Weight News Round up

Yee-hah! I feel like a cowgirl. Let me wrassle those news articles into submission. To be serious, there have been a few positive and thought provoking articles from around the world this week. Truthfully, I've had such a huge week, I'm not going to spend a heap of time commenting, but they are worthwhile.

First up, another myth busted: French women do get fat, France is facing a health crisis of 15% obesity compared to 30% in the US and almost the same here in Australia. Generally, the reasons are still the same, but the government's response is different.

I'm torn on the issue of childhood obesity. I understand it is a health issue that needs to be addressed, but as a former fat but fit kid and a professional who deals with teenagers, I am concerned about the approaches being offered. There is the shame based, boot camp style, humiliate them into a healthy weight which may be effective, but the long term emotional effects are huge. The current popular one is the nanny state where we will restrict food where we can, ignoring the lack of exercise, media influence and availability of poor food choices elsewhere.
Or we could take the current approach being discussed in France. While not quite my favourite: personal and parental responsibility with support, time and resources provided where necessary, it makes sense. The producers of junk foods will have to display prominently warnings or information on the true fat and sugar content of their food or face a 1.5%tax on their media budgets. There's nothing I like better than a little bit of corporation responsibility for their contribution to the "obesity epidemic".

Fat in America is a size positive look at fat discrimination in America, drawing heavily on quotes from Naafa and Paul Campos. However, it doesn't take the article to it's logical conclusion- if size discrimination is so awful, of course the overweight and obese wouldn't chose to be fat.