You’ve heard the rationalizations for getting older: 60 is the new 50. 50 is the new 40 and so on. Well, at your kids’ school fat might be the new skinny. Think about it. If you’re over 40, you probably remember the time when being an overweight kid was not the norm. If you’re like me and were that overweight kid, you remember being teased because you stood out. Now, there are so many overweight kids in the classrooms that a skinny kid stands out.

My first response to this is, YES! Finally, revenge of the fat kids. But to piggy back (pardon the pun) on what Dr. Ian said Monday about the danger we are placing these kids in, we as parents and grandparents of overweight kids ought to be ashamed of ourselves. As J. always says, follow a fat kid home and a fat parent will answer the door. We teach our kids poor eating habits, we buy them unhealthy foods, we don’t take responsibility for our kids getting the exercise they need, we feed then grown-up sized portions when they are kids.

But as much as I enjoy quoting J’s theory it doesn’t always hold up. And the only thing worse than unhealthy overweight parents raising unhealthy over weight kids, is weight conscious; parents who ignore the fact that their kids are over weight. You know the type. They’ve had a health scare or just decided at some point to make healthy changes in their lives. They begin exercising and eating right while their kid sits in front of their computers eating fast food for dinner. It’s not done on purpose but it needs to stop. If you’re going to make a change in your diet and exercise that will probably prolong your life, you shouldn’t leave your children out.

I know it’s easier said than done but think of this statistics. This generation of kids may be the first to be unhealthier than their parents. That means, as you approach the age when you will begin to need assistance you might not be able to call on your children. In fact, your unhealthy children may be living with you and depending on you to help them get around. If that’s not enough to make you want to make some changes I don’t know what will.

There are so many opportunities out there for us to do better. If you’re a busy mom or dad that spends most of your time in the car, you don’t have to cut out eating at fast-food restaurants all together, just make healthier choices for you and your kids. If they’re used to fries and turn their nose onto yogurt or apple slices; don’t make them give up fries cold turkey. Just cut back gradually. The younger your children are, the better chance you have conditioning them to eat from the healthier side of menu.

I love to see an overweight kid, or for that matter, an overweight adult who is happy and confident about the way they look.

But, so many of the health issues that disproportionately plague African Americans are directly related to obesity—hypertension, diabetes, strokes, etc. I hear you out there. “Tom Joyner, I know you’re not trying to sit up here and judge anybody about being overweight.” Hey, I’m not judging, I’m loving. If you love your children enough to commit to providing them with a healthier lifestyle you’ll make the future brighter for them and you.