Chubby kids need to move more

By: Trice Whitefield
Newspaper: Kansas City Star

The latest research on exercise among American youth confirms what many of us already suspected: Most kids just aren't moving enough (7/16, A-5, "Teens turn less active, study says; As children grow up, they often aren't getting the needed minimum daily hour of exercise"). By narrowly focusing on food in obesity campaigns and health policy, dietary scaremongers have monopolized the public's attention. However, research indicates it's not what we eat but how much we move that determines our health.

Reinforcing that notion, the National Weight Control Registry - the group that tracks Americans who have effectively lost weight - reports that there's no single recipe for success among its members' diets. Instead, the only common thread is physical activity. Food cops may be eager to vilify our diet, but our children don't need to give up certain foods or go on restrictive diets. They simply need to move more: Turn off the TV, climb the stairs, and take that extra step.

Trice Whitefield Senior research analyst, Center for Consumer Freedom Washington