Strong 4 Life campaign

According to the Georgia Strong 4 Life childhood obesity campaign website, “Ignoring this problem is what got us here.”

It’s true that childhood obesity is a big problem, but you know what DIDN’T cause the childhood obesity epidemic?

Ignoring the problem.

You know what did?

• Income disparity
• Food deserts
• Fast food advertising
• The whole fast food industry
• Corn subsidies
• Policies like the one declaring that pizza counts as a vegetable in school lunches
• Lack of safe outdoor play space for inner city kids
• Video games
• Lack of funding for physical education
• Poverty

You know what this ad does?

• Help families alleviate/prevent childhood obesity
• Blame this kid for being a fatty fat.

Know what blaming kids for being fat does?

• Makes them lose weight
• Encourages a culture of fat stigma and fat shaming that fuels bullying
• Increases negative psychological, emotional, and health outcomes among overweight and obese children, such as low self-esteem, body image disturbance, eating disorders, and even suicide.

Way to go, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.