Wednesday, September 03, 2008

Quobesity - Back to School Edition


Given that I've had a huge influx of readers since I originally coined the term "quobesity", I'll define it for you again:

Quobesities are quotes that in one way or another embody what's wrong and hopefully, occasionally, what's right with relation to our attitudes and knowledge about weight and weight related matters
Today's a what's wrong post.

So who's suggesting that childhood obesity is preventable by encouraging kids to play marbles and hide and seek?

It's the Local Government Association (LGA) of England of which represents more than 400 councils in England and Wales.

They went so far as to issue a top ten list of games for kids to play this coming school year. They called it the,
"Top Ten playground games to (hop)scotch obesity levels"
Want to know what made the top ten?

* British Bulldog
* Tag
* Stuck in the Mud
* Oranges and Lemons
* What’s the Time, Mr Wolf?
* Hopscotch
* Skipping
* French elastic
* Marbles
* Hide and Seek

I'll reiterate for newer readers. I'm all for exercise. It's perhaps one of the single most important determinants of health and we should be doing all we can to promote more of it. The issue I've got is suggesting that exercise is going to have an impact on childhood obesity rates.

Case in point?

A press release that suggests that a spirited, rip-roaring game of marbles is going to help stem the tide of childhood obesity.

Good grief.