Letting Kids Eat Junk: The Dangerous Mindset Fueling America's Childhood Health Crisis

Man, did we stir the pot last week with our message about the foods that are at school parties! If you missed that message, take a look at last week's blog to get caught up. It’s ironic that as two Mom’s trying to educate and empower parents to take charge of the health of their children we would be met with such opposition. To clarify, we seek to partner with others who want more for our children than the current health track our nation’s children are on.

However, our message that school party foods are awful for children and need to change sure hit a nerve (check it out here)! There were a couple of people who made credible responses touching on the cost of healthier options, the demands on teachers and the need for kids to still have fun. We welcome this kind of conversation. It allows for us all to acknowledge that the current foods are not good for our kids, but there are often things in the way of providing the healthiest options. Money and the demand of our time seem to always be on the forefront of why we as parents cannot always prioritize the healthier options for our children. Let me assure you that as parents ourselves, my sister and I can very much relate to this. We have 7 children between the both of us and know all too well what it costs to provide meals and snacks for our families as the cost of life seems to get more and more expensive.

But last week our message hit different for many. We were told things like, “Let your kids be kids!” “Nobody gives a (insert expletives), it’s a school party where kids have fun. Get a grip.” “Children are still children dude, let them have a (expletives) cookie I promise they’ll be fine.” And my personal favorite, “boy shut up.” That last one really expresses a sound counter argument for children’s health! Haha. Dude, or should we say, Bruh, we would love nothing more than to shut-up about this. Because if we’re not talking about this issue, that means we’ve won the war! Foods aren’t filled with toxins and our children’s health is no longer compromised. Until then, we will probably make some people, including you Bruh, uncomfortable because we are challenging the everyday societal norms. And we’re cool with that. However, Bruh, are you comfortable with the current statistics of our children’s health?

The White House released a fact sheet regarding President Trump establishing the Make America Healthy Again Commission. This fact sheet contains some very damning statistics on the current health of America’s children. 

• As of 2022, 40.7% of United States children have at least one health condition like allergies, asthma or autoimmune diseases.

• Autism now affects one in 36 children - a staggering increase from rates of one to four out of 10,000 children identified with the condition during the 1980s. 

• 18% of teens suffer from fatty liver disease

• Nearly 30% of teens are prediabetic

• More than 40% of teens are overweight or obese 

  • Nearly all of these conditions plaguing teens were virtually unheard of in prior generations.  

• The incidence of childhood cancers has increased over 40% in the last 45 years. 

• Overmedication, particularly among children, is a growing concern. More than 3.4 million children are currently taking medication for ADD/ADHD and diagnoses continue to rise. 

For the full list of information regarding the health of American adults and children and the MAHA’s commission visit whitehouse.gov

But hey, if we listen to the voice of some disgruntled individuals, we should just “let kids be kids! After all, it's just a cookie, it’s just a party!” This is the very problem we are fighting. Sadly, people think that kids can't be kids without giving them utter crap for food to celebrate with. It’s a mindset that needs to change. It has to change. Teens should be near their absolute health, at their prime, not battling obesity, diabetes, and fatty liver diseases. America has a childhood chronic disease crisis and it’s not just the fault of food manufacturers. We all play a role in it too. The average parent, coach, teacher, grandparent, etc. goes along with the current mindset that children eat ‘kid foods’ and should be given ‘treats’ for parties, accomplishments and awards. We are all playing our role in this childhood chronic disease crisis with the foods we choose to buy and give our children. Yes, it is unfortunate that we cannot trust the foods supplied to Americans to be healthy, but until we can, we need to educate, empower others and choose differently for ourselves and our children. 

Let's address the common argument, "Let kids be kids and have fun!" The truth is kids can still be kids and have a blast without relying on dyes, sugars, and seed oils. In fact, our children don’t need treats to have fun! But if we can’t break the mindset of needing a treat to have fun, there are plenty of treats available that aren’t filled with ingredients that lead them down the road for diseases. An iced cookie is not just a cookie. It’s filled with inflammatory oils, endocrine disruptors, food dyes that are known carcinogens, flours sprayed with the weed killer glyphosate, and a ridiculous amount of sugar. So no, we will not just let our kids have the damn cookie. Not when there are plenty of alternatives available that don’t poison our kids. True, the options are more expensive, but you are investing in your child’s health! If the pricey, healthier alternatives are offered less often, the money spent comes out to be the same as if we offer the standard treats more often. Plus, please consider the cost of diabetes and ADHD medications. Invest in your child’s health now, or spend the money on pricey pharmaceutical drugs later. 

We pray that the work of the MAHA Commission eliminates many of these chemicals and toxins from even being put in the USA’s food, but that is going to take a long time. According to the commission's fact sheet, they will spend, “100 days producing an assessment that summarizes what is known and what questions remain regarding the childhood chronic disease crisis and include international comparisons. Within 180 days, the Commission will produce a strategy based on the findings of the assessment, to improve the health of America’s children.” 

This is very exciting for those of us who want to see changes made in America’s foods! We know this will not come overnight; it probably will not even change for a few years. The Commission can determine harmful ingredients and even ban them from our foods, but manufacturers will be given time. For example, red dye #3 was deemed a carcinogen and banned from our food supply. However, manufacturers have two years to stop using it! The way we see it, that’s two more years of poisoning us before they can’t. This is why we have to be informed consumers and start making the changes with our own children now. 

As we continue this journey of educating and empowering parents, we know it won’t always be easy, and it’s not always going to be comfortable. But if we don’t take action now, we risk letting the status quo dictate our children’s health, and that’s not a future we want for them. So, the conversation doesn’t stop here. We encourage you to stay informed, ask questions, and choose alternatives when you can. Our children deserve more than what’s currently being offered to them. Together, we can make a difference, one healthier choice at a time.