I don’t even blame “the system” for this. I can even go so far as to empathize with APA’s position on childhood obesity. What’s the real problem?
The parents. My mom like a lot of parents from our generation would basically lock my ass outside as a kid. “No tv, you’re going to play.” We’d roam the neighborhood, wrestle, build stick forts, and romp for hours, until it was time to wash up for supper. Now a days parents seem content to let little Billy play on the iPad and eat sugary junk all day day.
Medical associations look at this situation, assume parents are incapable of changing, and do the only fucking thing they can - recommend medication. Now I’m sure they could launch a public awareness campaign, “don’t let your little kid become a fatso”. But really, does anyone think that will work.
The majority of today’s parents are doing a shitty job and it shows on everything from basic subject test scores to obesity.
We lag the world in reading comprehension and mathematics and lead in obesity. Sad.