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Well now they are thinking of banning sugar from school dinners !!!!!! This is supposed to help towards reducing the examples of child obesity, which seems to be on the increase in the UK. What is the alternative sweetener then for Pete's sake ? Are they going to use Aspartame, I chuffin' hope not ! There are too many chemicals in our food already.

My action would be to leave the sugar alone, cut out stodgey food but most importantly EXERCISE . When I was at school (that's going back a couple of years ! :wah: ) we had 4 half hour lessons of physical education (P.E.) on 4 separate days of the school week. On the 5th day we had a complete afternoon devoted to team sport and in the summer there was also athletics (sometimes instead of a couple of P.E. lessons during a week in the summer months. At our school there was only one boy who was over-weight and he had a medical condition. We were all normal weight for our heights and ages, and I'm convinced that it was because there was a regular sporting programme.

Also at home, most children would be out in their gardens or down at the local recreation ground or playing football in the street (traffic was far less in those days and virtually non-existant in residential side roads), for as long as the daylight allowed in the winter months, but long light evenings in the summer allowed children to play for a long time before bedtime. There was no such thing as computer games, and television wasn't interesting enough to keep children indoors if the weather was good !

The answer is more exercise - preferably every school day ! Much healthier than feeding children artificial sweeteners don't you think?

I urge you to check the following link out - it is most informative and if you scroll down to where it says "My Advice" it is quite an eye-opener !

Complete List of Artificial Sweeteners – Live to 110

Agree with you, completely.

It is not so much the sugar, but the high carbohydrate, low protein stuff diet with little physical activity that is causing the problem, IMHO

Artificial sweeteners need to be curtailed as well, I think

Sometimes I think schools don't know what to do with themselves. I got a letter from Jakes school when he first started there asking that I do not send soft drinks in his lunch. I also got a letter this year saying that in the interest of keeping down childhood obesity they would no longer allow birthday parties in the classrooms where they bring cupcakes or whatever. At the same time, they sell ice cream every afternoon for snack, and they have a fundraiser where they ask the children to sell candy bars! How weird is that?

G#Gill;1445534 wrote:

My action would be to leave the sugar alone, cut out stodgey food but most importantly EXERCISE . When I was at school (that's going back a couple of years ! :wah: ) we had 4 half hour lessons of physical education (P.E.) on 4 separate days of the school week. On the 5th day we had a complete afternoon devoted to team sport and in the summer there was also athletics (sometimes instead of a couple of P.E. lessons during a week in the summer months. At our school there was only one boy who was over-weight and he had a medical condition. We were all normal weight for our heights and ages, and I'm convinced that it was because there was a regular sporting programme.

Also at home, most children would be out in their gardens or down at the local recreation ground or playing football in the street (traffic was far less in those days and virtually non-existant in residential side roads), for as long as the daylight allowed in the winter months, but long light evenings in the summer allowed children to play for a long time before bedtime. There was no such thing as computer games, and television wasn't interesting enough to keep children indoors if the weather was good !

The answer is more exercise - preferably every school day !


I was always active...most of the time in trouble but always on the go! I feel that kids today are far to lazy, inactive and spoiled. It's a shame cuz they are probably gonna die young.

more exercise and healthier food in normal portion sizes.

I've seen documentaries where kids eat stodgy, fatty, fried, aspartame filled foods at school, come home and eat the same crap at home!!

And then do no exercise but go and play on their x-box thingies.

At school (what do you call it.. um high school?) we had, warm foods: Pasta, chicken and rice, or mash, veg and a meat (meatball or non fried sausage), or we had cold food: bread and cheese/meat, salads, fruit etc.

Only on a wednesday we had an extra choice of: hamburger or a croquette in a bun.

before I hit that age, at home we had "fat saterday". All week would be: porridge for breakfast, bread and fruit for lunch and healthy food at dinnertime. And on a saterday, breakfast/lunch would be the same but for dinner we would be aloud chips and a fried something (hamburger or a croquette or something like that).

And in the evening only on saterday, we would be aloud 1 coffee filter filled with crisps. And we were always outside playing, rain or no rain, never in the house!

I remember when my parents took me on a holiday to Cornwall England, to see our family. I must of been about 10? at the time.. After a few days, I had a huge screaming fit. I told my mum if I saw another fried anything I would be making my own way home! (Then my "aunt" turned round and said: shall I do ya a burger then? Pfffff!! :-5 )

I think I steered clear of anything fried for about a year after that!!

Even now 15 years later, when I go to England for a weekend in the car, I take my survival kit (as I call it) with me, just in case.

I'm not saying the food in Britain is always fried or whatever, but those 2 weeks in Cornwall 15 years ago, left a huge bad memory. I like to make sure I do not get stuck in that situation again! :wah:

* uhm.. sorry for the long post ! :wah:

Maybe I was just a strange child not liking fried food ? My fav food used to be brussel sprouts! Well they still are! :wah:

Next time you come to Cornwall let me know. I'll point you in the direction of places to eat where they make the extra effort to please their customers.

Just today my sis and I went for coffee, I had a piece of gluten free coffee cake, sis had the carrot cake. We'd just finished these when chef came over with a gluten free sticky toffee pudding for us to taste test :wah: We shared it, she could comment if she could tell the difference from his normal sticky toffee and the gluten free version and I just got to enjoy it!

It was wonderful and it's nice that the chef takes the time to come and talk to his customers.

Making "sugar" the scapegoat I guess.

Kids are obese for one simple reason ... lack of exercise.

They need to get their fat asses off the seat in front of the PC and play some sport or go climb a tree or go look why the neighbours dog is barking or go for an effing walk around the block or do some chores or mow the lawn.

Lady J;1445557 wrote: I was always active...most of the time in trouble but always on the go! I feel that kids today are far to lazy, inactive and spoiled. It's a shame cuz they are probably gonna die young.


I can't agree with that. There's a kind of forced laziness on kids today. After school they come home, often to an empty house. Because of danger, they are not allowed out like we were to run free after a day of being cooped up. Then, of course, there are the electronic diversions. We had only a few channels of TV to watch & now the options are endless.

Gym & recess have been cut out of many school curriculums. That's not the kid's fault.

Additives in food & hidden fat & calories in food affect us way more now than ever.

If spoiled, well, they don't spoil themselves, do they? Many parents give objects instead of time to their kids. The reasons are usually that everyone is forced to work harder because of the economic situations. Very rarely only one parent needs to work.

Kids who are lonely or have other problems might turn to food to feel better & self-medicate.

Kids don't make themselves, WE make kids & many have forsaken their responsibilities for whatever reason. Oftentimes, the parents themselves are inactive & overweight. It's a big social problem, but it's not the fault of the child!

AnneBoleyn;1445595 wrote: I can't agree with that. There's a kind of forced laziness on kids today. After school they come home, often to an empty house. Because of danger, they are not allowed out like we were to run free after a day of being cooped up. Then, of course, there are the electronic diversions. We had only a few channels of TV to watch & now the options are endless.

Gym & recess have been cut out of many school curriculums. That's not the kid's fault.

Additives in food & hidden fat & calories in food affect us way more now than ever.

If spoiled, well, they don't spoil themselves, do they? Many parents give objects instead of time to their kids. The reasons are usually that everyone is forced to work harder because of the economic situations. Very rarely only one parent needs to work.

Kids who are lonely or have other problems might turn to food to feel better & self-medicate.

Kids don't make themselves, WE make kids & many have forsaken their responsibilities for whatever reason. Oftentimes, the parents themselves are inactive & overweight. It's a big social problem, but it's not the fault of the child!


I agree it's not all the child's fault.

You make choices based on life experience. I was lucky that I grew up in a village, was able to play outside all day every day, and I was lucky my mum cooked every day from scratch (except for fat saterdays). So my life experience is: enough exercise and good healthy meals every day = healthy lifestyle.

But if I did not have that life experience, I could have had a bad diet and now be lazy.

Part of it is up to the parents. But with a lot of people struggling on like one income or benefits it is difficult. With social pressure, must have facebook/X-box/Android mobile phone etc. It's making everything a whole load more difficult.

When I grew up, we had 1 income. My mum was a stay at home mum (would have cost her more in fuel money to work). Dad worked 40 hours per week + over time, and all time he had left he spent on fixing the house. But then they didn't need to spend money on: internet, mobile phones, computers etc.

****.. I have lost my train of thought. Anyway it was something like, it is more difficult these day then like 20 years ago.

It Is lack of exercise but the world has changed since we were kids.

30 years ago, Mothers rarely went out to work and were able to walk their children to school along with join In outside activities.

Single parents are now the norm with the Mother often holding down two jobs to pay the bills. For many, It's simply not practical to spend an hour walking their kids to and fro school when they have to be at work for 9 am themselves.

It's the way of life that's changed. Life today Is faster than It was 30 years ago. You'd be complaining If all single mothers never worked and claimed benefit all day long so something has to be sacrificed and that's the time.

In recession It's difficult enough for families to survive on low Income's or benefit so expensive outdoor out of school activities are also out of the question for many.

oscar;1445617 wrote: It Is lack of exercise but the world has changed since we were kids.

30 years ago, Mothers rarely went out to work and were able to walk their children to school along with join In outside activities.

Single parents are now the norm with the Mother often holding down two jobs to pay the bills. For many, It's simply not practical to spend an hour walking their kids to and fro school when they have to be at work for 9 am themselves.

It's the way of life that's changed. Life today Is faster than It was 30 years ago. You'd be complaining If all single mothers never worked and claimed benefit all day long so something has to be sacrificed and that's the time.

In recession It's difficult enough for families to survive on low Income's or benefit so expensive outdoor out of school activities are also out of the question for many.


You said it!

That's where I was trying to go with my post.. but I frickin' lost my train of thought!

Thanks Oscar! Great post!

In the summer mum used to cycle us to school, 3 km. and back.. so 6 km in total.

Our little legs didn't complain one bit cycling all that way. Sometimes twice a day, when I had tennis lessons in the other village.

Although these days there isn't the time..

Chloe_88;1445619 wrote: You said it!

That's where I was trying to go with my post.. but I frickin' lost my train of thought!

Thanks Oscar! Great post!

In the summer mum used to cycle us to school, 3 km. and back.. so 6 km in total.

Our little legs didn't complain one bit cycling all that way. Sometimes twice a day, when I had tennis lessons in the other village.

Although these days there isn't the time..


I forgot to add... It's all very well saying to parents ' let your kids play In the street'.... the world has changed and society has changed since 30 years ago. No parent In their right mind let's their child out to play In the street now without adult supervision.

Two names of children allowed to play alone spring to mind... April Jones and Sarah Payne... what's the first thing we do when they turn up murdered by a Pedophile ? Tut and ask ' What were they thinking to let them play outside alone?'

It's also very well saying ' ah but when I was a kid, we had 4 hours PE a day'... I did... but for many kids It was slow torture, humiliation and embarressment.

oscar;1445621 wrote: I forgot to add... It's all very well saying to parents ' let your kids play In the street'.... the world has changed and society has changed since 30 years ago. No parent In their right mind let's their child out to play In the street now without adult supervision.

Two names of children allowed to play alone spring to mind... April Jones and Sarah Payne... what's the first thing we do when they turn up murdered by a Pedophile ? Tut and ask ' What were they thinking to let them play outside alone?'


Yeah, you are right on that.. I grew up in a village, all parents knew every kid etc. etc. and kept an eye out for all the kids.

It's not like that now. Still kids these days are glued to their screens / x-box's etc too much. Even though not being able to play outside, something should be done to ensure safe excercise / playing. Of course single mums with 2 jobs, do not (always) have the time to stand around watching their kid play outside. So really something else should be thought up to help out with this.

oscar;1445621 wrote: It's also very well saying ' ah but when I was a kid, we had 4 hours PE a day'... I did... but for many kids It was slow torture, humiliation and embarressment.


PE was almost never humiliating for me, I was a good runner and I could throw a decent speedy ball.

But the gymnastics, upside down, flipping around etc was something I was never good at.

We always had PE right after lunchtime and most of the time the gymnastics bit would cause my lunch to be projectiled across the room. Now that was torture! Or I would fall on my face (okay, thinking back.. that was humiliating.... ).

Again, 30 years ago, Mothers rarely worked. In a street, parents could let their children out to play because their were always Mums to keep an eye on all kids. That has disappeared because most Mothers now work or have to work and streets are empty of adults.

We just have to accept that times have changed and life Is faster now.

Where I live, we have had serious parking problems from parents at the school next door to my house. And I mean serious. We had residents blocked In their houses and grid lock.

There was one parent who was particually getting up residents noses. Imagine a small Cul-De-Sac of just 20 houses and the school at the other end creating the dead end with 60 to 80 cars trying to get as near to the gates as possible,

This woman would arrive In a 4 X 4 and literally abandon It as near to the school gates as possible meaning we couldn't get out of our house.

Talking to her, the story emerged. She lived 10 miles away and when her youngest son got to school starting age, there was no places at the school where she lived. So they placed him In my village. The same had happened a year earlier and they had placed him a further 3 miles away at another school. Now, none of that Is her fault.

So mornings, she has to drop the oldest at school where she lives, drive like a maniac to our school, drop him off and then drive like an Idiot to get the other one to his school 3 miles away... all by 9 am... I ended up feeling so bad for her that I offered her my own driveway to park.

It's all very well critisizing Mums for not walking their kids to school when we know little of the circumstances.