Hey, hey, hey!

Being an American, I get blamed for all kinds of things. One long-standing accusation has been bringing child obesity to Taiwan. When I first got here, I was hard pressed to see an overweight tyke, let alone one really fat. Children walked to their neighborhood school, with upper-grade students assigned to go along certain routes to pick up first and second graders and lead them to the school in groups. Middle-school students rode bikes to school, sometimes four abreast down the road, ignoring the occasional beeps from the few scooters on the road.

So, why am I blamed for child obesity? McDonald’s. That sanitized haven of fun and free toys to which Taiwanese parents take their children to avoid the suspected unhealthy environs of night markets and outdoor stalls. Or maybe they just give into to their little brats whining. Either way, Mickey Dee’s is the boogieman and I brought him to Taiwan. Older Taiwanese have accused me and fellow foreigners for introducing the Pandora’s Box that is Western fast food. Now, I think that’s a bit unfair since I have never maligned the use of MSG by Chinese restaurants in the States.

Unfortunately, it’s the success of Taiwan that has brought obesity to near Western levels. Being one of the most connected societies on the planet, hours of computer games and the more than 200 channels now available on TV are taking their toll. The variety of junk food the munchkins nibble on is staggering, ranging from American standards like Doritos, Cheetos and Lay’s (including seaweed, grilled beef or roasted chicken flavors) to pea crackers and packets of fried noodles. Chips Ahoy and Oreos are sold next to taro-flavored cookies and shortbread made from yams.

The streets are not immune from Taiwan’s development. The only kids that walk to school are the ones who live across the street from it. Living just a few blocks away requires a child to navigate crosswalks at busy intersections that are often unlawfully traversed by cars and scooters driven by adults who have just dropped off their own kids because they fear for their child’s safety while crossing the same crosswalks. It is a vicious circle. Also, the neighborhood school is no longer simply for the neighborhood youngsters. Elementary schools offer special “art” or “music” classes that interested parents of second-graders have their offspring test into, even if the school is on the other side of the city. Any successful applicants then have to commute across town, adding to the hazardous traffic surrounding these schools.

Since traffic has gotten so dangerous and since they were transported to elementary school the same way, many junior- and senior high students no longer bike to school, but instead often arrive at their schools on the back of Mom’s scooter, supplying her with more ammo for future guilt-trips she can lay on grown-up children who don’t meet her expectations or sacrifices. Some older, more independent students with understanding and slightly wealthier parents are given electric scooters that don’t need to be registered and thus don’t require a license to operate.

Though elementary school students haven’t had to go to school on Saturdays for almost twenty years, they usually have cram school, an art class or a music lesson to attend. However, that still leaves Sunday, a chance for the family to enjoy the outdoors. Unfortunately, when over 90% of Taiwanese men are overweight or obese, Dad more often than not decides to stay at home and play computer games with his own chip off the old block. Or should I say dough ball?