I'm climbing up on my soapbox.
So, something has been bothering me. I am pursuing a quest to develop nutritional/exercise interventions for at-risk adolescent populations. Additionally, to develop programs to promote self-esteem and positive body image in young girls. The following dilemma is plaguing me.
Ok, so if you saw a girl./boy/whatever who was dangerously thin and demonstrating negative eating behaviors, it would be expected that you would get help or intervene to stop the obvious eating pathology. However, we are facing an epidemic of increasing obesity in the nation's youth, BUT NOBODY SAYS ANYTHING TO THESE OBESE CHILDREN. Overeating is ALSO eating pathology. Just like bulimia and anorexia. If you see a girl/boy/whatever who is dangerously overweight, YOU SHOULD INTERVENE. Being 30 lbs overweight is just as dangerous as being 30 lbs underweight. If you are going to promote healthy behaviors, it needs to go both ways.
Now don't get me wrong. I am all about promoting positive and realistic body image. I think that promoting the stick thin models in beauty magazines is irresponsible. You should love whatever shape you are as long as you are engaging in some physical activity and healthy eating behaviors. If you are naturally larger, then cool, that's fine, as long as you are making responsible choices. Not everyone is going to be a size 2. There are people out there that are in plus sizes just due to genetics, but are incredibly healthy. These aren't the people we need to be concerned about. But if you see a dangerously overweight child demonstrating sedentary behavior and making poor dietary choices, that is just as dangerous as the girl puking in the toilet after lunch. Stop worrying about hurting someone's feelings and DO SOMETHING.
Turning a blind eye and damning that child to a lifetime of potential type II diabetes is just as irresponsible as continuing to let an anorexic travel down a path of self-destruction. It might take a little longer, but the CVD and diabetes will kill a person just like malnutrition will. This idea that you may hurt someone's self-image by saying something drives me absolutely insane. Now don't go out there are confront every overweight person you see; not all of them are unhealthy and you will ending up damaging the self-esteem of someone who should love themselves the way they are. BUT you know the ones who are not making healthy lifestyle choices, and those people need to be confronted.
Seriously. Morbid obesity and extreme overeating is as much of an eating pathology as anorexia. The psychological reasons for overeating need to be uncovered and healthy behaviors need to be taught in their place.
Ok, so if you saw a girl./boy/whatever who was dangerously thin and demonstrating negative eating behaviors, it would be expected that you would get help or intervene to stop the obvious eating pathology. However, we are facing an epidemic of increasing obesity in the nation's youth, BUT NOBODY SAYS ANYTHING TO THESE OBESE CHILDREN. Overeating is ALSO eating pathology. Just like bulimia and anorexia. If you see a girl/boy/whatever who is dangerously overweight, YOU SHOULD INTERVENE. Being 30 lbs overweight is just as dangerous as being 30 lbs underweight. If you are going to promote healthy behaviors, it needs to go both ways.
Now don't get me wrong. I am all about promoting positive and realistic body image. I think that promoting the stick thin models in beauty magazines is irresponsible. You should love whatever shape you are as long as you are engaging in some physical activity and healthy eating behaviors. If you are naturally larger, then cool, that's fine, as long as you are making responsible choices. Not everyone is going to be a size 2. There are people out there that are in plus sizes just due to genetics, but are incredibly healthy. These aren't the people we need to be concerned about. But if you see a dangerously overweight child demonstrating sedentary behavior and making poor dietary choices, that is just as dangerous as the girl puking in the toilet after lunch. Stop worrying about hurting someone's feelings and DO SOMETHING.
Turning a blind eye and damning that child to a lifetime of potential type II diabetes is just as irresponsible as continuing to let an anorexic travel down a path of self-destruction. It might take a little longer, but the CVD and diabetes will kill a person just like malnutrition will. This idea that you may hurt someone's self-image by saying something drives me absolutely insane. Now don't go out there are confront every overweight person you see; not all of them are unhealthy and you will ending up damaging the self-esteem of someone who should love themselves the way they are. BUT you know the ones who are not making healthy lifestyle choices, and those people need to be confronted.
Seriously. Morbid obesity and extreme overeating is as much of an eating pathology as anorexia. The psychological reasons for overeating need to be uncovered and healthy behaviors need to be taught in their place.