Fat Kids? Get Heavy Toys

It's too radical. Then parents would have to actually pay attention to their kids while they play outside.

Or how about playing with your kids outside.

Are you telling me that parents watch their kids while they are outside? Not in my neighborhood, little hellians run wild.

One word: DUMB!

Yeah, I can see a 3 pound block doing some major damage at a day care center somewhere. What about just plain getting active with your kids? Buy them a jump rope and teach them how to jump rope or buy a basketball and play one-on-one with them. What's next, weighted video game controls?

Sidebar - researchers just published data that almost all children exert the same level of activity in a day, regardless of environment.

An article was in the Herald Sun today about the Journal of Obesity publication:
Link

There is a HUGE problem with kids playing outside. The local laws (here in US) are getting so ridiculous you can almost start to worry about cops coming and arresting you and your kids for just sitting on your lawn!

Parks in the area that used to be made of wood, and have toys on them like tire swings, ladders, tall metal slides, loose bridges, regular swings, areas to climb, and had pea gravel to land on have been removed. (Come on, you all remember them!)

Their replacement? Low grade peices of bright yellow plastic CRAP. Slides that shock and zap you every quarter of a foot on your way down. Tire swings have been removed b/c heaven forbid your child get a bump or a bruise from falling off a swing from a foot off the ground. Sawdust?!?! to land on (ok, MORONS! Spinters are NOT better then gravel in the knee!) Swings have gotton so short you're lucky if you can even see your dads balding head.

So, as long as playing sucks; Americas kids will be fat.

Ah the good old days, when playing outside was not even an issue - you just did it because it was there. Now it seems like it's become this huge THING that puts parents in such a tizzy they can't think straight. WHERE are the children? WHAT are they doing? Are they thirsty, hungry, hurt, tired, too hot, not enough sunscreen? Makes me want to get on my bike and take off around the block...be back at sunset, mom...

I can't beleive that this is where we are at in America. Heavier toys??? Let kids be kids.

I think anything that can be done to solve obesity in the world should be grabbed with both hands straight away. If a 3pound building block helps in anyway way we should do it. We should make it compulsory to do P.E. through the hole of our time at school that would help obesity wouldn’t it?
we have let our children grow up thinking they own the place because of rights and laws children now think they don’t need to do anything it will all be done for them thats mainly the parents fault for over protecting there children fair enough make sure your children are safe but not wrapped in a bubble there hole life.
The sooner we let our children grow up the sooner they will realise the worlds not a walk in the park (they find that hard enough). Children will learn how to look after them self if we let them look after them self.

That makes sense as far as the calories burned, but my concern would be over the children's safety. Heavier toys might pose a greater risk of injury?

I've got a solution, let's make heavier spoons and cups!

That way kids will get a workout shovelling ice cream and drinking Coke.

Or maybe we should put wrist weights on kids so that when they play video games or pick up the tv remote they burn more calories.

I know childhood obesity is a serious issue, but this research is just non-sensical.