Archive for the ‘Childhood Obesity’ Category
January 21, 2020
The first line in my well-received new novel is, “I’m so fat.”
It elicits cheeky giggles whenever I used to read it out. Kids are not used to hearing that word anymore and are especially surprised that a major character in a kid’s book nonchalantly expresses such a candid self-reflection.
By the end of the first page, my audience grows to love the character and appreciate his honesty. Cheeky giggles are replaced with unabashed giggles. Finally, a character that feels comfortable to express the thoughts that many of us feel on a daily basis – seems to be the consensus.
When I first started reading the then-unfinished manuscript, a student approached me and told me how much the character of Jake meant to her. She told me that she had been ignored and disrespected because of her weight and it was inspiring to see those very same students that have ostracised her completely warmed to the fat character and instantly accepted him. She told me it gives her hope that the overweight kid can achieve some positive attention for a change.
I asked her what her name was.
“Nina”, she replied.
I told her I would name one of the major characters “Nina” because her words had moved me so much.
Nina is probably an adult now and probably has no recollection of that day and the origins of her namesake in my book. But her reaction has not been unique.
As a teacher, I’ve had the opportunity to read my book to thousands of students along the journey. There is a good reason why the word “fat” is frowned upon and there is a logic behind society’s reluctance to explicitly draw attention to weight.
But fat people know they are fat and are looking for a character that can own up to it and then prosecute the case why being overweight should never overshadow a person’s spirit, wisdom and achievements.
Enter Jake Archibald and the book, My Favourite Comedian.
Thank you, Nina!
Special Announcement:
I am donating 100% of the royalties of my hilarious new children’s book, My Favourite Comedian, during the month of January to those affected by the devastating bushfires in my country, Australia. This book is perfect for children aged 9 to 14 and the ideal class novel for Upper Primary students. Please leave a comment to indicate your purchase. You can buy a copy by clicking on this link.
Tags:Books, Child Obesity, Childhood Obesity, childhood obesity crisis, children and nutrition, Education, Fat, Kid's Books, My Favourite Comedian by michael grossman, Nutrition, Nutrition in the classroom, Parenting, Parents, Reading, Teaching, Weight
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November 18, 2019
Whilst we haven’t properly dealt with it, we have been fully aware of the issues related to girls and body image. What we may not be aware of, is how rampant body-image conditions such as depression and eating disorders are in our young boys.
Take this recent study by the University of Sydney:
25 per cent of all people with anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa are male.
40 per cent of people with a binge eating disorder are male.
42 per cent of males who have eating disorders identify as gay.
45 per cent of Western men are unhappy with their bodies in some way, rising from 15 per cent 25 years ago.
25 per cent of Australian men in a healthy weight range believe they’re fat.
3 per cent of Australian teenage boys use muscle-enhancing drugs like steroids.
One of the key themes in my soon to be released debut novel, My Favourite Comedian’, is body image in young boys. There aren’t many novels pitched at middle years readers that discuss this very serious issue. I recommend that parents and teachers read the novel with their children and discuss the importance of self-acceptance.
Tags:binge eating and boys, Body Image, boys and weight, Childhood Obesity, eating disorders and boys, fat boys, My Favourite Comedian, weight issues and boys, what is healthy weight for boys
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October 31, 2013
When will people start realising that the kids of today have had enough of the food associated guilt trips? I have never seen a child motivated to change their eating habits on the back of a public shaming, and I probably never will:
Children in a North Dakota neighborhood may be slated to get an awful surprise this Halloween: A local woman is reportedly planning to hand out “fat letters,” instead of candy, to kids she thinks are “moderately obese.”
Valley News Live reported a local Fargo woman called into Y-94 radio recently and revealed her plan to take on childhood obesity by handing out letters targeting trick-or-treaters whom she considers obese.
“I just want to send a message to the parents of kids that are really overweight,” she told the station. “I think it’s just really irresponsible of parents to send them out looking for free candy just ’cause all the other kids are doing it.”
Valley News Live obtained a copy of the letter, in which the woman, who is only identified as Cheryl, writes, in part:
You [sic] child is, in my opinion, moderately obese and should not be consuming sugar and treats to the extent of some children this Halloween season. My hope is that you will step up as a parent and ration candy this Halloween and not allow your child to continue these unhealthy eating habits.
Click on the link to read The Unique Challenges that Body Image Represents for Females
Click on the link to read An 8-Year-Old’s Take on Body Image
Click on the link to read A Father’s Advice to His Daughter About Beauty
Click on the link to read The Call to Stop Telling Your Children they are Beautiful
Click on the link to read School Official’s Solution to Harassed Teen: Get a Breast Reduction
Click on the link to read Our Young Children Shouldn’t Even Know What a Diet Is?
Tags:Body Image, Childhood Obesity, Fat Letter Halloween Halloween Fat Letter, Fat Letter Kids, Fat Letter Morbidly Obese Kids, Halloween, North Dakota Woman Fat Letter, North Dakota Woman Letter, Nutrition, Parenting, Woman Fat Letter Halloween
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July 8, 2013
The proposal to ban parents from packing a lunch for their children is sheer lunacy. Whilst some packed lunches clearly contain too much sugar and fat, this is none of our business.
What’s next? The Government providing consequences for children just in case parents spoil their children by not setting parameters? The Government recruits personal trainers to switch off family television sets and take the children for a run?
And anyway, the lunchbox ban will be limited to lunch. What about breakfast? What about dinner? What about snacks and weekend restaurant visits and holidays?
Why can’t we just allow parents to parent without them being restricted, judged or lectured? Surely, a much better approach is to educate and work with parents rather than taking away their ability to do what they think is right for their own children:
Parents who make packed lunches for their children should stop, as it is making them fat, government food advisers warn.
Restaurateurs Henry Dimbleby and John Vincent argue school dinners are healthier than packed sandwiches, crisps and fizzy drinks, in a report to be published next week.
The report will also suggest that take-up must rise to at least 50 per cent to improve nutrition in meals and to save school dinners.
The pair’s school lunch plan, which will be launched this week alongside education secretary Michael Gove, also puts it down to head teachers to improve quality and take-up of school lunches.
‘A lot of heads will feel exasperated by this,’ Ian Bauckham, head of Bennett Memorial Diocesan school in Tunbridge Wells, Kent told The Sunday Times.
‘Many focus on a limited number of high priorities and we already have a big agenda to raise academic standards.’
As reported earlier this year, cooking lessons at school will become compulsory for children ages seven to 14 from September as the Government aims to ensure they can make up to 20 dishes before taking their GCSE exams.
And don’t get me started with compulsory cooking lessons at school. Remember when teachers were charged with the responsibility of helping students to read, write and become numerate? Boy, times have changed!
Tags:Bennett Memorial Diocesan school, Body Image, Childhood Obesity, cooking classes for children, cooking lessons at school will become compulsory for children, crisps and fizzy drinks, Education, Education Secretary Michael Gove, food, government food advisers warn, Leon fast food chain, Nutrition, packed lunches for their children should stop, Parenting, Restaurateurs Henry Dimbleby and John Vincent, sandwiches
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September 30, 2012
A recent study suggests that we forget about getting overweight children to engage in physical activity and instead focus on healthier eating.
Eating less, not forcing children to do more exercise is the key to combating the childhood obesity crisis, experts have said, as a study shows youngsters compensate by becoming more idle at other times.
A major review of research into childhood exercise programmes has found that enforcing extra activity on children does not affect how active they are overall, as they simply do less at other times of the day.
This means that extra exercise programmes will not reduce the childhood obesity crisis and policies should focus on what children eat instead, experts said.
There are no quick fixes to losing weight. Enrolling your children into an extra-curricular sporting activity may be a good start, but it is unlikely to be sufficient. Physical activity doesn’t just involve football practice, it also involves spending less time in front of a screen and more time in the fresh air. It encourage children to walk to the local shops or library instead of depending on a lift.
The key to any life changing decision is balance and common sense. A change of diet might be paramount to weight loss but other factors should not be ignored.
Click on the link to read my post School Weigh-ins Are an Insult Rather Than a Solution
Click here to read my post ‘Considered Too Obese to Keep His Kids‘.
Click on the link to read Charity Pays for Teen’s Plastic Surgery to Help Stop Bullying
Click on the link to read my post, ‘Sparing Young Children the Affliction of Body Image‘.
Tags:Childhood Obesity, childhood obesity crisis, Diet, Education, Exercise, exercise programmes will not reduce the childhood obesity crisis, extra activity on children does not affect how active they are overall, focus on what children eat, forcing children to do more exercise, Healthy Eating, Nutrition, Parenting, research into childhood exercise programmes, study on benefits of exercise children, Weight-Loss
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August 27, 2012
I hate the idea of school weigh-ins. Intended as a wake-up call to parents that changes need to be made to the way they look after their overweight children, this method will cause an enormous amount of embarrassment for children. I could think of nothing more humiliating for a young child struggling with body image issues than to be weighed at school.
Researchers in Victoria have called for compulsory weigh-ins for school children as part of the fight against obesity.
The Deakin University research, published in the journal Pediatric Obesity, calls for all young students to be weighed regularly at school to help collect official data and to confront parents about the health of their children.
The research also calls for an opt-out program to encourage high participation rates.
How would teachers like to be weighed?
What about politicians? There are plenty of rotund politicians around.
What? You don’t want to be weighed? Why not? It’s embarrassing?
Precisely my point!
Click on the link to read my post, ‘Sparing Young Children the Affliction of Body Image‘.
Click here to read my post ‘Considered Too Obese to Keep His Kids‘.
Click on the link to read Charity Pays for Teen’s Plastic Surgery to Help Stop Bullying
Tags:body image and children, children weighed at school obesity, compulsory weigh-ins for school children, confront parents about the health of their children, data collected could motivate parents to take action., Education, fight against obesity, identify those that are at risk of obesity, opt-out program to encourage high participation rates, Parenting, Pediatric Obesity, Professor John Dixon, school children will provide valuable health data, School Weigh-ins, young students to be weighed regularly at school
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July 12, 2012
Education and support have been thrown out the window in favour of control and over-regulation:
Authorities in Victoria are now using concerns about extreme obesity as justification for removing children from the care of their parents.
The Department of Health Services has removed at least two children from their parents’ care this year over the issue.
Associate Professor John Dixon, from the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, says the number is expected to rise in the coming years.
“We’ve got to understand that as the waistlines of our kids grow, we’re going to have these extreme case of obesity,” he told News Breakfast.
Professor Dixon says sometimes removing the child is the best option.
“It’s not the obesity itself that would lead to a child being removed from their home, but it would be a range of circumstances that would make it difficult for that child to be managed in the best way at home,” he said.
“[Obesity can be the result of a] whole range of environmental issues, the food, the lack of transport, all sorts of things.
“But it also can be symptomatic of dysfunctional circumstances… where there’s problems; mental illness, siblings with disabilities, that really make family life for some of these children very complex indeed, and produce that rare circumstance where they may be better off out of home for a while.
“Thinking of the rights of the child, the best interests of the child, if it’s counterproductive to be at home, then in very rare circumstances that child may be best off not at home.”
Click here to read my post ‘Considered Too Obese to Keep His Kids‘.
Tags:Associate Professor John Dixon, Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, Childhood Obesity, Education, Goevrnment control, he rights of the child and obesity, Parenting, Removing children because of obesity, Removing children from parents care, sometimes removing the child is the best option, The Department of Health Services
Posted in Childhood Obesity | 1 Comment »
July 2, 2012
I am of the opinion that one shouldn’t need to discuss ‘weight’ with issues with your children. I prefer a more positive approach where healthy food and exercise is promoted rather than “negative talk” which is likely to make the child even more self-conscious.
A new report says parents are concerned that talking to their child about their weight will lead to an eating disorder.
This figure rises to 65% of parents who identify their child as being overweight or obese.
More than 1,000 parents with a child aged 5-16 responded to the Let’s talk about weight survey on Netmums and shared how they feel about bringing up the topic of weight with their child.
I do understand that the problem is more complicated than just advocating health over weight loss. I also realise that children are too smart not to realise that healthy lifestyle measures are a result of their weight issues.
What is your opinion? How should parents discuss weight issues with their children?
Click on the link to read my post, ‘Sparing Young Children the Affliction of Body Image‘.
Tags:Body Image, bringing up the topic of weight with children, Childhood Obesity, Children and excercise, Children and healthy food, Discussing weight with your children, Eating disorders and children, Education, Health, Let's talk about weight survey on Netmums, Nutrition, Parenting
Posted in Body Image, Childhood Obesity, Parenting | 4 Comments »
June 21, 2012
It seems that we have given up on promoting healthy lifestyles and educating our students about nutrition. It’s now all about avoiding obesity:
The American Medical Association on Wednesday put its weight behind requiring yearly instruction aimed at preventing obesity for public schoolchildren and teens.
The nation’s largest physicians group agreed to support legislation that would require classes in causes, consequences and prevention of obesity for first through 12th graders. Doctors will be encouraged to volunteer their time to help with that under the new policy adopted on the final day of the AMA’s annual policymaking meeting.
Tags:AMA, American Medical Association, Childhood Obesity, Children, Doctors, Education, Health, Legislation, Medicine, News, Nutrition, Obesity, physicians, public schoolchildren, Teenagers, Teens, Weight
Posted in Childhood Obesity | 2 Comments »
January 4, 2012
It is disgusting how some sections of society treat overweight kids. As if the stigma of being overweight in a “body beautiful” obsessed world isn’t hard enough. I am sick to death of reading negative ideas when trying to solve childhood obesity. The latest negative idea, which seeks to reward slim kids by giving them extra marks for no other reason than their body mass index readings, not only compromises the fairness of the exam process but makes children already suffering from feeling neglected and judged, feel like dirt.
Pierre Dukan, the nutritionist behind the popular but controversial Dukan diet, has suggested that France tackle child obesity by giving extra exam marks for slimness.
Dukan, who has sold 8 million copies of his diet book worldwide, made the proposal in a 250-page book called ‘An Open Letter to the Future President’, which he sent out on Tuesday to 16 candidates for France’s presidential election.
The plan calls for high school students to be allowed to take a so-called “ideal weight” option in their final year exams, the “baccalaureat”, under which they would earn extra points if they kept a body mass index (BMI) of between 18 and 25.
Those already overweight at the start of the two-year course would score double points if they managed to slim down over a period of two years.
“It’s a fantastic motivator,” Dukan told Reuters.
When we even consider adopting methods like Dukan’s we do a monumental disservice to kids struggling with their weight. These kids are often well-mannered, generous, talented and caring individuals. These are traits we should be focussing on, not weight! You will never see a suggestion that caring, empathetic, selfless and considerate kids get extra marks. These qualities pale into insignificance compared to a person’s weight.
When we employ negative inducements to entice children to lose weight, we not only make it harder for them to succeed but we also make them feel not good enough.
My view (as espoused in my novel) is that whilst I hope our overweight children are successful in losing their excess kilos, either way, let’s not let weight distract us from the qualities and unique characteristics of the person.
Whilst childhood obesity isn’t ideal, ignoring who the child is and concentrating on how much they weigh, is infinitely worse.
Tags:An Open Letter to the Future President, BMI, Childhood Obesity, Dieting, Dukan diet, Education, France, Grades, Health, life, News, Obesity, Parenting, Pierre Dukan, Weight, World Health Organisation
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