Eat Right, Earn an iPod 380
TheMster writes "The BBC is reporting on the UK government's latest policy to tackle obesity - through offering iPods and XBoxes to pupils. The lucky lads and lasses of 29 Glasgow secondary schools will be part of the pioneering scheme, which utilises the newly introduced swipe-card canteens to create a system of the 'better you eat, the bigger the treat'."
Runners Up? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:How about some COMPETITION??? (Score:2)
So when is your Fox special?
Re:How about some COMPETITION??? (Score:3, Funny)
James Earl Ray, is that you?
If you think interracial sex is a threat to today's children, don't let any of them see what you do with your sister.
Re:How about some COMPETITION??? (Score:2)
pioneering scheme... (Score:5, Funny)
Would this be a food pyramid scheme?
Re:pioneering scheme... (Score:3, Interesting)
In Limburg, Belgium, they have pilot program trying to swich kids from Cola to
Re:pioneering scheme... (Score:3, Insightful)
This is just the first step. Giving kids status symbols for not being fat-guzzling, booze-swilling louts will do more for the crime figures and life expectancy than any amount of "zero tolerance".
Re:pioneering scheme... (Score:2, Funny)
Good thing you ducked, I just spewed Lagavulin 16 all over the fookin' monitor! (+6, wasn't ready for that)
sounds easy (Score:2, Funny)
Re:sounds easy (Score:3, Funny)
Free Xbox? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Free Xbox? (Score:2)
Am I the only one who thinks that this kind of marketing doesn't belong in schools?
Outside food (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Outside food (Score:2, Funny)
I don't wanna know where kids are gonna hide their fudge, though.
Re:Outside food (Score:3, Interesting)
Not kidding, either. I'm not sure about the UK (though I probably should know better...), but one of thw two high schools I went to prohibited students from bringing backpacks of any size smaller than X - unless they returned a waiver signed by the student, and the students legal guardians (i.e. parents) stating that while on school grounds they had absolutely no reasonable expectation to privacy - were prohibited. Bags of or larger than size X were absolutely prohibited. I do recall b
Re:Outside food (Score:5, Interesting)
The difference between the two groups was high vs. low glycemic index....in other words, one group got carbohydrates that were absorbed fast (think prepared foods, instant oatmeal, etc.) and the other good complex carbohydrates (e.g. steel cut oats). Remember, the absolute composition of the diet was otherwise the same.
The kids that ate the simple sugars ate 500 - 600 more calories a day between meals, since the simple sugars induce a "stress response" and induced the urge to eat prior to the next meal. Those unhealthy snacks prime susceptible kids to eat more, and 500 calories/day in 7 days (3500 cal) is another pound of fat.
In Australia, they have the glycemic index on food labels. Our kids could benefit from that here.
Re:Outside food (Score:3, Insightful)
No they don't. There is no legal requirement, and even most foods that _are_ low GI don't have the actual GI figure stated, just "Low GI".
Also, FAT MAKES PEOPLE FAT. It's that simple. Under normal conditions, carbohydrates are not converted to fatty acids, even if they are high GI. Study after study (check Google Scholar) has shown that de novo lipogenesis (DNL) only occurs if very excessive levels of carbohy
Re:Outside food (Score:2)
Re:Outside food (Score:4, Informative)
At least they won't turn as fat as quickly.
Say the school cuts out a 200 calorie pepsi out of the diet, and saves another 300 calories by baking the chicken instead of frying it, and offering a salad instead of fries. That is 500 calories, a pound of fat a week.
Toss in some vigerous PE classes, and that will burn another pound of fat a week.
Under those conditions, the kid could eat a big mac and suck down a milkshake, and he will still have a chance of not balloning to 300 pounds.
Plus, if the school encourages extra curricular activites, anything, the kid will have more of a chance to burn calories. Join track or basketball or even band. March around for an hour, or stand up for an hour. It is better than sitting in front of a TV with a bag of Freto's and a six pack of Old Style.
Re:Outside food (Score:2)
The "experts" (which are almost exlusively funded by the packaged food industry) on nutrition are about as reliable as the "experts" that do funded research for Microsoft. Sugar (which include
Re:Outside food (Score:3, Insightful)
You are gonna pay, directly or indirectly. There ain't no way around it. The kid turns 40 and has a heart attack, insurance or not. Who pays? In one case, premiums go up for all. In another case, the state pays.
Will we ever have a society where someone is dying and the doctors say "FUCK YOU, NO TICKEY, NO WASHY"???
I hate to tell you, but not everything is measured by the dollar. It is a poor measure of happiness. It is a great shiny thing that
Re:Outside food (Score:2)
Rewarding healthy eating isn't inherently bad ... (Score:5, Insightful)
If I can figure out that kind of scheme, a kid surely can.
D
Re:Rewarding healthy eating isn't inherently bad . (Score:2)
And if they DONT get candy bars from home? What if this is the only method they have for lunches - this is what I had in college when I basically lived in a box (although they called them dorm rooms...)
The meals cost money - and I had to eat them. I suspect that not all these kids have the dispensible income to just "bring" candy bars. I
Re:Rewarding healthy eating isn't inherently bad . (Score:2)
But overall, kids have more control over money and disposable income than ever, so I suspect that for the bulk of them it's a real possibility to bring junk food from home so they look virtuous in school.
D
Re:Rewarding healthy eating isn't inherently bad . (Score:2)
Preventing that would be the responsibility of the parents. If the parents can't stop it, then there are probably larger issues than the kid just eating healthily.
Great (Score:4, Insightful)
How smart (Score:5, Insightful)
Now if it was an XBox wired so it only got power from an exercise bike...that'd be genius!
Re:How smart (Score:2)
Re:How smart (Score:2, Funny)
clearly.... (Score:3, Funny)
Interesting (Score:4, Insightful)
With a system based on incentive, the kids are going to have to buy certain foods in order to earn a nice toy. This can a child's eating habits on the basis of one or two meals a day, but that does nothing to preven them from filling up on junk at other times. Many overweight people who diet fail for this reason: they eat healthy foods IN ADDITION to extra junk on the side.
Eating healthy has lots of incentives that aren't obvious. People have a hard time realizing some key benefits of eating right, such as better health, more energy, and a thinner body, which is why these incentives tend not to work.
Substituting those for something like an iPod or XBox could give kids more drive, but only to earn the prize; the real benefits may only come as side effects, if at all.
We can only hope that such a program will help kids to develop a taste for healthy foods. I know from personal experience that eating something you find unappealing enough times will not only build tolerance, but actually lead to preference if done enough.
Re:Interesting (Score:5, Interesting)
Eating healthy foods is not just for those who are obese.
I was 6 foot tall and weighed under 8 stone for a long time (into my 20s). Thankfully now I am more stable and have gained a few stone, but I know I'm not the only one.
I too hope it works, and that there aren't any side effects.
Another slight side issue, there is a famous English chef called Jamie Oliver, he has pushed for better school meals (because currently they are utter shite), and it is having major effects up and down the country, and those kids who have changed their school diets also push for better food at home.
I don't think in the majority of cases this will be a problem.
Re:Interesting (Score:2)
metric is awsome, and i'll deal with imperial, but what in gods name system is "stone" from?
Re:Interesting (Score:2)
I weigh about 11 stone.
Re:Interesting (Score:3, Informative)
Doctors in Britain (or anyone formally weighing you) will use kilograms, but in convesation, no one talks about kilos or lbs for people's weights, it's always stones. (Bloody hell, look at that fat bastard, he must weigh at least 25 stone! But him over there is so skinny he can only weigh 8 stone soaking wet)
Re:Interesting (Score:2)
I used to always drink regular Bawls... except that I was pulling week long all-nighters, and the calories were adding up.
Now, I drink sugar-free Bawls. Let me tell you, the first bottle was mortifying, now, I can't drink the regular stuff, but love the diet!
Re:Interesting (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Interesting (Score:2)
My Mom asked us once what vegetables we disliked the least so she could include them more often. I answered corn or something even though I actually liked brocolli. I figured if I actually liked it then it couldn't be a vegetable.
true story...
Re:Interesting (Score:2)
Re:Interesting (Score:3, Insightful)
People tend to forget that eating right isn't the only part of losing weight/staying healthy. Exercise is an integral part. Now, if the people who were conducting the study added on exercise to this little "experiment", they'd hopefully get better results.
XBoxes? (Score:5, Insightful)
XBoxes? To tackle obesity? What else? A new TV set? Why not offer bikes and musical instruments instead of XBoxes and iPods? This is the most stupid idea I have ever heard.
XBoxes can help (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:XBoxes? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:XBoxes? (Score:2)
Thought so.
Re:XBoxes? (Score:2)
Well, iPods can certainly make jogging more enjoyable. Running can be incredibly boring without the diversion of listening to music on my iPod. In fact, I mostly use my music player in the gym rather than at work, which usually involves a computer that has a sound card. So I don't need a dedicated device except when exercising/d
Re:XBoxes? (Score:2)
Re:XBoxes? (Score:2)
Why XBox's??? (Score:3, Interesting)
But what's an XBox about? Spending endless hours sitting in front of you TV.
Reward the correct behaviour.
Re:Why XBox's??? (Score:2)
Re:Why XBox's??? (Score:2)
Bribing..? (Score:2)
So these days one has to bribe or buy someone's good behaviour / habits that benefit the *self*? They just will, if they actually have some selfcontrol, put out to get their Xbox or Ipod or whatever they're offering to forget about it all together afterwards.
Hate to point to the guardians again, but kids / teens get their habits from somewhere. If your guardians haven't got the selfcontrol to leave that other twinky or don't take proper time for preparing proper food, how could you expect a teen to fight t
Xbox? (Score:2)
Government and Obesity (Score:5, Interesting)
Even though an iPod or XBox would be a very nice incentive if I were a kid participating in this program to eat healthy, where does the prizes come from? That kid's parents' taxpayer dollars. As a Libertarian, why should the government have to use the possibility of an iPod in order for them to eat healthy, or, better yet, why should the government even be involved in health issues such as obesity? The rise of obesity is a societal issue and it is best dealt with by society, not government.
In this particular case, if I had a choice, my taxpayer dollars should go toward the replacement of the school's unhealthy food items with healthy food. No bribes necessary; the kids would eat better. Besides, there are plenty of healthy foods; one can snack on fruits instead of chocolate candy bars, for example.
Re:Government and Obesity (Score:2)
McD's introduced Salads to their menu and removed the Super Size.. and at the same time Wendy's added a few patties to a normal burger and covered it with Mayo.
I wonder why we're all so huge?
Re:Government and Obesity (Score:3, Informative)
Because they have the power to do something.
That's what separates liberals and liberatarians. Liberals believe that the government has a responsibility to serve the public, and that it should do so by funding programs that are effective.
Things like standardized healthcare, public roads, public schools, police servic
Re:Government and Obesity (Score:3, Insightful)
You might be shocked when I say this, but I actually have no problem with basic health care, public roads (other than they can use some repair, widening, and better planning), public schools (even though it is long overdue for a dramatic reform), police and fire protection, and some other government services. That's when "state's rights" and the idea of state/county/city government steps in. When we Libertarians speak of "big government," we speak of the federal government providing every service under th
Re:Government and Obesity (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Government and Obesity (Score:3, Informative)
This is already happening - in no small part due to a campaign by a celebrity chef, Jamie Oliver who basically started revamping some school's menus as an experiment.
The biggest problem he encount
I'm going to swipe... (Score:2)
iPod-onomics (Score:5, Funny)
Re:iPod-onomics (Score:3, Interesting)
A better way? (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:A better way? (Score:2)
Every action... (Score:3, Interesting)
...has an equal and opposite government program. Or at least that's what it feels like.
Any day now, I look forward to hearing how the music and software industries are trying to discourage P2P piracy by giving away candy.
Eat right in whose definition? (Score:5, Insightful)
WARNING (Score:3, Funny)
what a sad day (Score:2)
This latest method sounds like we're treating our kids like dogs. Sounds like their spoiling the kids. Need i ask, just what type of students attend this school? That is, students with rich or poor parents????
Woof fuc
It's not counter-productive... (Score:2, Funny)
I don't know what you guys are thinking, this DOES help the kids.
Point is being missed (Score:4, Insightful)
So this isn't "go on a diet you fat fucks" it's "try this, it's nice".
Cool! (Score:2)
Its Simple. (Score:4, Insightful)
2) Only deal with food distributors that embrace healthy eating.
3) Get rid of soft drink vending machines - period. (replace with water & fruit juice)
What ever happened.... (Score:2)
Hey Tommy, you fat little shit, put that fucking Snickers down before I whack your ass blue!
Worked for me and my 6 foot, 187lbs of glory today, at 24 years of age.
Food Distributors (Score:2)
How has humanity survived this long... (Score:2)
If working 10 months out of 12 to pay off taxes, and putting up with an overbearing totalitarian government, and destroying diversity by enforcing a monolithic one-size-fits-all concept of health on people regardless of body type and culture is the price we have to pay in order to keep kids from eating twinkies, then so be it.
Fortunatly, western governments are doing their best to regulate our economy,
Earn Right - Eat an iPod (Score:2)
stay out jail get a car avoid drugs get a house (Score:2)
this is the stupidest thing i've ever heard....
Education system at work - Pavlovian conditioning (Score:2)
And then the next big boss comes in (Score:2)
Speaking as a Glaswegian..... (Score:2)
But remember kids (Score:2)
In France... (Score:3, Interesting)
In France you can't get anything but a 3-course meal (salad - main dish - cheese OR dessert) + a slice of bread at the school restaurant. Most school meals taste like crap, depending on which private company is responsible for the restaurant (my school was lucky
During meal, you can only have water, no Coke, diet Coke, Dr. Peppers, or any of all that crap.
Snacks & sodas are available in the school through vending machines, but they are rather expensive, which limits the consumption. Also, the legislators are thinking about forbidding the vending machines, and they probably will succeed. We saw some fruit vending machines appear, which I think is rather nice.
There is no such thing as a "cafeteria" in schools.
Also, no school is sponsored by Coke, Pepsi, or anyone at all for that matter (forbidden).
The obesity rate is extremely low, albeit rapidly growing among the youngest (due to unhealthy meals at home & junk food everywhere, which is much more difficult to control).
Re:Oh fuck you! (Score:2)
This is the UK's bright idea.
Re:Oh fuck you! (Score:2)
Re:Oh fuck you! (Score:2)
Re:Oh fuck you! (Score:5, Informative)
Being a Glaswegien myself and having read all about this in our local press I think it's a truly brilliant idea. For those of you who are unaware of the reasons behind this, Glasgow and most of the west of Scotland is commonly called the "sick man of Europe" due to the high amount of fatty and junk foods we consume. By junk food I'm not talking about McDonalds, BK and their ilk but in fact such delicacies as deep fried Mars Bars and friend pakora suppers.
This scheme is designed to encourage Glasgow's school children to start eating healthier and to raise the average life expectancy of Glaswegiens which is currently the worst in the UK [bbc.co.uk] at 72.9 years, compared to the highest of 82.4 years.
In short, you might not like your taxes going towards incentives for Glasgow's kids to eat healthier but then again I'm sure many other citizens don't like their taxes going towards services that you use and they have no use for. Guess it's a two-way street, hmm?
Re:Oh fuck you! (Score:2)
They just sound disgusting to me...
Re:Oh fuck you! (Score:2)
Something like this is absolutely fine in moderation, but when you have a fish n chip bar, kebab shops, curry takeaways and the like on almost every street it does take the "moderation" part out of the question hence why we have such a large number of cases of heart disease and other conditions which come as a direct result of our diets.
Re:My problem is that I eat excellent food -- (Score:2, Funny)
Re:My problem is that I eat excellent food -- (Score:2)
Wait, that's easy, just turn 30.
Oh wait.....you meant the _other_ direction.....
Re:poms (Score:2)
Re:poms (Score:2)
Re:Scottish People Are Fat (Score:2)
(Oh yeah, and I'm not fat, baw-sack.)
Re:The Schools are the PROBLEM!! (Score:2)
If you actually follow school policy rather than just make brash generalizations, you might notice that many large, influential districts have taken significant steps in the last couple of years to improve student nutrition in general and cut out the vending machines in particular.
I teach in one of the largest public school districts in the States, and our district has followed the trend as well. There are still vending machines, but now they're filled with fat-free muffins, low-sodium low-cholesterol chi
Re:The Schools are the PROBLEM!! (Score:5, Insightful)
I say:
Kids hate PE for a number of reasons, but many kids in PE are teased and bullied to death and thats why they want out of Phys-Ed in the first place. You got to keep the culture of fucked up and dominant asshole kids in the first place from from picking on those and shunning those less athletically inclined then they are.
Re:The Schools are the PROBLEM!! (Score:2)
They must learn to play with others.
I got bullied by an asshole. Over and over. One day I said, fuck it, if I go down, I go down, but I am throwing a punch. Turned out he was a big pussy with a glass jaw. I beat his ass for a good three minutes before the teacher pulled me off him. Even as the teacher was pulling me up, I took a good horse kick to his test
Re:The Schools are the PROBLEM!! (Score:2)
Re:The Schools are the PROBLEM!! (Score:2)
I wore a uniform for 13 years of my life. From kindergarten until I graduated high school, I got the distinct pleasure of wearing uncomfortable polyester pants and scratchy polyester shirts.
I didn't go to school to be part of a team. I went to learn. (Truth be told, I went because I had no other choice) There was not a kid in the school who didn't recognize that, on some level, the uniforms were simply an arbitrary form of social control. The "official reason" was to prevent some form of coutoure-base
Re:The Schools are the PROBLEM!! (Score:2, Insightful)
You had a shot with the system, and you said screw it.
You *think* you are smart, yet you don't want to learn.
So why are you complaing? You never even gave it much of a chance.
Just remember, a lazy bastard who has a +160IQ is still a lazy bastard who will never amount to anything.
Re:The Schools are the PROBLEM!! (Score:2)
Coulda woulda shoulda.
What's stopping you now? Honestly, I don't consider myself a very "smart" person, but I do (honestly) believe that I'm capable of doing anything I desire. Education doesn't stop at college. Maybe by the time you hit forty you'll realize there are things you still want to learn and will be able to apply in your daily l