Over the past 10 years, cigarette use has dropped dramatically in the U.S. Many people cite not only an increased awareness of the dangers, but also an increased social stigma - smoking just isn't cool anymore. Many of these same people, however, warn that trying to create a similar social stigma around obesity won't work.

"[Kelly] Brownell authored a 2006 study showing that when overweight people feel stigmatized because of their weight, they respond by eating more and giving up on diets. 'Obese people are under such enormous pressure to lose weight,' he says... 'To think that you could add much more to that pressure is wishful thinking.' The stress may make them turn to food for comfort or, as one researcher hypothesizes, might even contribute to the physiological processes of obesity..."

Instead, experts encourage an emphasis on healthy lifestyle choices like exercise and nutritious food. Stressing the importance of these factors rather than the numbers on the scale is likely to have better long-term results. Source: U.S. News

Labels: rejection, responsibility, society

Childhood obesity is a complex problem that can't be fixed overnight or by just one group of people. We can't look only to schools or parents or the children themselves. It's going to take everyone working together to solve this problem.

"Some may argue that it is the individual's choice as to what they eat, how they exercise, and if they put themselves at greater risk for co-morbidity of obesity. However, children are products of our environment and reflect the habits that we teach them."

Similarly, all responsibility can't rest with the parents, because kids spend a significant time away from their homes. Schools need to support parents' efforts to teach their kids healthy eating and exercise habits. Source: The Ellsworth American

Labels: community, responsibility, schools