"No Child Left Inside Fund" no solution to obesity issue

How would American children feel if their government forced them to play outside? How would they feel if after a long day of school and work American children were penalized by the government for playing video games and watching TV? How might American parents feel if the federal government implemented a special tax on televisions and video games in order to deter obesity and force their children to engage in more physical activity?

No, this is not the plot to a newly discovered George Orwell novel. According to a recent CNN.com article, a coalition of groups led by the Rio Grande chapter of the Sierra Club is lobbying the New Mexico legislature to pass a bill that would place a 1% sales tax on televisions, video games, and video game equipment. The tax revenue would be used for government sponsored outdoor education programs as a means of deterring children from sitting on the couch and to encourage them to be more athletic. The bill attempts to combat childhood obesity.

Some argue that if cigarettes and alcohol are taxed in order to deter people from engaging in unhealthy, even self-destructive behavior, then why not do the same for television, video games and equipment; it's only fair, right?

Wrong. Taxing such items is likely to cause more of a financial burden on people who can afford it the least. Although it's only a 1% tax, it adds up and money is tight. Moreover, the article reported that, "The tax could put New Mexico retailers at a disadvantage as they compete with online stores and retailers that offer downloadable games."

There are more prominent factors that contribute to obesity than children passively watching TV and playing video games. Irresponsible parenting and the lifestyles parents allow their kids to live are a big factor in the current obesity epidemic. The television and video game industries shouldn't be punished for parents' mistakes.

Ultimately, while childhood obesity and resulting health problems such as juvenile diabetes are at an all-time high in American society, it's important to remember that America as a whole has never been fatter. We often need look no further than the parents of the children for whom this initiative is proposed to understand that obesity is a family problem. According to a recent CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) report, 22 states reported a prevalence of adult obesity (which is considered equal to or greater than 30 BMI) in 20-25% of their population.

As a child, I was obese, weighing around 155 pounds in the fifth grade. I didn't play sports, not because I played video games or was lazy, but because I wasn't good at them. I was constantly picked on and the bullying I endured caused me psychological problems during my elementary and middle school years. Because of these constant put-downs, I would eat food as a way to deal with my problems, and become even more overweight. The low self-esteem born of awkwardness and a lack of athletic aptitude led to the obesity. Or was it the other way around?

Although I am healthy and in shape now, and could care less what others think of me, having a tax like this wouldn't have deterred me from watching TV or playing video games, and I wouldn't have been any more motivated to play outside. What I needed was to adopt a more positive attitude. At the time, though, I didn't feel as if I had a place to go to try to become more positive and deal with issues in ways other than eating food for comfort.

If the government taxes its people who choose a sedintary lifestyle, what's next? Putting a tax on puppies because their owner won't pick up their droppings when they walk in public?

Having a tax on these products and using the money to create outdoor social programs will not work, and there are other more effective solutions that could help combat childhood obesity that are already available at our disposal. Existing alternatives include increasing the amount of time school students spend in physical education, eliminating unhealthy junk foods and beverages in schools, and including a healthy lifestyle curriculum into public schools' health program.

More importantly however, there needs to be some type of an effective comfort zone space where students who struggle with their weight can go to get advice, be heard and get positive emotional encouragement and feedback, such as guidance counselors or school psychologist. If schools don't have an effective guidance counseling program, that's where the funds need to be redirected.