Get the Lead Out of our Children

We have two major “lead” problems in this country! 

One is the metal “lead” found too often in painted products and the other is the “lethargy” also found too often in today’s children.

Yes, there is a lot of controversy about how to protect children against the high risk of exposure to lead in the toys and play products they use.  Recently President Bush signed new legislation that bans lead from children’s toys, imposing the toughest standards in the world.

This national legislation was called for from many in the toy industry fearing that states would enact their own standards.  This could make toy purchasing extremely complicated for consumers and retailers alike and not really deal with this issue as a national problem.

But I submit that we actually have two “lead” problems in our country and the other is just as dangerous and damaging to our children.  We need to get the lead out of their bodies and get them moving again.  The research is there that as a nation, our children are getting more and more overweight and the health implications of this are staggering.  In fact according to a recent research program conducted by the University of Michigan, it has now become the No. 1 health concern for children in 2008.  What’s more the risk factor for children with disabilities is even higher according to the National Center on Physical Activity and Disability.

There is more out there than just lead threatening the health of our children and I think the obesity issue is worthy of being part of our national agenda.  I remember as a child when President Kennedy called for citizens to exercise more and get in better physical shape.  He was responsible for spearheading a national movement.   

Whoever our next president is next year, I sure hope they take a page out of Kennedy’s book and get us moving as a nation again.