On August 20-22^nd I had the opportunity to attend the Grocery Manufacturer Associations yearly executive conference. The attendees consisted of Chairmen, CEO’s, Presidents’, CMO’s and top Vice Presidents from throughout the Consumer Packaged Goods and Grocery businesses. My purpose for being there was to speak on a panel about Childhood Obesity and solutions that the industry may provide.

Heading there I was curious as to how I would be received. After all, this is an industry under siege when it comes to the obesity issue and I’m not exactly one of them. What I discovered was a group of people that want to find solutions just as badly as we do. However, they have one problem. Every quarter they answer to stockholders who want growth and unfortunately their product is food and food delivery.

I had serious conversations with executives from 40 companies including 25 Chairmen, CEO’s and Presidents. Here are a few interesting points that came up in my conversations. One executive from a major food company said the problem he encounters is that the more he puts healthy foods on the shelves that the same people who buy healthy food just buy more of it. They aren’t getting any new customers. Logically if the goal is to get people to purchase healthier food and a company makes the effort and there is no growth, then can they be blamed for that? The same executive had an interesting idea. He asked why the government can’t work to reduce the cost of fruits and vegetables for people purchasing with the SNAP card.

Another president of a small grocery chain said that whenever the government cuts school funding that they get flooded with requests for money from schools. It’s just not realistic that the company can take on that responsibility.

Both are interesting and they are just a small sampling of the dialogue I had.  I’m not letting these companies off of the hook because I still think they can and need to do better, but so do they. They are searching for answers. I imparted my belief that their initiatives need to move away from awareness campaigns and toward funding programs that are implemented in schools and the local communities.

Since I returned from the conference I’ve spoken to a number of people in the “obesity” community and I continuously get the same commentary: “We’ve heard it before. You’re being naïve. All they care about is profits.” Personally, I disagree. If that was the case then many of these executives wouldn’t be following up the way they have been. Several of them have already started strategizing on ways in which we can work together. I sat and talked with these people in a low key social setting. Most of them are parents. They came across as sincere and genuine in wanting to be part of the solution. Until proven otherwise, I am going to hope that their actions support their words.

Finally, to the executives I spent time with in Colorado, I have one request. All of you run companies worth billions or hundreds of millions of dollars. There was too much collective talent and intelligence in Colorado to not find solutions. So please, follow through. Be vigilant and find a way to really be a part of the solution. PROVE ME RIGHT!!!!

Over the past several weeks there has been much debate about advertising standards for food marketed to children under the age of twelve and it’s been extremely interesting to observe.

I just don’t understand the finger pointing that is focused on one sector when this problem was caused by multiple factors. Advertising towards kids is one component of the issue. There’s no argument there. However, let’s acknowledge the concessions the food industry has made to date to try and be part of the solution. What they’ve done hasn’t been perfect but it’s a start. Clearly everyone is stumbling trying to find solutions. Otherwise the obesity rates wouldn’t have gone up in the latest “F as in Fat Report”.

Hypothetically, imagine that 100% of the advertisements deemed to be harmful to kids are banished from the airwaves. Would that fix the childhood obesity problem? I’m guessing probably not. So what comes after that? Who is next? The gaming industry: because kids spend too much time playing video games?  Do you ban any minor under the age of 18 from purchasing an Xbox or Playstation? How about stopping children from using Facebook and Twitter?  There is no one main culprit here, just like there is no silver bullet to fix it.

I love talking with our athletes because they’re winners. The ones that played on team sports always tell me that it’s not the best group of players that win, but the best “team”. They’re all in it together and they always have each other’s backs. The way I see it, we’re all on the same team when it comes to childhood obesity, but we definitely don’t have each other’s backs. Nothing positive comes out of pointing fingers and blaming someone else. Championship teams stick together through adversity and they come through the fire better for it.

So it’s gut check time for this team. You want to fix this problem? Stop blaming your teammates. Start by looking in the mirror. Parents, you need to be more conscientious that your kids are active and have balanced diets. Corporations, you need to be more conscientious and creative with your advertising. Schools, find ways to educate your students while providing recess/PE and upgrading your food standards. Federal Government, find ways to help these things happen without hurting business and hamstringing the education community.

None of this is easy, but championship teams find ways to stick together and win.

This week Dr. David Ludwig from Harvard made a bold statement. “In severe instances of childhood obesity, removal from the home may be justifiable from a legal standpoint because of imminent health risks and the parents’ chronic failure to address medical problems.” Predictably, this sparked outrage and an immediate national debate which I find both comical and distressing. What’s comical is this is one man’s opinion, and while I have never worked for child services I am quite sure there would be lengthy debate and political maneuvering before states consented to this. What’s distressing is this uproar takes the focus off of what’s most important, finding solutions.

Let’s take a minute and paraphrase Dr. Ludwig’s statement. In the most extreme cases, after the state has provided support to the family which has not worked, and a definitive health risk to the child still exists, it may make sense to remove the child from the home. He is not suggesting that every obese child in America is a candidate to be removed from their parents. He clearly states that if the help provided to the family has failed and the child’s health and safety is at risk then this should be an option. How is that different than physically abusing a child? Both endanger the welfare, health and safety of the child.

What bothers me is that once again we’ve been sidetracked. The odds of what Dr. Ludwig suggested happening are slim. Even if it did, the amount of people affected would be exceedingly small. The national conversation needs to be focused on solutions. We need to focus on getting kids more active and eating healthier. That’s how we will beat the obesity epidemic.

Why is this happening? I believe it’s because we don’t want to look in the mirror and admit we’ve failed our children. It’s easier to blame someone else. It’s easier to focus on something related to the issue but not the issue itself. Here’s the truth. Every adult in America is accountable in some way, shape or form. It’s time to stop dodging the issue, keep our eye on the ball and find the solutions. It’s the very least we can do for our kids.

Over the past two years there has been a tremendous amount of discussion about childhood obesity. Within this conversation there tends to be a lot of blame being tossed around. What I find interesting is that many of the people that assign blame often have their facts wrong. Inasmuch, there a few things I’d like to address.

Blame

Let’s stop blaming one faction or another. You want to be honest? Every single adult American is responsible for this problem. As much as we are responsible, there are circumstances that are completely out of everyone’s control.

How about progress and growth? For the past 30 years the economy has grown. Corporate America answers to their stockholders. People who invest in these companies want to make money.  To increase market share you constantly need to create more value for the consumer and come up with new products that capture their imagination. That’s the nature of capitalism.  This has led to larger food portions and more recreational opportunities that aren’t physical activity based.

Let’s touch a second on technology. No one can stop progress nor should we. Technological advances have changed our society in ways we never could have imagined. We live in an electronic age where everything is available with the click of a button, including our entertainment. In many areas this is a great thing. However, with good always comes bad. Technological advances have created more opportunities to spend free time doing things other than playing sports and being active. Gone are the days of going out in the backyard or down to the schoolyard to play with your friends. It has now been replaced with video games or instant chats over the phone or computer.

Besides technological advances there are other reasons that add to this trend. Society is more dangerous now than it was 10 or 20 years ago. When I was a kid, my friends and I were always outside playing after school, even during winter. If I wasn’t with them then I was in one sports league or another. Today parents are nervous about letting their children out of their sight. It’s not as safe for children to be out roaming around. Parent’s often like the idea of their child being home under their watchful eye, even if it means sacrificing basic things like outdoor activities.

The government needs to fix the problem

The government can only help so much, especially right now. The economic issues facing this country are affecting budgets across every area of the government. That includes the money that our schools receive.  Before this the challenges that educators had were immense. These cuts make them seem insurmountable. Have you ever spoken to a teacher and heard them refer to “teaching to the test”?  Any teacher I have spoken to has uttered those words at one time or another in the recent past. Teachers are desperate to go back and educate the whole child. Chris Lineberry, the head of our education advisory board, always says, “I got into teaching to teach kids, not a test”. My mother, a now retired 2^nd grade teacher, would often complain about how she had to teach to the tests. And this was in 2^nd grade!!!! Subsequently, Physical Education and Music have been cut out of curriculums in order to devote more time to preparing a child for these exams. But children need these subjects to not only help their health, but to become well rounded and developed individuals. The responsibility to make this happen falls on the shoulders of both the federal and state governments. The passing of the Health and Hunger Act before the end of the last congressional session is a nice step to improving the quality of food our kids will receive in school. Congress deserves a pat on the back for passing it. Now they need to step up when it comes to mandatory physical education.

What happens in schools is only one piece. The second piece lies with the parents. Parents need to take responsibility. They control what their kids do outside of school. There are things that they can do. How about making sure you eat healthy dinners together a couple times a week? This is proven to help.  How about doing something with your kids other than watching TV or putting in a video? There are things that can be done in the home. I remember playing games of Nerf basketball with my dad. I know many households have both parents working so it is harder to do some of these things. But is there anything more important than your kids? I am sure almost any parent would agree that their children are one of the most important things in their lives. So when you do spend some time with your kids, make it productive and healthy.

Parents need to stop feeding their children unhealthy food

It is very easy to blame parents, food companies and quick service restaurants. However, it’s not that simple.

Here is the real problem. The lack of access to healthy food and the cost of purchasing healthy food is the biggest problem. Have you ever heard of a Food Desert? Probably not. They are low income areas that don’t have access to healthy food. There is no supermarket for residents to go and shop for healthy foods. What if you live in the Bronx or Detroit and the nearest supermarket is 2 miles away?  Not everyone owns a car in this country. If you need to take two buses after working until 8 at night and you have to get home to your child what can you do? You are left with bodegas, tiny delis and fast food restaurants. These stores don’t have a wealth of nutritious foods. If they do have fruit and vegetables they are usually old, rotted and expensive. The problem isn’t specific to inner cities. What if you are in a rural area and there is nothing close to you? Or what if you do have access but the cost of healthy foods is too expensive. For example, I went food shopping last night. I tend to eat fairly healthy. I happen to love fruits, vegetables and nuts and they are staples in my shopping bag every time I go to the store. Two Bell Peppers cost me $4.35. Three tomatoes cost $4.39. Three Oranges cost $3.18. A bag of almonds cost $5.49. If you are a parent and are on a very tight budget and your choice is two bell peppers that will be gone in one day or an item that isn’t healthy but will last multiple days then you are cornered. You have no choice. Eat healthy and run out of food or eat unhealthy but make sure there is food on the table.

As impossible as it may seem, there are things parents can do. First and foremost, take some extra time to educate yourselves about proper nutrition and food. It is surprising how many people have incorrect information when it comes to proper nutrition. The correct information is very easy to find now. Look at the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation website. There are plenty of resources there. Countless nutritionists have sites that have good information. You would be surprised at just how much a little knowledge will help. If parents are really passionate about feeding their children healthy foods they will find ways to be creative and stretch dollars and food.

It would be easy to criticize the grocery industry for not putting stores in these areas, but once again, they are for profit businesses. They report to stockholders. If a business isn’t going to be profitable in an area then the business shouldn’t be there. That being said, there has to be solutions so stores with healthy food can get into these areas and be profitable. I wish I was smart enough to know what the solution is but unfortunately I don’t. . I can only hope that the executives in the grocery industry are working on finding it.

Please understand that it’s not as simple as telling parents to stop feeding their kids unhealthy foods. Next time you start to say that stop for a second and think. There’s probably a good chance that there are circumstances that are beyond their control.

The final thing I want to say is that it’s not about the problem. The most intelligent thing someone ever said to me was, “Don’t worry about the problem. Just Fix It!” He was right then and he’s right now. We’re not interested in the problem at ‘nPlay. We’re interested in the solutions. I hope that’s where you will put your focus as well. Remember, it is not about the blame but rather what we do as a whole to fix it!