I wish I hadn’t started reading The State News Monday morning; I was in a great mood. After all, it is the start of one of my favorite holiday seasons of the year — which I try to prolong for weeks with decorating, baking, cooking and socializing (which includes eating) with friends and family.
Then I turned to Liz Kersjes’ column, Obesity problem rampant in U.S. (SN 11/19). Now, I thought, let’s give Kersjes the benefit of the doubt, perhaps she just got back in the country from an extended stay in the jungles of a Third World country. Headlines like this have been prevalent in our media for several years now and not just print media — visual media included. But guess what? This approach hasn’t and doesn’t solve anything. People aren’t thinner despite all the guilt-laden messages put out there. The whole effect from columns like this are more people lining up for the new diet book, pill or plan, which will fail miserably — leaving one more person with lower self-esteem.
What also stands out for me in this article is the insensitivity to why some individuals may actually use food other than just loving to eat. Lack of knowledge about food and inability to read a label or look up a Web site aren’t problems for most people. Food can be a coping mechanism for many emotional issues. A sexual assault victim may use food to numb him or herself. Until he or she gets the psychological counseling that he or she needs, no article like yours is going to do anything to help them. Or how about the graduate student who has to do research more than 100 hours per week and has no time to plan or prepare meals, let alone go to a gym? Or what about the single mom or dad with three kids who’s working two jobs? Before you blame people or lecture them on their weight, try to think beyond the issue of just a number on a scale. The fear-of-obesity approach only makes the problem worse, and columns like this are just a repeat of media that does not help anyone.
It is time to quit jumping on the bandwagon of an approach that isn’t working and explore alternative ways of approaching this problem. Books like “Intuitive Eating” and Jon Robison’s “The Spirit and Science of Holistic Health” are two such books and approaches that actually help people redefine their relationship with food and body that will help them for the rest of their lives, not just until the next diet or guilt-producing message is put out in the media. As the nutritionist at Olin Health Center for 19 years and as a registered dietitian who specializes in food, weight and eating disorders, I am just betting I have a bit more real-life experience to fall back on here.
Ronda L. Bokram
nutritionist for Olin Health Center’s Health Education Department
Support student media!
Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
Discussion
Share and discuss “'Guilt-laden' obesity topic won't make people thinner” on social media.
