Is Disney contributing to childhood obesity?

[maxiesmom]

OP, I get you. It's frustrating to feel like systems are in place that make it harder to help your kids eat something reasonably healthy and/or what they want, whether that be the food items or the portion size. Research shows that the #1 predictor of how much you will eat at a meal is the portion size provided. Even if you never finish a meal, you will eat more if I give you 10oz of a food item rather than 5oz. And it's not easy or convenient to... What exactly do PPs propose you do? Ask for a spare plate to scoop out some of your kid's meal as soon as it arrives? Ask for a doggy bag pre-emptively? Tell the child to only eat half? This thread has a lot of preaching, including from people who didn't read your post closely, but not a lot of reasonable actionable advice. (Hence all the assumptions that you were on the DDP.)
I hope more people who have children who struggle with their weight and diet or who have their own significant weight problems might respond with more empathy and more ideas that perhaps they have used successfully.

The OP seemed to be looking to blame Disney for childhood obesity. If a child is obese, it isn't because they had a few too many burgers at WDW. Or a meal that was larger than what they would eat at home.

And if a poster would like everyone to read their post word for word, a shorter post would be best. After the first 3 paragraphs, I (apparently like many others) skimmed.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

OP, I get you. It's frustrating to feel like systems are in place that make it harder to help your kids eat something reasonably healthy and/or what they want, whether that be the food items or the portion size. Research shows that the #1 predictor of how much you will eat at a meal is the portion size provided. Even if you never finish a meal, you will eat more if I give you 10oz of a food item rather than 5oz. And it's not easy or convenient to... What exactly do PPs propose you do? Ask for a spare plate to scoop out some of your kid's meal as soon as it arrives? Ask for a doggy bag pre-emptively? Tell the child to only eat half? This thread has a lot of preaching, including from people who didn't read your post closely, but not a lot of reasonable actionable advice. (Hence all the assumptions that you were on the DDP.)
I hope more people who have children who struggle with their weight and diet or who have their own significant weight problems might respond with more empathy and more ideas that perhaps they have used successfully.

Interesting theory.

I weighed 250 pounds. Yes, I am now losing weight. I hope to never see that number on the scale again.

And my idea is the same as what I have been following. Don't go to places that serve huge meals. Or if I do, take half of it home. Or divide it in half before I start eating, and leave the rest.

One thing I will not do is to blame those restaurants. It is my choice to eat there and to finish my plate. No one had or has a gun to my head.

 

[Magpie]

OP, I get you. It's frustrating to feel like systems are in place that make it harder to help your kids eat something reasonably healthy and/or what they want, whether that be the food items or the portion size. Research shows that the #1 predictor of how much you will eat at a meal is the portion size provided. Even if you never finish a meal, you will eat more if I give you 10oz of a food item rather than 5oz. And it's not easy or convenient to... What exactly do PPs propose you do? Ask for a spare plate to scoop out some of your kid's meal as soon as it arrives? Ask for a doggy bag pre-emptively? Tell the child to only eat half? This thread has a lot of preaching, including from people who didn't read your post closely, but not a lot of reasonable actionable advice. (Hence all the assumptions that you were on the DDP.)
I hope more people who have children who struggle with their weight and diet or who have their own significant weight problems might respond with more empathy and more ideas that perhaps they have used successfully.

To be honest, I have no particular empathy for the OP.

My son was diagnosed with hypoglycemia when he was 10. Up to that point it was a constant struggle to keep him from tipping over into "overweight" on the BMI charts (he was usually right on the cusp - always a little over or a little under). He would cry constantly that he was hungry, but when I'd offer him a banana, he wouldn't want it. And then I would end up saying things like, "If you were REALLY hungry, you'd eat the darn banana!" (Only I said something a little stronger than "darn".) He was constantly on a calorie quest, and food became an obsession in our household.

When he was finally diagnosed, he got put on a low glycemic diet, in order to even out his blood sugar. (By "diet" I mean an eating plan. We weren't trying to get him to lose weight. Children are almost never supposed to lose weight, they're just supposed to grow into the weight they currently are.)

The first time we visited Disney, he was undiagnosed. The second time, he was newly diagnosed and we had to figure out how to keep him on his diet.

So, with that in mind, here's every tip I can think of....

* Don't order pop! Don't even order him a sugar-free pop. Get him a water. It's free, and it won't shoot his sugars through the roof.

* Your child does NOT need dessert. No one needs dessert. If dessert comes included with the meal, then ask for one of their sugarfree options (usually the cheese cake). If the child doesn't like it, too bad, so sad.

* Feel like treating everyone to frozen treats? No problem. The diabetic/hypoglycemic child gets a chocolate dipped frozen banana. We are on vacation, after all!

* How much the child eats matters a heck of a lot less than what they eat. So, don't get all hung up on controlling portion size at Disney. Instead, keep sit down meals and buffets to a minimum and focus on making healthy choices. (ie, salads, wraps, flatbreads, etc) You don't need to eat in a restaurant every single day!

* Keep a bag of nuts on hand for sudden attacks of the munchies.

* Make sure everyone is well hydrated (thirst can masquerade as hunger).

* Breakfast should be instant porridge with dried fruit and nuts, made in your own hotel room (you'll need to bring your own electric kettle if you're staying in a Value). It's inexpensive, fast, easy, and will get you off to a good start, blood-sugar-wise. Avoid heavy, greasy breakfasts in the food court.

* Eat proper meals three times a day at regular, predictable intervals. Include two snacks between the meals.

* NEVER criticize a child for leaving food on their place. Clearing your plate is not a virtue. "Wasting" food is not a sin. Those starving children in Africa don't give a good gosh-darn whether you ate all of your hamburger and fries.

* And never, ever try to diet at Walt Disney World. You're on vacation! Just like Christmas and Thanksgiving, you'll eat more than you usually eat. You'll indulge. That's okay! You're also being a lot more active than usual, so it should wash out in the end. Well, if your child is confined to a stroller, the only person getting an unusual amount of exercise might be you, but trust me it really won't make a difference in the long run. You're not living at Disney, you're visiting. There's no bad example being set. Your child will not expect Mickey Ears and Dole Whips and Turkey Legs when he gets home.

Personally, I LOVE Disney food. And I was incredibly happy with the lengths Disney went to accommodate our son's dietary needs. I can't think of a single other vacation destination we've ever been to that's so flexible and diet-friendly. (Canada's Wonderland was awful.)

 

[SpoonfulofSugar]

The OP seemed to be looking to blame Disney for childhood obesity. If a child is obese, it isn't because they had a few too many burgers at WDW. Or a meal that was larger than what they would eat at home.

And if a poster would like everyone to read their post word for word, a shorter post would be best. After the first 3 paragraphs, I (apparently like many others) skimmed.

Actually, you could not be more wrong. If you don't want to read it all don't post a reply. The headline was one meant to catch attention, and hopefully get responses from people who read it and thought about the issue as a whole and NOT just focus on the obesity part of it. Complex, IKR.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Obesity in general is comprised of poor lifestyle habits but also often not talked about are certain medical conditions though I'm not going to bring the medical conditions into this discussion really.

At least IMO the age at which Disney considers a person an adult has little or none to do with perceived obesity concerns at Disney. At least to me it comes off more of the OP understanding that their child likely wouldn't eat the full portion size of the adult meal and resenting the fact that because they are over the age of 9 they are considered an adult and thus are paying the adult menu price. The reason I say that is because it really is easy to just say "I can't eat the full portion size so I'm not going to" as the truth is no one is forcing you to clean your plate.

Disney has to draw the line somewhere. Imagine all the complaints they would get if they had their ticket at where a 10 year old was an adult but for eating-wise they weren't. Then you could say raise it..well to what? Everyone has their own opinion on what might be the more "appropriate" age at which a person is considered an adult to Disney there will always be people who say "well my kid should be a kid at X age" The reason many are saying "hey you're the parent you can control how much they eat" is because that is the truth (medical conditions aside).

TBH OP unfortunately the post was formulated as a blame game versus an honest discussion. Quite frankly I could see a much more productive discussion on the desire for a push for healthy alternatives on the menu in general regardless of whether it is for adults or children and from what I've seen Disney is beginning to listen rather than Disney=obesity discussion. I know from pictures that at least the resorts with cafeteria style places to eat have a section for healthy eating.

 

[Allison]

So, is the point about obesity (Disney isn't responsible for it) or growing up too fast (Disney isn't responsible for this either)?

 

[Jonas_Swe]

Interesting topic.

I don't think Disney is either contributing or not contributing, they're serving most Theme Park food at their QS and CS eateries. But there's also a choice of TS both buffet and a la carte. That's just what they have chosen, due to popular demand and for profit of course.

But I have seen plenty of alternatives, more than I thought I would see. Mixed fruits, the choice of whole wheat and such.

And it all does actually comes down to the parent's choice for their kids!

If you'd ask a kid they'd probably want pizza and burgers with every meal. But as a parent you can choose some variety and pick the fruit mix as a snack instead of potato chips, and water instead of refills on soda.

And yeah, this is your vacation.
As long as one doesn't eat all of the junk food and snacks everyday, I don't think it'll hurt to have a burger in between at Disney.

Just as long as one walks around, think about the portion size and the variation that's actually possible to have.

 

[AngiTN]

I agree, to a point. Parents are responsible for teaching their kids restraint and healthy choices, but restaurants should also be held to account once in awhile, particularly when their practices are subtle or insidious. Adding sugar, for example, to breading, so you get the addictive combination of fat and sugar that makes food irresistible, or marketing directly to kids. Honestly, I feel sometimes that if we don't allow Joe the Camel to advertise cigs to kids, we shouldn't allow Ronald McDonald either.

No, not at all. People have full control on where they choose to eat and what they choose to order. A restaurant has no responsibility in the matter at all. Don't like what they serve, don't go. Eat at home, go somewhere else. But in no way, shape or form is a restaurant for your choice to order something unhealthy.
Unless they are flat out lying about what the items are. Like don't put baked fish on the menu and then bring out something pan fried. Then they are in the wrong. But to add sugar to something to make it taste better, that's totally within their rights to do so. As it is within your right to no longer eat there.

 

[BarbieGal457]

To answer your thread title in one word, no. Not at all, in any way, is Disney contributing to childhood obesity. Aside from any possible medical conditions affecting weight to either extreme, it all comes down to choices and personal responsibility. I have a chronic, severe digestive disorder called gastroparesis that actually leaves me quite underweight, so regular life is often a struggle for me and that includes vacations. I am almost completely happy with what I am offered at Disney. I can get fresh fruit, oatmeal, fresh veggies, etc when I'm there and that makes me feel great and makes me very happy. In fact, Disney is one of the few places of the sort where I actually am able to find and eat healthy/fresh foods I can tolerate without much if any calling ahead or huge adjustments. I spent a very long day starving my pants off at Hershey Park once.... I also eat very small portions 5-6x a day instead of the more "normal" 3 bigger meals (associated with my digestive issue) which is a reason I do not ever get the DDP. Neither my boyfriend or I eat enough to truly justify it budget-wise. Funnily enough with my disorder it's recommended that I eat processed foods because they're easier to break down, but after two or so days I have hit my limit and crave fresh fruit or a delicious plate of asparagus. Side note...did you guys know watermelon has a ton of fiber in it and if you eat enough you might just be bedridden for a day if you're like me?! I learned that the hard way....!

But...this is vacation and I've been known to sack away multiple Mickey Bars in a day, and eat funnel cake for breakfast at 7:30 with full powdered sugar. It's all about choices and balance. I too suggest no DDP in the future, and perhaps perusing the menus where you plan to eat ahead of time. I have to check menus ahead of time for us, as besides my digestive issue my boyfriend is quite picky, but I like it because it gives us a good idea ahead of time of what to expect in general, and we won't get there and be disappointed because surprise! nothing on the menu that suits our needs. If you see a menu and are not happy with the nutritional offerings for yourself or child, it's much better to know ahead of time than when you're seated and hangry enough to rip a painting off the wall! ...yes, I am very guilty of getting hangry.

Now is their "adult" pricing at age 10 crazy? I surely think so but then again, like I would bet 99.8% of us agree, that's purely a money grab. As others have said, I think age 12 seems better for that but that's a different beast for a different day!

 

[Magpie]

I was ignoring most of the second part of your post, because I think you're conflating a number of separate issues. But, since you said you want to address the whole issue...

Nothing irks me more than going to a Disney restaurant and the host asks, "how many adults and how many kids?". I reply with what I would say at any restaurant which is 2 adults and 3 kids, but then the host will ask what are the ages and I'll reply with their ages, which for this past trip were 9, 11, 14. My kids are not adventurous eaters and sometimes the 14 year old prefers a simple small meal or will usually just order an appetizer off the adult menu. He's a teenager who gets hungry at 10/11pm at night and can clean out my refrigerator overnight but may not want a large meal when we go out for lunch or dinner, so I'll let him look at both menus. So, after my answer to the host they will usually give me a look and say "so it's 4 adults and 1 child". Hold the phone, I am sorry but I refuse to call my 11 and 14 year old adults! They are not adults! I am responsible for them, they cannot get a job, they cannot enter a contract, they cannot even drive a car...heck many can't even sit in the front seat of a car yet! So now when I receive that question I reply with, 2 "real" adults, 2 kids who are "disney adults" and 1 "disney" child. I may not change the "disney" world by saying this but it does make me feel better and less old to still have kids who are kids, they'll be "real" adults all to soon for me.

This is true for most family restaurants, not just Disney restaurants.

I'm more concerned about your emphatic "They are not adults!" What are you afraid of? Why such a strong desire to keep them "children"? Your job is not to keep your children from growing up. Your job is to produce functional adults in 18 years or less, and you can't achieve that by waving a magic wand over them on their 18th birthday. Growing from child to adult is a long, gradual process with many steps along the way. Catholic children come of age at their confirmation, even if they aren't legal adults yet. A Jewish boy becomes a man at age 13. It's important, in my opinion, to celebrate these small steps toward adulthood. Even becoming a "Disney adult" is a milestone worthy of celebration (even if it hurts your pocketbook).

Children should anticipate adulthood, not fear it!

I'm sure this will soon change and has already started for my oldest but I'm just not rushing him out the door into adulthood any sooner than necessary. He'll have enough time to be an adult, now he needs to be a kid/teenager.

I'm not sure what this means. I'm an adult, and the best thing about it is that now I can do all the things I wanted to do when I was a kid/teenager. I don't have anyone telling me what I am or am not allowed to do. I can play games, go to bed whenever I like, whatever I choose to do, I can do it. Of course, if I get all irresponsible, there will be consequences. But I have to say, the freedom I enjoy as an adult is SO much better than the constricted, supervised life I had as a child. Childhood is a time of worry and stress, of not knowing what's going on and not being capable enough to do anything about it, even when you do understand. I'd never choose to be a child again!

My eleven year old cried when it was time to order, he wanted to order off the kids menu and was told no because "you are not a kid, you are too old" but that they would bring him an adult portion of the mac and cheese he wanted. He is my Peter Pan Neverland boy and loves being a kid and hates the idea of being an adult, so to have his most favorite place on earth tell him he is not kid anymore near broke his heart.

Yep, I was just like your son when I was eleven, and it wasn't a good thing. He's going through some serious changes, emotionally and physically, and he's frightened. Unfortunately, trying to cling to childhood is like trying to fight the tides. The harder you try, the more likely you are to drown.

Your son is in tears in a public place, and I guarantee it's not just because he wasn't allowed to order from the kiddie menu. You need to help him with this. He needs to know that becoming an adult is going to be the best adventure of his life.

In my case, my anxiety was rooted in a steady diet of books like Peter Pan and the Narnia series, which all hammer home the message that growing up means losing the magic. It means never climbing another tree. It means giving up on ever visiting Neverland. Adulthood, as it is portrayed in these books, is a grey, miserable place. And if you didn't get to Narnia before you were 12.... you aren't going at all. That's it. You missed your chance. Sucks to be you!

Fortunately, that's all a bunch of hooey. Adults play games. Adults climb trees (and mountains). Adults have adventures. The magic doesn't go away just because you got a year or two older. In fact, the freedom of adulthood means you'll have more opportunity than ever to find Neverland for yourself.

I wish I'd known, when I was eleven, that my adulthood was going to be SO much better than my childhood. Please don't let your son spend the next couple years in fear and anxiety just because he's afraid of change.

I believe that the kids menu prices should cover what the meal consists of and it should not matter what age you are to order them, especially if I am paying out of pocket for that meal. If I want my eleven year old to have a kid sized meal because that is all the food he wants and needs should I be refused? Is that meal not priced for the portion size it is or is disney claiming it is a drastically reduced priced bargain meal just for kids so adults can pay for overpriced meals that compensate for the bargain kids prices? I feel that disney is interfering with my parenting and risking the health of my child by making him order an adult size meal that he neither wants nor can or should eat all of.

I agree. I'd like to be able to order half-sized portions myself!

Disney, why do you not care about the health of those who are not "disney kids" but are not really adults either? These kids are the lost forgotten about age group at Disney. The Neverland Lost Boys and Girls of Disney Parks.

But I have to confess, just like the very adult person I am, I read this bit out loud in my most dramatic voice.

 

[mousefan73]

Honestly I find some kids portions a joke.. my DD at 6 was like "this is it?" when given the child portion mac and cheese.
My kids are only 9 and 10 and CAN eat adult portions. They do too. Child obesity is caused from poor eating, over snacking, processed foods and lack of daily physical action.. No wonder kids are obese if mom herself DRIVES thru Starbucks to get a venti iced coffee. Drinks while driving (consumming 100s of calories, not moving during a time when one should not be injesting calories)... Kids do the same.

Disney is not the cause or supports it... It's like blaming cruise lines and All Inkl. Resorts for Obesity.. People are on VACATION.

BTW we over eat at Disney .... we snack, eat ice cream.. but NEVER gain weight.. the kids know Disney is an exception... and for this week we do thing we dont normally do but end up walking miles a day and that is a balance.... In fact I made a ADR for Beaches and cream.. YES we will have Sundaes.. BIG Sundaes for lunch!!

 

[ELSA711]

I guess if it comes down to tagging or blaming Disney for making the 'adult' age 10+ you have to blame every other theme park as well. There are a lot of movie theaters, museums and zoos in America who cap at that age to.
Do I believe that a 10/11 year old can eat a full adult portion at Disney? - yes, some can, do I think they should? - yes, some should. My son, who is only 8 can devour an adult portion before me. He is a growing boy and I say let the boy eat! My kids always start with their greens too. That's my job.

 

[cruisingtwins]

I think disney needs to improve their food quality. I'm not health nut or anything like that but after a couple of days I could feel my arteries clogging.

 

[Sparkly]

I think disney needs to improve their food quality. I'm not health nut or anything like that but after a couple of days I could feel my arteries clogging.

That's why I make a beeline to the QS places that offer vegetables as sides! Columbia Harbour House has a nice side of broccoli that's a breath of fresh air after a round of Cosmic Rays chicken nuggets and fries. I maybe eat burgers and nuggets maybe once or twice in a week trip, usually only because I fancied one. (less likely with Disney burgers which are dry and nasty!) I'm always pleasantly surprised with most QS menus and how frequent vegetables pop up now, as sides or as part of the meal.

 

[Pooh2]

After just returning from over a week at Disney I am again wandering if Disney is contributing to the childhood obesity problem in our country. We have visited Disney World over 30 times with our children but the last few years one and now two of them have been considered "adults" according to Disney dining rules.

Sounds like you certainly have enough experience with disney dining to figure out whether or not it is a good choice for your children. With over 30 trips under your belt, perhaps it is time to figure out something different for feeding your kids since this does not seem to be working out for you.

 

[cruisingtwins]

That's why I make a beeline to the QS places that offer vegetables as sides! Columbia Harbour House has a nice side of broccoli that's a breath of fresh air after a round of Cosmic Rays chicken nuggets and fries. I maybe eat burgers and nuggets maybe once or twice in a week trip, usually only because I fancied one. (less likely with Disney burgers which are dry and nasty!) I'm always pleasantly surprised with most QS menus and how frequent vegetables pop up now, as sides or as part of the meal.

We do too we eat at CHH and sunshine seasons but I think they do need to improve their quality overall so you can have a decent meal at more than 2 places.

 

[Sparkly]

We do too we eat at CHH and sunshine seasons but I think they do need to improve their quality overall so you can have a decent meal at more than 2 places.

I don't know. It depends on what sort of food you're after. I've found salmon in quite a few different QSes, you can get salads in most of them. I think the quality is fine, much better then fast food in theme parks in the UK which are mostly inedible and greasy.

 

[SpoonfulofSugar]

So, is the point about obesity (Disney isn't responsible for it) or growing up too fast (Disney isn't responsible for this either)?

Sounds like you certainly have enough experience with disney dining to figure out whether or not it is a good choice for your children. With over 30 trips under your belt, perhaps it is time to figure out something different for feeding your kids since this does not seem to be working out for you.

Believe me we have it figured out lol I really am not looking for solutions or complaining, just observing how this age group seems to have slipped away here in the US, and probably got lost and rambled a little too much about obesity...squirrel lol

Back in the 80's there were 3 categories for people at disney...child, junior and adult, then in 1984 disney changed that to two- child and adult but raised the child age to 3 to 12...and then again in 1987 lowered that child group to 3 to 9.
Even if you look for tickets at Disney parks outside the US you will see the child ages are 3 to 11 for child tickets and Shanghai goes by height.
So why here in the US do we have 3 to 9 for kids???

 

[cruisingtwins]

I don't know. It depends on what sort of food you're after. I've found salmon in quite a few different QSes, you can get salads in most of them. I think the quality is fine, much better then fast food in theme parks in the UK which are mostly inedible and greasy.

Teh thing is people spend 1 week at disney not like other parks that you just go for the day. We do eat the grilled salmon but not every single day and I need more than a salad to keep me going for 8+ hours of walking.

 

[rwdavis2]

It's hard for me to take the OP too seriously on the subject of his post. Nobody is forcing his family to go to WDW nor is anyone forcing them to overeat. As someone mentioned already, you would have to eat at WDW multiple times a week indefinitely to have any lasting affect on their weight.