Cartoons Causing Obesity???

[ScoobyAddict]

It's been all over the news in the past week that it is thought that junk food is more appealing to kids when the packages have cartoon characters on them. One news article even started by saying "Scooby Doo has something that moms and dads don't, according to a new Yale University study -- the power over kids' taste buds."

Do you agree that cartoon characters are causing children to be overweight???

[ScoobyAddict]

I have to say, Scooby doesn't really have more power over what my kids eat than I do. Considering I do the grocery shopping and not my kids. I really find it sad that cartoon characters and junk food companies are being blamed for kids being obese. In reality, it's the parents fault. They are the ones buying the food for their kids and letting their kids do nothing but play video games and watch TV. Everyone needs someone to blame, so now their going after cartoons and restaurants and food makers. No one wants to take responsibility for their own actions, they always want to find someone else to blame. STOP BUYING YOUR KIDS JUNK FOOD! I wonder how many lawsuits will result from this new media frenzy. I saw somewhere that they are already starting lawsuits against McDonald's because of it causing childhood obesity. Are people really that naive that they think fast food isn't going to make you gain weight? Is it possible that our judicial system will actually allow someone to sue a fast food chain because of their children gaining weight? Well...a woman did sure because her hot coffee spilled on her and won. So, sadly, I guess the answer is yes.

[ahkyahnan]

Jun 23, 2010 11:42:25 GMT -5 ScoobyAddict said:

Do you agree that cartoon characters are causing children to be overweight???

If they're eating fatty characters like Porky Pig or Yogi Bear, then I'd say yes. But Roadrunner is so lean I don't think it should be a problem. And of course the Vegi-Tales characters are always healthy.

Sorry, I'm just joking. No seriously, I agree with everything you wrote in your 2nd post. It's the responsibility of the parent to watch what their kids eat and push them outside once in a while. Of course it does make the parent's job harder because they're put into the position of saying "no" all the time for all these enticing products their kids keep asking for. But that was true even when I was a kid and most children weren't at all obese back then. People just have to make a decision that they're going to take better care of themselves and their kids and then do it.

One question I have is why you hardly ever see healthy foods with cartoon characters on them? Like a can of Del-Monte brussel sprouts with Shaggy on the can or something? Why don't the companies that license these cartoon images strike up deals with companies that make good food? Because they figure kids aren't gonna ask for brussel sprouts regardless of who's on the can, and likewise they're going to continue asking for junk food even if you take the cartoons off. That's what kids do, so no I don't think the cartoon characters are that much of an issue.

The big problem is that most adults are obese too anymore, and keep all the junk food in the house for themselves too, so the kids have access to it and behave like their parents.

Mark

[UltimateScoobyFan]

No, No, No, and No. I always watched cartoons as a child and played video games. My brothers and I are all thin/normal weight. Parents are what make their children fat, or violent for that matter. Parents need to feed their children right and get them active. Parents need to spend more time with their children and teach them the right and wrongs in life. Parents need to stop blaming everything else in the world for why their child is over weight or violent. That`s just my opinion though.

[SpiderScooby]

Oh I agree completely. I admit, I'm kinda a big guy, but it's not because of Scooby or any other cartoon or video game. Sure, I watched alot of TV as a kid, but I got out and got my fair share of exircise. Like scoobyfan92 said, parents need to get their kids active and not buy junk food for them just because Spongebob is on the box.

[ScoobyAddict]

Scooby and Elmo are on applesauce, so why not buy that for your kids instead of chips and cookies? I'm so sick of people placing blame on everything else and not themselves. Kids don't do the grocery shopping and if your kids cry and whine when they don't get what they want then you are spoiling your kids and need to teach them not to be spoiled. If I say no to something in a store, my kids usually say ok. There are those occasional times when they beg, but it's very rare. I agree with Mark...he said if you put Scooby on brussel sprouts, kids still wouldn't want it. They's eat the junk food with or without the cartoon characters on it. Parents are so much more lax now...I see it all the time, if a kid cries they get what they want. Stand up to your kids so your not a doormat. Tell them no once in a while. Show them a good example by buying good foods and letting junk food be an occasional thing. I'm not saying all my kids eat are fruits and vegetables, but they eat a lot more of that than they do junk food and they are involved in sports and other activities. I wish parents would come to terms with reality and make changes they need to make and stop ruining everything for everyone else. If they sue these food companies, we're all going to pay the price with prices being raised. It's never going to get rid of junk food. Parents need to control what their kids eat. That is what it comes down to.

[Doo]

I don't think it's the cartoons causing obesity, as scoobyfan92, Spiderscooby and ScoobyAddict said, it's the parents. I don't think many kids are saying "Oh, that was a great episode of Scooby Doo, it was so good I'm gonna eat a bunch of junk food with Scooby on the box", it's the parents that are buying the junk food, if they didn't buy the junk food, no kid would be eating or would even think about it. The parents just want someone to blame, even though they know it's themselves. They just want to blame everybody else. Cartoons aren't making anyone obese unless you let kids watch it 24/7, and not get any exercise.

[ilovescoobydoo]

Parents are responsible for what their kids eat, they have no right to blame the food companies. I don't think that having a cartoon character on the package makes kids eat it, when I was younger if the companies put a toy or something in with the food I took the toy out, and the food usually went bad. So many times I have seen kids ask their parents for something, the parent says no and when the child keeps asking the parents give in. Kids see how their parents eat, and they spend more time playing video games than playing outside.

[laescoobyfan]

No, I think what a child eats should be up to their parents. I believe the cartoon characters on junk food packages contribute to children wanting to have the food. But I think parents should learn how to say "no" if the food is unhealthy.

[ScoobyAddict]

This is a really annoying subject to me LOL! I can't stand when people blame cartoons, TV and video games for kids being obese. Everyone is looking for a scapegoat and doesn't want to blame the true source of the problem.

[Doo]

I agree!