by Evette Brown
As her approval percentages continue to increase, First Lady Michelle Obama has undoubtedly enriched her husband’s administration. Along with tackling sleeveless dresses, Mrs. Obama has focused her individual campaign on one of the largest issues facing Americans today: obesity. Rather than addressing the issue in press conferences, First Lady Obama realized “the physical and emotional health of an entire generation is at stake,” and established the “Let’s Move” initiative in 2009.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the days of staying outside until the street lights come on are a thing of the past for children in America. Outdoor physical activity is outdated and has been replaced by video game controllers, computer programs, and On Demand cartoons. Combine this lack of physical activity with an unhealthy diet and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the result is a tripling of the number of obese children since 2000.
The “Let’s Move” initiative has tackled the issue of childhood obesity with hopes of improving on the epidemic.Using a five-step platform, the initiative aims to transition children and their families into healthier lifestyles both in schools and homes. Children are expected to lose weight and increase their time away from the computer screen which is supposed to cause them to gain their health and lose the likelihood of developing diabetes and other weight-related illnesses.
In essence, the Let’s Move campaign has a positive mission that is supposed to improve the future for our nation’s children. Vending machines have been removed from schools and 400 million dollars has been spent on the Healthy Food Financing Initiative, but many experts wonder, is the Let’s Move campaign damaging the self-esteem of the very children it’s trying to help?
In a nation where the “thin ideal” persists and having a “bikini body” is the goal, children suffering from obesity are already at a disadvantage in their schools and homes because of their scale numbers. According to Harriet Brown, an essayist for the New York Times, there is a stigma attached to being obese and it is causing both overweight and normal weight children to develop a negative image of themselves. In her article, “For Obese People, Prejudice in Plain Sight,” she states that “Fat stigma affects everyone’s health – fat, thin, or in-between.” In essence, shining a national light on such a depressive issue only contributes to the problem rather than offering a viable solution.
Several studies, including one conducted by researchers at the University of Buffalo, have concluded that obese children are often the last picked to play during recess. According to the University of Buffalo’s findings, this blatant exclusion of the “fat kids” causes them to feel a sense of shame about their bodies. This embarrassment leads to a continual cycle of isolation which spirals into using food as comfort. Though the “Let’s Move” mission was created to battle the issue of obesity, according to author Paul Campos, it has painted targets on obese children, forcing them to eat more. “The first lady would, no doubt, be horrified by the suggestion that her Let’s Move campaign, which is dedicated to trying to create an America without any fat kids, is itself a particularly invidious form of bullying,” he said. “But practically speaking, that’s exactly what it is. The campaign is in effect arguing that the way to stop the bullying of fat kids is to get rid of fat kids.”
That is the real issue. Weight discrimination is an acceptable form of prejudice in the United States. According to a study published in the journal Obesity, weight bias has increased 66 percent in the past decade. Unlike racial and sexual orientation discrimination, there is no current legislation that prevents weight discrimination. Weight acceptance isn’t taught in classes on bullying or diversity seminars. According to Lynn McAfee, director of medical advocacy at the Council on Size and Weight Discrimination, unless weight discrimination is addressed on all levels, bullying obese children will continue to exist. “Until we clean up language like ‘war on obesity’ and have authorities speak out about it, discrimination will continue to increase.”
It can’t be denied that childhood obesity is an issue in America. It is. First Lady Michelle Obama and her husband’s administration are addressing the surface of the issue. But, creating an initiative that portrays obesity in a negative light puts obese children in a position to develop an unhealthy body image.Several studies have shown that ridiculed obese children often evolve into depressed and unproductive adults, so until weight acceptance instead of loss is promoted, obesity will continue to increase. Gaining a healthy body image is equally as beneficial as losing body mass, so rather than forcing obese children to dislike themselves, the White House should create another initiative that addresses the mental needs of obese children. Focusing the spotlight on children who are constantly on display may help them lose weight, but it also forces them to lose something that will benefit them as much as good health – confidence.
Yes, Let’s Move might have a positive outcome, but there are alternatives that promote weight loss and size acceptance. According the Rachel Campos-Duffy, a columnist for The Americano, the best and cheapest alternative is to allow parents to teach their children how to eat without intervention from the government. “Parents don’t need a task force, government program, or mandated bigger nutrition labels to tell us that Oreos, Hot Pockets, Dr. Pepper, and Big Macs can make kids fat – especially if they spend a lot of time in front of the television or computer instead of playing outside or joining a sporting activity.” Other experts, including Dr. Linda Bacon, author of “Health at Every Size” tend to agree. “It’s done much more damage than good.”
