Wake up! Obesity is real. A child healthcare organization is trying to bring attention to the issue. The campaign has its supporters and of course there are those who criticize as too harsh.
Some people feel that this is going to further depress fat children so that they remain in a cycle dependence on food. I think that the ad campaign is a good thing.
The same people that criticize the campaign also say that the campaign should be targeted towards fast food restaurants that present unhealthy options instead of calling young people fat. I think that the campaign cannot go after the fast food industry because this is a capitalist market. Economic principles show that market changes happen because of change in supply or demand. As long as there is a demand for what they are offering, the fast food restaurants will present a supply of cheap, unhealthy foods to be sold. This campaign tries something different. It is focused to the parents and the children (the demand in the market equation). Currently, it is probably a correct assumption that children do not correlate their unhealthy eating habits with their obesity and health problems. If the parents and children demanded more healthier foods, then the fast food restaurants would change their supply to meet the change in market needs.
I do not think that this campaign is saying anything that is mean or unkind. If a child is overweight, that is a fact. Someone needs to tell that child that he/she is overweight and give the child the education and proper diet in order to reach a healthier weight. If the parents are going to be subject to the whims of their children, then it is the children who need to tell the parents what they want so that they can lose weight and be more healthy. It is true that some bullies might use this campaign as additional fodder when making fun of a fat kid, but, even without this campaign, children are bullied for being overweight.
When parents allow their children to eat a diet of French fries and chicken nuggets, there is no wonder that the child is so fat. Instead of teaching the child to be healthy, the parent tries to teach the child to be happy while obese. Keeping in mind that everyone should have some modicum of self-esteem despite their size, they also need to be a healthy weight for their body frame. Some may say this is a vain attempt to demonize those who are not skinny, but the campaign is talking about being healthy. Healthy people usually live longer and have a better quality of life because they are not as sick.
I am sure that it can be difficult for a parent to tell their child “No” to all that cheap processed food since it is a chore to go to the grocery store, buy and cook wholesome food on a daily basis. Parents need to be concerned with the diet of their children because it is their lives that is at stake. Parents that refuse to acknowledge the issue might end up with bigger problems for their children: hypertension, diabetes, and joint replacements. The sad part is that a lot of these conditions are avoidable because they are based on the nutrients or lack thereof that are put into our bodies.
1 comment:
I really like this blog.... because its true parents are the ones responsible to educate their children about healthy eating...it isn't easy but its possible... and also there's a lot of healthy food and its also yummi its not just. All vegetables... its a little bit of everything... grains,veggies,fruit,and meat... I am a mother of 3 and I enjoy cooking foods to my kids and I have the joy to know they are eating good stuuf! Obiously, in the weekend I do like to take them to a restaurant or fast food place! But just on weekends! And I feel proud when I take them to their pediatrician for their regular check ups or physicals and when the doc tells me they are on their perfect weight and healthy I feel awsome!
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