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Australia urged not to do more harm than good to children in the battle against obesity
29 June, 2004
Whilst it is recognised that it is important to address the causes of weight change in Australia, an international obesity expert has warned that focussing on children's weight alone is harmful.
Focussing on weight rather than health as the primary issue diverts attention away from the real need for more physical activity and good quality nutrition for all children.
Ms Betty Holmes, Regional Project Coordinator for Wellness in the Rockies, a four-year US$4 million health promotion project in three Rocky Mountain states in the USA, said that with the current focus in the USA and Australia firmly on childhood obesity, there is evidence that children of all sizes are hearing the message that physical activity and healthy eating are only important in the context of weight control.
Speaking at a forum exploring fresh approaches to concerns about childhood obesity at the University of the Sunshine Coast today, Ms Holmes said the focussing on weight instead of health is sending completely the wrong message.
"Physical activity, healthy and pleasurable eating, and acceptance of body size diversity are central to the health of all children. They should not be promoted simply because they may or may not have an impact on someone's weight," Ms Holmes said.
Ms Holmes strongly urged Australia to incorporate body image issues into health programs for children and adults because of the integral connection between body image, physical activity and healthy eating.
"Body image really does influence physical activity and eating behaviours and none of these issues can be addressed in isolation," she said.
"Many children aren't physically active because they worry about how their body looks, or because they are subjected to teasing and bullying."
"In Australia and the USA we are making a huge effort to get people more active, but these programs are not effective because we don't deal with the fact that so many people don't do physical activity because of the way they feel about their bodies or the way they are treated by others" Ms Holmes said.
"Likewise with food, efforts to change people's eating habits haven't addressed the fact that people's relationship with food is tied to the way they see their body," Ms Holmes said.
"Many people see food as the enemy and are afraid of what eating does to their body size. Eating for many is a guilt-ridden experience and not enjoyable. This results in long term unhealthy eating habits."
"Healthy children come in all shapes and sizes."
"We have to accept individual children for who they are, including the natural diversity of shapes and sizes that children come in."
"To do anything else will be directly harmful to their immediate health and well being. We have millions of adults in the USA and Australia that have already been harmed by a narrow and erroneous definition of what constitutes a healthy body. We don't want to make the same mistake with the next generation," Ms Holmes said.
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