News Article about Neopets & Fat Kids

[Ziggy]

This article is insane. I have all of the McDonald's items in my SDB, just because I collect 'real' items. I DO NOT think they should be considered 'Gourmet Food' (like some of them are), because McDonald's and gourmet just do not belong in a sentence together.

I visited McDonald's a lot during the promotion, managing to collect all of them, but I think their food is nasty so I passed on the food, for the most part. (mmm . . . McFlurries)

I do have to say that Neopets has made me gain maybe one or two pounds, simply for the fact that sometimes I stay on Neopets for my daily hour of playing DDR. But that's my choice and it's not a big deal.

[Shalia]

I agree with the article. Advertising/Media is one of the factors for why there are so many obsese children in America. Have any of you seen Supersize Me? Fast food is not good for you and the company selling it just wants to make money and why not get children addicted when they're young? (cheese has the same factor in it that makes some drugs addictive Btw.) I just finished reading a book on subliminal advertising where they have things hidden in ads or the pictures suggest something that your subconsious mind catches.

a. Did you really want to buy that happy meal or was it just because it was neopets and had a neopets toy in it?
b. For those of you who say that your not fat, just a bit overweight, but thats normal so thats ok. Its normal because so many people are overweight.

[simsman24000]

Parents just don't want to admit that their fat kids are fat because of them. 'nuff said.

[Erin]

Once, just ONCE, I'd like to see an article written about Neopets (or that mentions Neopets, or whatever) in which the journalist has actually done viable, unbiased research on the site, instead of just glancing at the parts that benefit their position. It makes me totally crazy when I read that in order to keep your pets well-nourished, you HAVE to give them McDonald's french fries, or if you don't feed them, they're sent to an "orphanage" (obviously not the same article, but that still made me so angry).

My opinion on whether or not Neopets makes kids fat is pretty much the same as most everyone else here: Sure, advertising has something to do with what kids WANT to eat, but the parents are still responsible for deciding WHAT they eat. If a kid's fat, it's because their parents are allowing them to be that way.

[Jasujo]

This is too funny. To top it off, this article is about toddlers? O.o I don't know about anyone else's kids, but my "toddlers" can only play a couple of the games on Neopets and that's about it. Robin, my three year old, just loves to play the colouring game (which can only be gotten to from a link now), Snowmuncher, and the occasional Kacheek Seek. You set that Snowmuncher on zen mode and she's can sit there forever. lol Now little Gwen, my two year old (as of tomorrow ), she doesn't even do that much. She likes to click on her sister's Snowmuncher and maybe some Kacheek Seek, but she mainly likes to watch her sisters play and cheer them on. I have never heard either of them mention buying or getting anything from Neopets besides the plushies when they come out (we collect them), but that's more from my excitement than from anything they saw on the site.

If you want to talk about other kids, I have two more. Morgan is 6 (7 on December 27th) and Jasmine is 5 1/2. Now if you want to talk about impressionable ages, there you go. They want everything they see on tv, everything in the stores, everything their friends have, everything each other has, etc. Still, I have not heard them ask for one product because they saw it on Neopets (besides the aforementioned plushies, but that's my fault ). They have gone crazier over the Baby Bottle Pop commercials on tv than the little items on Neopets. They could care less if there is an item that looks like a McDonald sandwich. My girls absolutely love the computer and are in no way overweight. They know that computer time has to be balanced out with play time. They also know better than to want something just because they see a virtual pet eating it.

We eat our fair share of fast food and candy as well, but that's balanced out with real meals. We ate tons of McDonald's food during the Neopets promotion as well as the Hello Kitty promotion. (I Hello Kitty.) After the promotion was over, we didn't go back to McDonald's for months, though. We bought *loads* of candy for Halloween. (I'm serious. We still have buckets full. W00t for sales! ) The first couple days, I let them have as much as they wanted. Now I let them pick out one or two pieces of candy a day and they're happy.

I just don't understand why people keep blaming this wonderful site for so much carp. It's obvious from my children that it is not making them do anything they do not want to do. The commercials on the television get a much higher response from them than anything on Neopets. My girls are not overweight, do not gamble, and do not beg for fast food and candy just because they see it on a site. Also, if for some reason they do want something, then it's my choice whether I want to give it to them or not. If they haven't had fast food in a while or the meals come with a decent toy (something we might collect) or we just want something a little different than we have at home, I'll get them fast food. If there's a new candy and it looks interesting and they haven't had a lot of candy in a while or have been really good, I'll get them the candy. They know that if it's a decent request, I'll agree with them. They also know about better things to eat and better things to do than sit at a computer.

*shrug* I have never really understood all this "Children want things because fake animals eat them/play them". Why do these people always think children are so stupid? They do not give younger people nearly as much credit as they deserve. At the age of 2 children start becoming extraordinarily independant and making decisions on their own. If a child is so soft as to want something just because it's on Neopets and think they "need" it, I feel bad for them. Obviously their parents haven't given them the right mental tools to think for themselves and they will have a lot of trouble in life. Also, why are these parents *buying* all the fast food and sweets for their children? In this day and age, health notices are everywhere. You can't possibly tell me they don't know it's unhealthy. O.o

[vinylraven]

Once, just ONCE, I'd like to see an article written about Neopets (or that mentions Neopets, or whatever) in which the journalist has actually done viable, unbiased research on the site, instead of just glancing at the parts that benefit their position. It makes me totally crazy when I read that in order to keep your pets well-nourished, you HAVE to give them McDonald's french fries, or if you don't feed them, they're sent to an "orphanage" (obviously not the same article, but that still made me so angry).

My opinion on whether or not Neopets makes kids fat is pretty much the same as most everyone else here: Sure, advertising has something to do with what kids WANT to eat, but the parents are still responsible for deciding WHAT they eat. If a kid's fat, it's because their parents are allowing them to be that way.

amen. neither neopets or mcdonald's shoves it down your throat! (although i do think mcdonald's is eeeevil, they cant be blamed for everything)

[Jasujo]

Also, I wanted to add that you kind of have to go out of your way to see the "real world" items on Neopets. Unless you collect food or restock in the food stores, you might not even come across them. (Do they ask for sponsor foods in quests? I didn't think so, but I think the kadoaties might ask for them.)

The site is also filled with healthy food. My goodness, there is even a Health Food shop! Has anyone done a story on that? There is a store filled with Tropical Fruit! Any story there? There are many vegetarian foods and healthy foods, and fruits and veggies. Any story there? Or do these "reporters" just pick the real world junk items and focus on them.

I can honestly say we have been more excited about the fondue pots, soups, roast beef dinners, and veggie dip plates on Neopets than any of the sponsor food. That Spicy Tomato Soup has recently caught my fancy. I wonder if we have anything to make that here . . . *wanders off for tasty ingredients*

*pops back in for a sec*
Btw, if Neopets ever made a recipe book. I'd be the first in line.
*wanders off again*


(Edited for typos)

Last edited by Jasujo on Sat Dec 04, 2004 9:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[digitel_anime_fan_20]

b. For those of you who say that your not fat, just a bit overweight, but thats normal so thats ok. Its normal because so many people are overweight.

in reagrdance to the last bit(B)

Theres nothing wrong with being slightlly chubby, or a bit on the plump side. If your docter says your healthy, then don't worry to much. Yes, you may want to be carfully about what you eat, but some people are just BUILT that way, there natrually "big" people. I haev a 13 your old friend who's like that, she is built big, the girl could pass for 15 if she wanted to, and she's only a inch taller than me! (I'm 14)

Todays world likes to promote ultra skinnyniss, which is that as unhealthy as being overweight. I, for one, wish I could GAIN a little weight, as I don't like being a skinny as I am, but thats my matabolisim for ya...(I eat 5(smallish) meals a day, and havn't broken 100 lbs. would sombody explain this to me? )

It is NOT uselly natural for the human body to be as skinny as many of the celebs you see. Nor is it natural to be severally overwieght, HOWEVER, there is absuloutlly nothing wrong with being a few pounds over.
1. It depends on your build, not just your height.
2. a lot of teens(particularly girls) tend to gain weight around the time of purbirty(Causing many girls of this erea to freak. OMG I gained weight!) But the weight gets used up as they go through there biggest growth spurt.
3. If your an adult, then you should have the responsibility to eat healthy. I don't care what ad's you see on T.V., Adults know better, if there not eating healthy, then it's there own doing, not the ads they see on T.V.
4. I agree with most of the people here, could the people in this world, for once, not point fingers and say: "It's there fault! they're the reason I'm fat!" The heck, thats as bad a suing Mc. Donalds claming they made you fat...

saying it's normall because so many people are overweight is not a correct statment. It is normal, not because there are so many overweight people, but because it is normal for the human body!

[Erin]

The site is also filled with healthy food. My goodness, there is even a Health Food shop! Has anyone done a story on that? There is a store filled with Tropical Fruit! Any story there? There are many vegetarian foods and healthy foods, and fruits and veggies. Any story there? Or do these "reporters" just pick the real world junk items and focus on them.

Gah, exactly! This is EXACTLY what I was talking about! There's so much more to Neopets than "Feed your pets McDonald's food! It makes them happy!" but the journalist who wrote that article didn't bother to look at anything else that didn't support his story. *tears hair out* That drives me crazy!!

Edit: lol I just wrote an email to Ted Landphair at VOA News and inadvertently called him a yellow journalist. I hope I get a reply.

Last edited by Erin on Sat Dec 04, 2004 8:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Chao]

Heh, another article trying to shift the blame off of parents.
"OMGZ GUYS I SAW AN ADDD ON NEOPETZ AND NOW IM GUNNA GO AND BUY ALL THE FATTI FOODS I KAN!!11"
Really. Is that the kind of excuses they've resorted to?
Tsk Tsk...

[rubberducky]

firstly, try eating few, larger portions of food, like 3 apples instead of one, or 5 glasses of milk instead of one, or that extra helping of salad, steak, and an extra baked potato. Just do the opposite of what the health guides say (more small meals as to not be ravenous) and eat less but larger meals, so you eat more at one time. if you understood that, be warned, it is an addicting way of life.

also, my hat does not go off to the parents/media who let children get way more large than originally intended.

[plducala16]

I think I should start a gallery on every thing neo is blamed for. Have some lucky dice for luck games, a scratchcard kiosk plushie and mcdonalds food. It's outrageous everything they are being blamed for, when really, all they did was make a little money and make the site more fun.

I also wish I could gain a little wait. Being 20 pounds too thin at nearly 13 is crazy, especially for a guy. But if I ate McDonalds every day, I wouldn't gain wait. It isn't really the food much at all.. It's how much you eat and how much you excersize. The fatty food really does nothing for your weight more than 5% of what excersize does. They are putting too much blame on neopets and aren't able to take resposibility for themselves. Pretty sad.

[Fishblade_Bluestream]

I think I may be a bit overweight for my height (about 5'4" and 125 lbs., is that even that bad?), but I'm not blaming it on the 5 Happy Meals I ate during June. XD I just don't excersise that much, and I can't run fast anyway because my feet are a tiny bit messed up.


When Neo gets wind of this, they should make Neopets actually look bloated when they eat McDonalds' food. XD Hey, they completely altered the site because of that bogus gambling article...

[plducala16]

I think I may be a bit overweight for my height (about 5'4" and 125 lbs., is that even that bad?), but I'm not blaming it on the 5 Happy Meals I ate during June. XD I just don't excersise that much, and I can't run fast anyway because my feet are a tiny bit messed up.


When Neo gets wind of this, they should make Neopets actually look bloated when they eat McDonalds' food. XD Hey, they completely altered the site because of that bogus gambling article...

Or gain a pound like BBQ porkwiches.

[meowth1982]

I can see this is definately a hugely conversational topic... *hands Jas a glass of water incase her mouth is dry * But...I do have to say this article is completely bs.

I've seen how many items are sponsor items. There's not many. At all..

I agree with Jas on this entire subject though, it was all very well put!