QOTD: Why Stigmatize Fat Kids?

From Pattie Thomas’ post at Psychology Today in response to a “Cease to be obese crusade” billboard on how kids should exercise:

Why do you have to promote weight loss in order to promote exercise? If you really believe in the calorie in/calorie burned model, promoting exercise and healthy eating for every one would automatically solve the “obesity” problem, would it not? Is it necessary to promote hatred of a fat body in order to get someone to lose weight? Is it not important to promote play, movement, and sportsmanship among all all kids? Why single out obese kids?

I think the most telling thing about those who are promoting the “healthy children” initiatives that this billboard represents is that the promoters do not trust the calories in/calories burned model.

Pattie Thomas also goes on to note that if it’s really about health, good nutrition and exercise should be the point. Apparently it’s not.

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Posted

March 6, 2011

Anti-fat bigotry, Anti-Obesity Programs, Childhood Obesity, OtherBlogs

Living 400lbs

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Comments

8 responses to “QOTD: Why Stigmatize Fat Kids?”

shaunta

March 6, 2011

I just ordered Patti Thompson’s book from Amazon. She’s from my hometown (Las Vegas) and I think she’s just super smart.

I wrote a paper for school last semester about how discriminatory Mrs. Obama’s war on fat kids is. As if fat kids need any more people bullying them for any reason at all. Give me a break.

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Jaime M

March 6, 2011

We are so on the same page on this one!

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Ashley

March 7, 2011

She pretty much nails it.

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Liz

March 7, 2011

Omigosh, so true.

I honestly think that a lot of people would be disappointed if every fat person in the world lost weight. Who would they bully?

I’m reminded of this post:

http://blogs.chron.com/goodmombadmom/2011/03/grrr.html

Some people just need to hate.

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Squeegeelicious

March 7, 2011

Ick, yet another case of a marketer coming up with a catchy hook and then spreading it across the nation in billboard form. I admit, “Cease to Be Obease” is catchy, but why couldn’t they have fallen back on say the tried and true, “Health is your wealth,” or even, “Run ’cause it’s fun!” I would have been totally behind that.

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SunflowerP

March 7, 2011

I’m not certain that it necessarily means they don’t trust the calories in/calories out model – but it sure as heck shows that they’re not really talking about health.

Sunflower

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RNegade

March 8, 2011

Just. Need. To. Cry. Now. For. All. The. Fat. Kids.

Why can’t more people see that the current attack/approach is a form of abuse? Harmful, potentially life-long emotional pain and developmental problems to conquer, the re/construction of an entire social group to target with malice…leaving fat children and adults with virtually no compassion, empathy, or understanding from the culture at large.

Yes. Just need to cry for awhile. Sometimes that’s all I can do today.

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1. Marlene
  
  May 6, 2011
  
  RNegade said: March 8, 2011 at 7:02 am Just. Need. To. Cry. Now. For. All. The. Fat. Kids.
  RNegade said: Why can’t more people see that the current attack/approach is a form of abuse? Harmful, potentially life-long emotional pain and developmental problems to conquer, the re/construction of an entire social group to target with malice…leaving fat children and adults with virtually no compassion, empathy, or understanding from the culture at large.What a pity people who hate fat will think these billboards will help.
  RNegade I will join with you and cry for the children.
  
  Reply