Fed Up | 2014

How Did Canada Become “Flab Nation”?

David Menzies reports on a new study by Participaction that found Canadian kids among the least active in the world. He blames ethe nanny state and helicopter parents.

Fault Lines: Fast Food, Fat Profits: Obesity in America (2010)

Obesity in America has reached a crisis point. Two out of every three Americans are overweight, one out of every three is obese. One in three are expected to have diabetes by 2050.

Minorities have been even more profoundly affected. African-Americans have a 50 per cent higher prevalence of obesity and Hispanics 25 per cent higher when compared with whites.

How did the situation get so out of hand?

Disney Joins Fight Against Obesity
Obesity is a big concern among US children, with nearly one-third of them either overweight or obese. Junk food marketing is a contributory factor to such problems, according to the Washington-based Institute of Medicine. Now, Walt Disney, one of the world's largest mass media companies, has decided to join the fight against obesity. The company, known for its popular theme parks, plans to ban commercials for junk food on its widely watched children network Disney TV, radio, web channels - and inside the theme parks themselves. Al Jazeera's John Terrett reports from Washington.

America’s Front Lines Clash with Bottom Lines on Obesity

Michelle Boogies to Beyoncé
It's not every day the First Lady of the United States is seen dancing to Beyoncé, but Michelle Obama made a surprise visit to the Alice Deal Middle School in Washington yesterday as part of her Let’s Move! campaign to curb childhood obesity
Watch The Daily Telegraph video, Michelle Obama dances to Beyoncé here | Tuesday, May 03, 2011

Mauritania's 'Wife-fattening' Farm
BBC: Obesity is so revered among Mauritania's white Moor Arab population that the young girls are sometimes force-fed to obtain a weight the government has described as "life-threatening".

A generation ago, over a third of women in the country were force-fed as children - Mauritania is one of the few African countries where, on average, girls receive more food than boys.

Now only around one in 10 girls are treated this way. The treatment has its roots in fat being seen as a sign of wealth - if a girl was thin she was considered poor, and would not be respected.

But in rural Mauritania you still see the rotund women that the country is famous for. They walk slowly, dainty hands on the end of dimpled arms, pinching multicoloured swathes of fabric together to keep the biting sand from their faces.

"I make them eat lots of dates, lots and lots of couscous and other fattening food," Fatematou, a voluminous woman in her sixties who runs a kind of "fat farm" in the northern desert town of Atar, told BBC World Service's The World Today programme. >>> Pascale Harter, BBC, Mauritania | Monday, January 26, 2010

BBC audio

PC Alert! Council Considers Banning Word 'Obesity'* to Avoid Offending Overweight Children
THE TELEGRAPH: A council is considering banning the word “obesity” from its health campaigns for fear of offending overweight children.

Liverpool City Council believes the expression could stigmatise youngsters and wants to replace it with the phrase “unhealthy weight”.

If the idea goes ahead, the words “obese” and "obesity" would be dropped from all schemes and strategies aimed at improving children’s diets and health.

However, the plans have been opposed by anti-obesity campaigners who are concerned the new term could lead to the issue being trivialised.

Tam Fry, chair of the obesity prevention charity the Child Growth Foundation, said: “If you’re obese you’re obese. >>> Murray Wardrop | Monday, April 12, 2010

*Okay, Mr Councillor! Just call them ugly fat instead! That should do the trick. Fat, after all, is fat! – © Mark

Fine Words Butter No Parsnips
THE TELEGRAPH: Michelle Obama has unveiled her campaign against childhood obesity in the US, saying that it is a problem that concerns her both as first lady and as a mother.

Michelle Obama launches her 'Let's Move' campaign in a bid to help combat childhood obesity. Photograph: The Telegraph
Mrs Obama said that the campaign was designed to encourage people to live healthier lives, but admitted that she herself was not immune to the temptations of junk food.

"I love burgers and fries. And I love ice cream and cake. And so do most kids," she said.

But, she added: "We're not talking about a lifestyle that excludes all that.

"The question is how do we help people balance that out so that they're not facing life-threatening, preventable illnesses, but they're enjoying their food, they're eating their vegetables, they're doing their running and walking and playing and still have time to get a good, fun meal in every once in a while."

One in three American children is overweight or obese, putting them at higher risk of developing diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and other illnesses.

Billions of dollars are spent every year treating obesity-related conditions.

"None of us wants this future for our kids," Mrs Obama said at the White House.

"We have to act, so let's move." Michelle Obama launches obesity campaign and admits weakness for junk food >>> | Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Chubby Gord Promotoes Diet and Sport to Tackle Childhood Obesity
Why don’t you take a leaf out of the kids’ book, Gord? It looks as if you could do with a little exercise yourself!



Mark Alexander