John C. Ozmun, PED
Acting Associate Dean
College of Health and Human Performance
Indiana State University
Terre Haute, IN 47809
Dear Professor Ozmun:
I appreciate your efforts to find a solution to the problem of childhood obesity. I read today that you are proposing that teddy bears be made heavier so that kids can get more of a workout while playing with their toys. As a parent of a toddler, I see a few flaws in your suggestion.
While many children form an attachment to a particular stuffed toy and carry it around with them, I have trouble believing that most children pick up and put down the same toy with enough frequency to enjoy a significant increase in exercise if the toy were a pound or two heavier. Assuming that they would indeed get a better workout, there is the problem of making sure that the heavy toy is the one the child plays with most. A child who does not wish to exert extra energy will gravitate to the lighter toy.
Since there is a large number of parents who will not stop giving their kids junk food and letting them watch hours of television each day, I believe that the best solution is a more direct one. An electronics corporation needs to produce a television that is hooked up to a stationary tricycle or small bicycle. The television will only run if there is someone riding the bike. We will soon see a new generation of star athletes! Please let me know if you decide to conduct a new study based on this idea. Thanks.
Truly,
Liz Mann
