The childhood obesity hoax

Obesity in children is a fast-growing epidemic that has captivated the media, the medical community and, of course, politicians. This September is the first-ever National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. How sad.

* Sad that we'll experience a month of political rhetoric without accountability.

* Sad that we'll read and hear dozens of news stories about the dizzying increase in obesity-related issues in children.

* Sad that we'll point the finger at technology for fattening our children.

Do we really expect that we can have healthy children and unhealthy adults?

As parents and adults, we need to look in the mirror. We don't have an obesity problem in children. We have an obesity problem in adults. Study after study points to one irrefutable fact: The children of inactive parents tend to be less active and more overweight.

Obesity-related costs are the No. 1 expense in the health care system. Now is also the time to initiate meaningful incentives to reward healthy behaviors. Health insurance organizations and employers should provide financial rewards for individuals who adopt new fitness and nutrition habits.

This is the first-ever National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. We need it to be the last.

JAMES MARCUS, DAVID MARCUS and JILL MILLS, Anytime Fitness, Cape Girardeau