Why are children obese??

Because they don't run around outside in their neighbourhood from dawn to dusk climbing trees, making forts, mud pies, swimming in the river, doing chores, picking wild berries, riding their bikes everywhere.

Now we are terrified of sending kids out to just be kids and adults are "too busy" to go to the park with their kids.

Wow so true.  The crap food is much cheaper and the marketing towards the kids is unfair ....I took my daughter to Micky 'D's and ordered her a  grilled chicken wrap without the wrap as she is gluten free and a  small chocolate milk ...I asked them to put it in a happy meal box but because I didn't order the happy meal they wouldn't give her the box now how screwed up is that.   

Very.  It's not like the box costs them more than a nickle, either.  Maybe even less than a penny.

blame the parents

Kids are not cheap. Ipods, $500 school trips, sport programs and daycare can put anyone in the poor house.

2 parents working making 90k a year (well above the national average per household), would only be able to afford 1 kid considering todays cost of living. Add a second child, then sacrifices have to made. Number 3, hold your breath.

Where does obesity come in? Those sacrifices are often nutrition, sport programs and time spent outside doing physical activity. Kids are taught to choose their own food and feed themselves. Would a kid make the right choices?

In my house growing up, it was bread, peanut butter and jam when we wanted a snack. Carbs, carbs, carbs. It was cheap food and filled us kids up. Oh but bread was good for you back then.......I was an overweight kid, couldn't figure it out. Funny how things are so much clearer as we age.....

I remember my parents with us 4 kids, both working and struggling to make ends meet. Would we have been better off being a 2 kid family? Probably. My friends coming from a 2 sibling family that only had 1 parent working were......they also had apples and oranges as snacks.....interesting...

I personally have 6 kids ...none  of which are over weight and we always have fresh fruit  veggies and milk in the house my kids are very active one of which does an extreme sport (roller derby) and soccer ultimate frizbe volleyball and they swim and we don't have a car so we walk every where not to mention I don't work and I stay at home. My husband is the "bread winner"and  it isn't even close to 90k a year ...try half that ....And they go on all the school trips any experience I can give them is done Things we don't have a car, house, vacations but they are all very well adjusted kids and I feed them  heathy balanced  meals and this isn't just my kids I feed try having their friends after school too.....But when I was growing up I to had 3 siblings and the food was very differant and there was a ton of crap in our diet Mind you we had a house cars trips to  the cottage and disneyland.  I remember one winter living off honey and bread everyday for lunch and the activity level was very differant.....we left in the morning off riding bikes  and came back at supper time.  Now all the activity is under supervision.    

You are a very exception to the norm. But good for you

Although I agree with most of what you are sayiing, I think the money VS # of kids is a generalization

I am from a family of 2, non working mother, good meals and snacks, was never overweight until I moved out on my own.  No I wasn't poor, just a poor choice maker!  Instant gratification, used to have what I wanted when I wanted it, etc.....

I am a mother of 3, husband working and I have a homedaycare, we make about 70K, have hard time meeting ends since kids ARE expensive, we do not smoke, drink or go out, and we do not cut on food at all, it is all the best for our kids and daycare kids!  For once, I made the right choice, we didn't cut on healthy food, but on cell phones, cars, ipods or other crap like this, alccol, etc.....

But being sooooo busy workng all the time, actvities are put at the back of the list all the time!  Sad, but true!

This is so true. Also parents are too scared to let their kids run and play today. The wooden area and creek in my neighbourhood was my playground. I would be there from sun up to sun down, climbing trees, wadding in the creek looking for crayfish, swinging on a rope across the creek, skipping rocks, and just running around with all our friends having a good time. No one would allow their kids to do that now. 

Everyone is too afraid of kids getting hurt too. We have a school that banned balls on the playground, because a parent wa**** in the head by a stray ball. My daughter's school has walk and talk recesses now. No running allowed. If they get caught running they have a time out against the wall. Top it off, they have pizza day every 2 weeks, along with popcorn and cookie day. No wonder our kids are heavier today.