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Eat Right, Earn an iPod

Posted by Zonk on from the sign-me-up dept.

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'."

12 of 380 comments (clear)

  1. Outside food by tmbg37 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Hmm, what happens when kids buy healthy food from the cafeteria, but also eat unhealthy snacks from home?

    --
    This comment was thought up very late at night and does not necessarily reflect my views at a more reasonable hour.
  2. Rewarding healthy eating isn't inherently bad ... by daviddennis · · Score: 4, Insightful

    but I would think this scheme would be exploited mercilessly by kids who simply brought their candy bars in from home, ordered the "good" food and threw half of it away.

    If I can figure out that kind of scheme, a kid surely can.

    D

  3. Great by Doomstalk · · Score: 3, Insightful

    So they can eat right, and then sit on their asses when they get their new Xbox. That's not self-defeating at all.

  4. How smart by ucblockhead · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Giving kids XBoxes so they don't get fat? That's a bit...counterproductive.


    Now if it was an XBox wired so it only got power from an exercise bike...that'd be genius!

    --
    The cake is a pie
  5. Interesting by vga_init · · Score: 3, Insightful
    I think it would be interesting if this works out.

    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.

    1. Re:Interesting by MHobbit · · Score: 3, Insightful

      No kidding.

      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.

      --
      Debugging? Klingons do not debug. Bugs are good for building character in the user.
  6. XBoxes? by Mensa+Babe · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "The BBC is reporting on the UK government's latest policy to tackle obesity - through offering iPods and XBoxes to pupils."

    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.

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    Karma: Positive (probably because of superiour intellect)
  7. A better way? by Jane_Dozey · · Score: 3, Insightful

    How about eliminating unhealthy foods from schools? Sure, the kids can get it elsewhere but why spend a load of money (taxpayers money) on a scheme that has so many obvious holes it's unlikely to DO anything?

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    Silly rabbit
  8. Eat right in whose definition? by iamacat · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I hope they don't give out iPod photo for eating only grains and vegetables, because then many children will eat diet unhealthy for them just to get a shiny toy. Low carb diet is over-hyped, but it sure worked for some people. And if you are an athlete or have an iron deficiency, you don't want to skip red meat. I would never be in reasonable shape or have a good energy level if I followed the stupid food pyramid. Better to reward exercise and knowledge of health issues rather than specific food.

  9. Point is being missed by Turn-X+Alphonse · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Okay this is misleading. The idea is NOT to make them lose weight, it's to get them to EAT BETTER. The idea is this way kids will at least try fruit and other healthy options and hopefully stick with it. Most news channels covering it today had kids saying they liked fruit and would stick with it.

    So this isn't "go on a diet you fat fucks" it's "try this, it's nice".

    --
    I like muppets.
  10. Its Simple. by nighty5 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    1) Just get rid of all junk food in school canteens.
    2) Only deal with food distributors that embrace healthy eating.
    3) Get rid of soft drink vending machines - period. (replace with water & fruit juice)

  11. Re:The Schools are the PROBLEM!! by blahplusplus · · Score: 4, Insightful

    You said: " But back to fat kids. Why do they get fat? Is PE so value-less that the bright kids no longer want to take it. Is PE a time when 50 kids sit around for 10 minutes waiting for the teacher to set up the game, play for 15 minutes, then get 10 minues to go back and change?"

    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.