Let's Be Honest Santa...

Dear Santa,

Hi. Merry Christmas! How are you? I am fine, thank you. I hope you got my list. I've been awfully good this year.

But Santa, we need to talk. The cookies, the mince pie, the beer, it's all taking a toll on your body.
Check it out.

What is this man? How could you promote this to children all across the world? The cookies, the milk, the Coca Cola commercials, it's a crisis.

Oh Santa! Say it isn't so!

What will the kids say?

And about those cookies...

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 cookie, medium (2-1/4" dia) (16 g)

Per Serving% Daily Value*

Calories 78

Calories from Fat 41

Total Fat 4.5g7%

Saturated Fat 1.3g6%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1.3g

Monounsaturated Fat 1.7g

Cholesterol 5mg2%

Sodium 58mg2%

Carbohydrates 9.3g3%

Dietary Fiber 0.4g2%

Sugars 0.0g

Protein 0.9g

Vitamin A 2% · Vitamin C 0%

Calcium 1% · Iron 2%

Let's start a new tradition. Maybe try some of those carrots you so generously feed your reindeer.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 cup, chopped (128 g)

Per Serving% Daily Value*

Calories 52

Calories from Fat 3

Total Fat 0.3g0%

Saturated Fat 0.0g0%

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1g

Monounsaturated Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 0mg0%

Sodium 88mg4%

Carbohydrates 12.3g4%

Dietary Fiber 3.6g14%

Sugars 6.1g

Protein 1.2g

Vitamin A 428% · Vitamin C 13%

Calcium 4% · Iron 2%

Santa, I ask of you to set a good example for our children.

• Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the past 30 years.
• The percentage of children aged 6–11 years in the United States who were obese increased from 7% in 1980 to nearly 18% in 2010. Similarly, the percentage of adolescents aged 12–19 years who were obese increased from 5% to 18% over the same period.
• In 2010, more than one third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese.

Kids these days aren't doing so well. Be the shining example for them.

Immediate health effects:

• Obese youth are more likely to have risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure. In a population-based sample of 5- to 17-year-olds, 70% of obese youth had at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
• Obese adolescents are more likely to have prediabetes, a condition in which blood glucose levels indicate a high risk for development of diabetes.
• Children and adolescents who are obese are at greater risk for bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, and social and psychological problems such as stigmatization and poor self-esteem.

Long-term health effects:

• Children and adolescents who are obese are likely to be obese as adults and are therefore more at risk for adult health problems such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, several types of cancer, and osteoarthritis.  One study showed that children who became obese as early as age 2 were more likely to be obese as adults.
• Overweight and obesity are associated with increased risk for many types of cancer, including cancer of the breast, colon, endometrium, esophagus, kidney, pancreas, gall bladder, thyroid, ovary, cervix, and prostate, as well as multiple myeloma and Hodgkin’s lymphoma

Try this. Just be less annoying. Send a message to our youths, maybe they will catch on to your ways.

Come on Santa, you can do better. I believe in you.

Until we meet again,

Spencer Shelton