Obesity Thunder Bay works to confront the issue of obesity through Shared Accountability and Responsibility. To effect social change through advocacy, research, education, and the elimination of unhealthy food environments.Health and Health Equity that promotes a conversation with regard to the food environment. Can we use and learn from our health efforts that has addressed Tobacco?
Showing posts with label Eating Disorders. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Eating Disorders. Show all posts
Canada just gave 4.5 Million $$$ to conduct research on Weight Loss Surgery. I am pretty dumb when it comes to this type of surgery so I need to ask a question. How does one Not lose weight when the body environment is altered? How does this reflect on Prevention ? Paul Murphy
Just a few Ideas from the article :
school nutrition standards in Queensland, Australia
a vending machine ban in France
a front-of-package symbol that led to product reformulation
soda taxes in France and Mexico
a programme targeting retail environments in New York City, USA
a programme promoting increased water consumption in schools in Hungary
school fruit and vegetable programmes in Netherlands and Norway
a healthy marketing campaign in Los Angeles County, USA
a comprehensive nutrition and health programme in France
http://www.youtube.com/user/FEDERALJA... The user where I found this video.. (don't forget to sub) This makes no sense at all.. Genetics also come into play when it's about obesity.. I
can eat all the food I want, and stay skinny as hell.. While friends
of mine who barely have the money to buy food have weight problems..
Lifelong
obesity, now common in the U.S., is beginning to change how Americans
age. Along Alabama's Gulf Coast, one in three adults is obese, and many
who have lived with the negative health effects of excess weight are
entering their senior years. Special correspondent Sarah Varney of
Kaiser Health News reports on the added costs, disabilities and
challenges for older obese patients.
At what point are we prepared to dissect the obesity war ? This message is unacceptable and I think we can do much better. If you, the reader,are an advocate for community health and want to deconstruct the media message reagarding obesity I want to say Thank You.
Leyah can be reached and contacted in a number of ways and several links are below.
Published on Jul 10, 2012
I'm
just sick of the bombardment we get of 'perfection', people with the
'perfect' this and 'perfect' that. The truth is, NO ONE is perfect.
Nearly everyone who is presented to us by the media has either had
surgery, been airbrushed or is one of those one in a billion people who
have been born looking like a flawless Greek Goddess! The images we
(and our children) see of stick thin women (with hu...ge boobs,
non-existent waists, massive lips, big bums, 'perfect' straight nose,
legs a mile long, big eyes, eyelashes the length of a ruler, 'perfect'
teeth, beautifully shaped eyebrows, with flawless skin) Are simply not
reality. Everyone's different -- we come in all different shapes and
sizes - and I believe that we should be embracing individuality, not
condemning it. This has mostly been with regards to women and young
girls, but it's now spreading to men and young boys. There have been an
increased number of men suffering from eating disorders in the past few
years and studies have shown it's largely due to the images which are
all around us. This proves that it really is a problem which can affect
anyone and could (and I think will) be passed down to the next
generation if we don't try and do something about it now. It worries me
that the children of today (THE NEXT GENERATION) are growing up with
these images surrounding them. Above all, I really do not want them to
think that this is the norm and is what they need to conform to in order
to be 'beautiful' or even just to get ahead in life. Kids are easily
persuaded, so let's educate them that size zero is not reality and that
individuality is incredible! I'm on a mission. I want to promote a
HEALTHY body image throughout the modelling industry and indeed
throughout the world. I want to change perceptions of 'perfection' and
show that a healthy body is sexy, beautiful and desirable - and from the
fashion industry's point of view; make clothes look amazing! Women
are meant to have boobs, bums and hips! In the same way that both women
and men have bits they don't like, wobbly bits, hairy bits, spotty bits,
scarred bits, stretch marks, 'love handles', belly 'tyres', patchy bits
and any other 'imperfections' that make us a perfect version of who we
are as individuals. I want to show both genders that whether you're a
size 4, 6, S, 8, 12, M, 16, L 20, 26, XL 32, XXL -- Whatever you are -
you're beautiful the way you are. People should NOT feel pressured
to look a way that is unrealistic and practically unattainable. Everyone
should feel at home in their own skin -- not trapped in it. It needs to
be emphasised that everyone is different. We should be embracing who we
are not trying to change to suit other people.
Last week, we became enamored with Nancy Upton, a Dallas woman in the #1 spot for American Apparel‘s
plus-size model contest. The company asked bootylicious girls ages 18+
to send in photos of themselves, which they posted on their website so
customers could vote on who deserved a modeling contract. Instead of a
traditional modeling pic, the zaftig Nancy Upton submitted “fat girl”
pics of herself bathing in ranch dressing, squirting chocolate syrup down the gullet, and posed with an apple in her mouth like a pig on a spit.
In short, it was amazing. No one could have been more thrilled than us when Nancy Upton won.
But it seems like not everyone was so happy about Nancy’s victory —
namely, American Apparel corporate headquarters. We get a lot of
douchey emails here at The Frisky, but this one takes the cake.
After the jump, read American Apparel creative director Iris Alonzo’s
nasty email (sent to us last night) about Nancy Upton, the kickass lady
who won the company’s plus-size model contest fair and square. That is,
until the company decided to award the prize to other contestants…
Nasty, nasty and more nasty.
We are assuming that since Iris Alonzo included her email in the open
letter, she would be delighted to hear from Frisky readers from her and
her company’s douchey behavior. If anyone receives a response, feel
free to forward to me at {encode=”jessica@thefrisky.com”
title=”Jessica@TheFrisky.com”}. Want to contact the writer of this post? {encode=”jessica@thefrisky.com” title=”Email her”}!
Dr.
Carissa F. Etienne, Director of the Pan American Health Organization (photo –
vimeo.com)
Countries
of the Americas took a giant step forward in the fight against the rising
epidemic of obesity when they unanimously signed the new 5-year plan of action
for the prevention of obesity in children and adolescents. This was signed
during the 53rd Directing Council of the Pan American Health Organization
(PAHO), which was also the 66th Session of the Regional Committee of WHO for
the Americas. Alongside other measures, the plan calls for fiscal policies and
regulation of food marketing and labelling, improvement of school nutrition and
physical activity environments, and promotion of breastfeeding and healthy
eating. Its goal is to halt the rise of the obesity epidemic so that obesity
prevalence in each country does not increase further.
Photo –
Matthias Kulka/Corbis
The
prevalence of overweight and obesity is highest in the Americas compared with
other WHO regions. 62% of adults aged older than 20 years in the region are
overweight or obese. In three countries—Chile, Mexico, and the USA—obesity and
overweight now affect about seven out of ten adults. 20–25% of children aged
younger than 19 years in Latin America are overweight or obese.
Rates are
increasing sharply and rapidly, even in the youngest age groups. According to
PAHO calculations based on data from demographic and health surveys from 1992
to 2012, in children aged 5 years and younger, obesity and overweight rates
more than tripled in the Dominican Republic between 1991 and 2013 (from 2•2 to
7•3%), and doubled in El Salvador between 1993 and 2008 (from 1•5 to 3%). In
seven eastern Caribbean countries, rates of overweight and obesity in children
aged 4 years and younger doubled in just 10 years, from 7•4% in 2000 to 14•8%
in 2010.4 In adolescents (aged 12–19 years) of both sexes, obesity rates
increased by 20%, from 17•4% in 2003 to 20•5% in 2012 in the USA.5 In
adolescent girls (aged 15–20 years), overweight and obesity rates have risen
steadily over the past two decades—eg, in Bolivia, from 21•1% to 42•7%; in
Guatemala, from 19•6% to 29•4%; and in Peru, from 22•0% to 28•5%.
Countries
in the Americas recognise that to fight this epidemic, more is needed than mere
public education about the importance of healthy habits. Aggressive measures
are needed and are now being taken. These measures include fiscal and
regulatory measures, such as taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages and
energy-dense nutrient-poor products that aim to reduce consumption (in Mexico);
new policies to improve the school food environment, particularly foods sold in
schools (in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, the
USA, and Uruguay); regulations on food marketing to children (in Brazil, Chile,
and Peru); mandatory front-of-package, easy-to-understand labelling of
processed food products (in Ecuador); and comprehensive frameworks for
promotion of healthy weight on the basis of multisectoral partnerships (in
Canada and the USA).
For child
and adolescent obesity to be addressed, sustained multisectoral actions are
also needed from the public and nongovernmental sectors and, when appropriate,
the private sector. Two key areas addressed by the PAHO plan of action are
provision of urban spaces for physical activity and measures to increase the
availability of and access to nutritious foods. Promotion of public spaces and improvement of public transport systems
help increase physical activity. Interventions to improve production,
storage, and distribution systems for natural, whole foods are also important;
family farming initiatives are a good example.
To
support countries in implementation of the plan of action,1 PAHO is providing
evidence-based information for development of policies and regulations,
regional nutrition guidelines for preschool and school feeding programmes, and
guidelines for food and drink sold in schools. Additionally, PAHO is supporting
adoption of indicators of obesity, will develop and maintain a database of nationally
representative figures on overweight and obesity prevalence, and will monitor
activities related to implementation of policies, laws, and programmes in the
Americas. Through unanimous approval of the PAHO plan of action, governments in
the Americas have set an example of leadership to protect children and
adolescents from one of the most serious health threats facing present and
future generations.
Carissa
F. Etienne, Director of the Pan American Health Organization.
Overweight
and obese youth are frequently teased, tormented, and victimized
because of their weight. Weight-based teasing and stigma (also called
'weight bias') can have a detrimental impact on both emotional
well-being and physical health. The Rudd Center for Food Policy and
Obesity at Yale University (http://www.yaleruddcenter.org/)
has released this new video to help parents and teachers understand the
severity and impacts of weight bias in school and at home and to
present strategies to help combat this rapidly growing problem for
overweight teens and pre-adolescents. This video, hosted by celebrity
and activist Emme and featuring Rudd Center experts including Dr.
Rebecca Puhl and Dr. Kelly Brownell, uses expert commentary and dramatic
representation to address the obstacles that overweight and obese youth
encounter with weight bias.
PUBLISHED: 16:03 GMT, 31 January 2014 | UPDATED: 17:11 GMT, 31 January 2014
A teenage
girl has launched a petition for Disney to make a plus-size princess in the
wake of controversy over whether the company promotes an unrealistic feminine
ideal.
Jewel
Moore, a high school junior from Farmville, Virginia, wrote on her Change.org page
that since Disney has such a huge influence on young girls, it should create a
princess with a curvy body to 'show support to a group of girls who are
otherwise horrendously bullied by the media.'
But while
many have praised her for trying to put a stop to body shaming, others have
questioned whether a 'plus-size' princess - rather than simply a normal-size
one - is a step in the wrong direction.
Fighting
for a cause: Jewel Moore, a high school junior from Farmville, Virginia, who
describes herself as 'plus-size', has launched a Change.org petition for Disney
to create a plus-size princess
Body
image: Citing the unrealistically skinny proportions of princesses like Ariel
(left) and Jasmine (right), she says Disney should 'show support to a group of
girls who are otherwise horrendously bullied by the media'
Jewel's
petition, which has amassed 861 signatures so far, bears the title: 'Every body
is beautiful'.
She
writes that she created the page 'because I'm a plus-size young woman, and I
know many plus-size girls and women who struggle with confidence and need a
positive plus-size character in the media.'
Citing
research that 'a child's confidence correlates greatly with how much
representation they have in the media,' she says a plus-size Disney princess
would be a positive step towards body acceptance.
Many
commenters have agreed with Jewel, leaving comments on the Change.org page to
express their opinion.
Equality:
Jewel's petition, which has amassed 861 signatures so far, bears the title:
'Every body is beautiful'
Every
body is beautiful: She wrote on the page: 'I'm a plus-size young woman, and I
know many plus-size girls and women who struggle with confidence and need a
positive plus-size character in the media'
'If young
girls see that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes, they can change how
society views it,' wrote one supporter
Another
said: 'Having dealt with being overweight my entire life, I think that it would
be great for Disney to make a more realistic princess for young girls to look
up to.'
But some
have taken issue with Jewel's emphasis on 'plus-size', asserting that the focus
needs to be on having 'normal' princesses with realistic and healthy dimensions
instead.
Misguided?
While many have supported her petition, some have taken issue with her emphasis
on 'plus-size', saying the focus needs to be on having 'normal' princesses with
realistic and healthy dimensions instead
One
parent wrote on CafeMom.com: 'Why do
princesses have to be either weirdly skinny or plus size? Are there any
petitions for normal sized princesses?'
'If girls are THAT impressionable I wouldn't want
them looking up to overweight princesses'
The
sentiment was shared by another mother, who said: 'Understandable. But at the
same time do we want our daughters idolizing a plus sized princess either?
'If girls
are THAT impressionable then I really wouldn't want them looking up to overweight
princesses or idols. Why not just average sized? Not fat, not skinny.'
News Article Fort Frances Times
Obesity
activity encouraged by 'plus-size' push for Disney princesses
Friday, 7
February 2014 - 11:54am
By Duane
Hicks
A
regional obesity activist is elated by a recent campaign by a U.S. teen girl’s
to get Disney to create a “plus-size” princess.
Paul Murphy, founder of Obesity Thunder Bay (www.obesitythunderbay.ning.com),
applauded the efforts of Jewel Moore, a high school junior from Farmville, Va.,
who last week started a petition stating that since Disney has such a big
influence on young girls, the mega-company should create a princess with a
curvy body to “show support to a group of girls who are otherwise horrendously
bullied by the media.”
On
change.org, Moore wrote that she created the petition “because I’m a plus-size
young woman, and I know many plus-size girls and women who struggle with
confidence and need a positive plus-size character in the media.”
Moore’s petition, which has amassed more than 22,000 signatures since late last
week, bears the title, “Every body is beautiful.”
“I really think that it opens up further dialogue,” said Murphy, noting someone
from Denmark made a video about Moore’s campaign and this also is attracting
views like wildfire.
“It opens the door. It’s such an exciting time,” he added.
“Last week I just couldn’t have crafted a better week with regard to people
talking about the complex issue of community health.
“This Jewel Moore, her efforts, are just the icing on the cake,” noted Murphy.
“This is a young girl who is standing up for other young girls against the
media messages they’re receiving.”
Moore’s petition can be found online.
Murphy has campaign relentlessly over the past five years to get Northwestern
Ontario talking about community health and obesity, and has made some headway
in a world which more and more is talking about healthy eating and body
acceptance.
In addition to participating in various community discussions in the Thunder
Bay area, Murphy attended a conference in Vancouver last May and will be participating
online in a health conference at the University of Guelph in the near future.
He also remains very active online at www.obesitythunderbay.ca, which offers links to videos
and articles, as well as online discussions via Twitter and Facebook.
Meanwhile, countries such as Mexico are implementing a soda tax to urge people
to drink healthy beverages while states and cities such as Massachusetts and
San Francisco have approved candy taxes.
At the same time, shocking statistics about teen suicide, such as the Toronto
District School Board being aware of about 700 suicide attempts made by
students in the last school year, is putting the spotlight on issues of
depression, bullying, and self-image.
All of this ties into Obesity Thunder Bay’s mandate to effect social change
through advocacy, research, education, and the elimination of unhealthy
environments.
Murphy stressed he and other Obesity Thunder Bay members aren’t about promoting
weight loss, but rather a conversation about body image, healthy communities,
and healthy individuals.
“We need to promote dignity and acceptance,” he remarked.
“We have to talk about inclusion.”
