Why Michelle Obama's focus on "Childhood Obesity" is misguided

[sarahmichigan]

About Michelle Obama picking childhood obesity as her Big Issue: Encouraging people of ALL sizes to move and get active and eat their fruits & veggies is good. Making it a war against childhood obesity - not so great.

Here is a great essay that explains why. Honestly, I didn't read the whole thing because it was too painful. I, too, have diaries from when I was young and also thought I was a huge cow. I know for sure I was dieting by age 11 (if not earlier) because I wrote about it in my journals.

Also, despite what you may have heard, childhood obesity rates have been standing still for many years, and in an overview study, there was no major change in child obesity rates between 2001 and 2006. But that doesn't make for a very compelling story or cause.

Comments

[dubbage42.livejournal.com]

I wish that instead of "childhood obesity" there was a focus instead on "healthier eating".

Like introducing veggies and fruits to not only kids but *all* folks in interesting and flavorful ways.

"here is broccoli - when you lightly steam it it is *yummy*" (as apposed to boiling it to death making it a mushy flavorless mess).

I *love* veggies now. When I was a kid - not so much (most of them were prepared in the "boil to an unrecognizable mess" way).

[rossja.livejournal.com]

I agree with the healthier eating aim versus childhood obesity. Plus, I think it is also important to educate the parents/guardians. They are the ones grocery shopping, making meals, etc. So a child can come home and say, "hey mom, can we have some steamed broccoli with dinner?" And mom replies, "I don't have time, we're ordering pizza tonight." I'm just sayin'...

Every situation is different, every situation is unique, but in almost every situation, education is the key. However, it needs to be well rounded and not kid specific. If it takes a village to raise a kid, then it also takes a village to eat healthy.

[dubbage42.livejournal.com]

Indeed.

Also, if more of the aim was at the tweens and above (and adults) I think some if it may "rub off" on the younger ones.

At my house, you always ate what everyone else was eating. If mom and grandma were eating {xfood} then you were eating it too.

[firecat]

Agreed about the village, but I believe opportunity is harder to come by than education. A lot of poor families don't have access to good veggies and don't have time to cook home-made meals.

[rossja.livejournal.com]

Absolutely. Availability/access to good produce at an afforable price is yet another obstacle in the eating healthy debate.

[wednes.livejournal.com]

*sigh*

This is the first I'm hearing of Michelle Obama's involvement in this. Drag.

[purple-marf.livejournal.com]

Wow, one helluva article (thought the end was insightful, and worth skipping to, if you want to see her eventual conclusions).

I read that and thought, "wow, I really dodged a bullet by not getting caught up in the dieting thing". But really, dieting wasn't the only thing I rejected. My conviction that I was fat & ugly had me reject not only dieting, but anything feminine, any kind of mainstream sociability. Who knows, maybe it just saved me from spending time with vapid, superficial twits, but sometimes I wonder what I would've experienced if I hadn't been so busy furiously rejecting caring about any part of myself that people could reject?

I'm with you, this seems like an attack on the kids who least need it. Thanks for the link.