had shown obesity costs Australia $21 billion a year.

Well, that explains a lot of the interest, doesn't it? Plop out numbers in the billions, and you're sure to get attention paid to a problem, a lot of hand-wringing, blame-tossing and such.

Although a study in America is suggesting fat may be caused by exposure to chemicals in soap and plastic (see the link above for a look at them (caramel) apples), in the UK, it's ... you guessed it ... parents who are at fault.

At the same time that America was starting to obsess about hypothetically “fattening” chemicals, Britain, which has similar obesity rates to the U.S., was looking at a bigger and less “suggestive” problem. A report by Britain’s Medical Research Council (MRC) found that parents were a major factor in rising rates of childhood obesity.

As the Guardian reported, the MRC found:

“· Parents often have no idea that their child is overweight and know little about the damage that could do to their health.

· Parents sometimes think changing to a healthy lifestyle would be too difficult.

· Parents are under pressure to provide high fat, salt and sugar food, not just from advertising, but from their children who do not want to be different from friends.

· Parents think it is not easy for their children to have an active lifestyle because sporting activities can be expensive and playing out may be dangerous.

The report finds evidence that parents are not in control of their children's eating habits, because they do not want to fight over food, or because they assume it is good for children to make choices. Some 40% of children aged six to nine choose their evening meal as a result.”

So, before anyone decides to take on the joys and burdens of parenthood, they might want to take another minute along the path of decision to ponder just how much finger-pointing they're willing to take for the next 18 to 80 years.

OR ...

You can simply decide to go ahead with all plans and do the best job you can.