We know that obesity, particularly childhood obesity, is a dangerous epidemic sweeping our nation. There have been many initiatives started to combat obesity, but perhaps not enough.
Today I heard on the radio that we should stop projecting Santa as a fat jolly old soul who likes to eat milk and cookies. Why? Because that makes him a bad role model for kids. Kids will try to emulate Santa and act like him and think that milk and cookies should be a staple to their everyday diet.
I have 2 problems with this:
a) don't ALL kids think that milk and cookies should be a staple of their everyday diet, regardless if they are Santa believers or not?
b) Should Santa really be seen as a "role model"? I mean, do kids really strive to be LIKE Santa? Or do they just want to get a visit from him on Christmas Eve?
I agree that obesity is a problem and healthy living guidelines should be part of the education system. But things like making Santa buff and thin, or making the cookie monster not ONLY eat cookies anymore (I hear he has a much more diverse diet now), does that really do anything to combat the problem?
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