Is this child abuse?

Yesterday I took the kids ice skating and during the break, while the Zamboni cleaned the ice, I witnessed child abuse.  Here is how I described it to my husband Bill a couple of hours later, as we headed to a Super Bowl party.

Me: "So, while the Zamboni came out and did its thing, I sat on the bleachers next to a couple of moms and their kids.  The kids were drinking Gatorade and those big ice drinks - Icee? Slurpee?  What are they called?"

Bill rolls his eyes, knowing where I'm going with this (note: rolling his eyes at the Bad Parenting, not at my  soapboxing).

I continue: "The boy, age 11? Was eating a King Size Kit Cat.  The girl, age 12? Walks over with chocolate chip cookies from the vending machine.  The mom and the girl were obese.  The boy is headed that way."

Bill: "What is WRONG with people??"

Me: "It's crazy.  I was dying to turn to her and tactfully, diplomatically explain to her that unless your child is involved in sustained, vigorous activity, there is no need for a sports drink.  (Going round and round a rink in a 40 degree room doesn't qualify, I doubt they even broke a sweat.)  And there certainly is no need for a sugary snack, especially if the child is already clearly overweight.  It really upsets me because what I witnessed was, I suspect, the average behavior in the average American family.  That's why in a few years 1 in 3 children will be diabetic."

Bill: "What is WRONG with people??  How can people in this day and age still be drinking Coke on a regular basis???"

Me: "Well, it's like smoking.  We know it's bad, but why do so many people today still smoke?"

Bill: "That's different.  Smoking is an addiction.  People know it's bad for them but they're addicted and can't stop."

Me: "A lot of people say food is an addiction.  Sugar and carbs are addictions, according to a lot of people.  Where do you draw the line?  The problem is the average person is a moron."

Bill: "Yikes, that's harsh."

Me: "You're right, that's not what I meant.  What I meant is that to us, it's common sense.  But the average person doesn't have our level of interest in these matters, so it's not common sense to them.  It's why revamping the school lunch is such an upward battle.  The majority of the population either is unaware of what we think is obvious, or they're not interested.  Let me explain it this way:  we all have filters, as we are constantly bombarded with information.  One of my filters is, say, car maintenance.  I cannot imagine a more boring subject, and though I know it's an important thing to know about, if there is something on the internet, or in the news, about cars, I immediately tune it out.  So when it comes to car stuff, I'm a moron.  I'd say the same thing goes for the average parent, and nutrition.  When something is publicized in the New York Times or on the internet about how bad hot dogs are or how liquid calories are contributing to the childhood obesity epidemic, etc - the people who most need to make changes are the least likely to hear these messages.  Their filter is on another setting."

Larry Winget, who wrote the great book, "Your Kids Are Your Own Fault," says that if you don't teach your kids certain things like financial literacy, or that they are not the center of the universe, you are engaging in child abuse.  I know, harsh.  But he does make a good argument.  When I see parents like the mom I saw yesterday, who clearly are leading their children toward a life of low self esteem, disastrous health problems (obesity, diabetes, ADHD, heart disease, joint problems, etc.) , and all the other consequences of terrible nutrition - I can't help but think I'm witnessing child abuse.  Perhaps they're not inflicting blunt trauma on their child, but they are nevertheless setting them up for a lifetime of emotional and physical struggles.

Just now I heard on the news that a small study just revealed that ADHD can be directly linked to preservatives and additives in processed foods, and that while the study was too small to be considered definitive, we may want to consider adding more natural foods to our kids' diets.  My common sense meter tells me DUH, I don't need a bigger study to confirm that.  Unfortunately, most people will ignore that little bit of news and take the easier route (meds).

I really don't know what the answer is, how to change the tide.  We live in a time when the majority of people are overly sensitive and walking around looking for a way to be offended (like those of who who bristled at my comment above re: ADHD & meds), so it's really hard to state an opinion without being politically incorrect.  Especially when it comes to parenting - it's such a personal endeavor, that anything in connection with parenting tends to polarize people and often sends them scurrying into the background ("well, if that's the way they want to parent, that's their business, different strokes for different folks").  But I'm not talking about whether or not to breastfeed, or allow sleepovers, or accept Jesus, or say please and thank you.  This is a public health issue that not only affects everyone's insurance premiums.  When so many children are putting crap into their bodies, this has a ripple effect across our society.  Hyper children are disrupting class.  Overfed, huge 7 year olds are competing against "normal" size 7 year olds in sports (I suppose some parents would see this as a good thing).  Depression is on the rise - and I don't need a huge study to point out the link between depression and bad nutrition/overweight.  Nutrition is the foundation upon which we each build our bodies - our lives, to a large extent.  And while America runs on Dunkin, I'd say that our foundation may taste good for now but it's a glazy, sickly sweet downward slope.  I'm interested to see who can make the swiftest, broadest changes first: Michelle Obama with her nutrition awareness messages, or Barack Obama and his health plan.  Because if people don't listen to Michelle, they sure as hell better pressure their political representatives to get on the ball with improving health care coverage for all those sick children in the making.