I just want to begin by saying it is not my intention to start anything the following is simply my own observations as a teacher and my personal opinions.

I can't speak for High School but as a teacher in a primary school in the NT we have two hours a week compulsory PE a week and have had for a long time but I can tell you this is not helping with childhood obesity. Too often I see a child do an hour of active sport to only watch them open a lunch box from home filled with lots of little packets of tiny teddies, roll ups, chips, chicken shapes etc. Once lunch from home was a sandwich and a piece of fruit. these days it seems to me that even the simple piece of fruit has been replaced with something processed. Last year I did a 10 week unit of work on nutrition with my 5/6/7 class and was amazed when kids had to ask me if what they had was healthy. They honestly didn't know. I would ask though how much is school responsibility and how much is parental?

On Lap banding...Im obese and looking at having surgery. Why? Because I feel it is for me. If a person has this done under the public system why deny them. I am not a nurse or doc but do we deny a person who has cancer from smoking treatment or even a person who has an STD from not practicing safe sex? At the end of the day if we can make a healthier society I say lets do it. anything to get the message out there that a healthy life is the best way to go.

And as for the rise in obesity I think we have to look at our society. If so many people are becoming obese it is more then just having a few too many whoppers and cokes!