Reality Check

Regardless of perceived economic return related to intense study, the reality is everyone has to pay the piper someday. Inactivity is a killer. Those leading sedentary lives likely have physical ailments. Therefore even if an academic earns more than an athlete, in the end their wealth may go flying out the window as they pay for expensive medical treatment. Teaching a child to love exercise can’t be overstressed. Children all too often are simply the by-product of their parents. Parents that don’t exercise, probably have children who don’t either. Of course this isn’t a rule, but example plays a big part. Outside of the lack of exercise with children in general in China, there is a real issue with diet.

As mentioned earlier, after school the 7-11’s, McDonalds, and KFC’s are packed with school age children. In China this type of fast food actually isn’t “cheap”. Therefore, kids have to be getting that money from somewhere or else they simply couldn’t buy it. Therefore parents yet again have a way to exercise their authority in terms of promoting good health by limited the amount of money a child has on hand and arranging for healthy alternatives. This too will go a long way in improving their physical condition.

The bottom line is childhood obesity along with gross inactivity is hardly limited to China. Developed nations like America are notorious these days for overweight and out of shape children. The root problem in most cases regardless of geographic location are the items mentioned above. One, parents setting a poor example at home in terms of diet and exercise. Two, parents enabling children to eat what they want when they want without supervision by giving kids cash. Three, school curriculums in general place far too much attention on academic health with little to no real concern for physical health. A sick child is miserable no matter how smart they are. Therefore, both educators and parents need to wake up and smell the coffee. Children need a solid physical education.