Press release: NAAFA to the First Lady, please consider all research!

By Bob Toovey | 2 February 2010

NAAFA has responded to the plans outline by the first lady, Michele Obama. She is going to be focusing in on preventing childhood obesity but NAAFA would like her to take a few things in to consideration first...

Oakland, CA - First Lady Michele Obama has recently announced her intention to focus on childhood obesity prevention. NAAFA encourages the First Lady to consider all the research before taking action and supporting any program that may do more harm than good.

Mrs. Obama, please explore and consider the following:

• When important figures such as parents, teachers and peers in children's social environment endorse a preference for thinness and place an importance on weight control, this can contribute to body dissatisfaction, dieting, low self-esteem and weight bias among children and adolescents (Davison & Birch, 2001; Davison & Birch, 2004; Dohnt & Tiggemann, 2006; Smolak, Levine, & Schermer, 1999).
• The stigmatization of large children has increased by 40% over the last 30 years (Latner & Stunkard, 2003).
• Many drugs presently being prescribed to children cause weight gain. There was a 40 fold increase in bi-polar diagnoses in children between 1994 and 2003. 90.6% of youth received a psychotropic medication during bipolar disorder visits. For many, mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, and antidepressants were also prescribed. (Arch Gen Psychiatr,. 2007)
• Prescribing dieting is, in effect, prescribing weight cycling, and many people will be fatter in the long run (Mann, 2007).
• Weight-control practices among young people reliably predict greater weight gain, regardless of baseline weight, than that of adolescents who do not engage in such practices (Neumark-Sztainer et al., 2006).
• Based on results from a population-based, longitudinal study with 2,500 teens, Neumark-Sztainer and colleagues at the University of Minnesota (2006) concluded that to prevent obesity and eating disorders, the focus needs to be on health much more than weight. The more weight per se is talked about, the more likely teens are to adopt dangerous dieting behaviors.
• A 2006 study from UCLA suggests our media and cultural obsession with achieving a certain weight does little or no good and may actually undermine motivation to adopt exercise and other healthy lifestyle habits.
• The National Center for Health Statistics, part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicated in 2008 that childhood obesity has leveled off.
• NAAFA urges the First Lady to:
• Partner with us and our many resources in the scientific and healthcare communities to examine this issue. Fat children are already the targets of merciless bullying. NAAFA urges Mrs. Obama not to support any programs that would create a pervasive bias against fat children.
• Consider Guidelines for Childhood Obesity Prevention Programs found at: http://www.aedweb.org/media/Guidelines.cfm Childhood School Plans at http://www.healthyweight.net/schools.htm and Guidelines for Children at http://www.healthyweight.net/children.htm
• Support the Health at Every Size (HAES) tenets which state that healthy habits are good for EVERYONE, no matter what their size. Eat healthy, nutritious foods and enjoy occasional treats. Pay attention to your natural hunger and satiety cues. Move your body in ways that feel good rather than exercise focused solely on weight loss.
• "Obesity has a strong genetic component that is expressed in environments that foster sedentary activity and eating an energy dense diet", stated Joanne Ikeda, Nutritionist Emeritus, University of California Berkeley, "Therefore, we encourage First Lady Michelle Obama to promote environmental changes in school settings that support enjoyable physical activity and consumption of a wide variety of nutritious, appetizing foods."
• This issue is about the critical need to create environments in which children and adolescents do not feel shame or guilt about their bodies but, rather, are motivated to enjoy healthful eating and active living habits regardless of their body size or shape.

Founded in 1969, NAAFA is a non-profit human rights organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for fat people. NAAFA works to eliminate discrimination based on body size and provide fat people with the tools for self-empowerment through public education, advocacy, and member support.

On the web:

http://www.naafa.org

For more information contact:

Peggy Howell, Public Relations Director, NAAFA

email: naafa_pr@yahoo.com phone: (707)246-6116

Petition to get better reprentation of women

By Bob Toovey | 25 January 2010

The website 100% people is currently running a campaign to get more realistic representation of women in magazines.

Real Bodies Unite is appealing to all those women fed up of being bombarded with images of super-skinny models, by launching a global campaign to raise 10,000 signatures for the use of realistic body representation in fashion.

The petition will be shown to fashion houses to prove that women want to see real women and a better representation.

The return of the CoverGirl

By Bob Toovey | 25 January 2010

Welcome to Monday and what better way to start the week than the return of the SizeNet CoverGirl! Yes we did lapse for a while but then there was Christmas and everything else.

We have picked Annie Love which was posted by Total Betty Pinups. Have a good week folks!

Is Karl Largerfeld changing his mind?

By Bob Toovey | 20 January 2010

October last year I mentioned how Bridget Magazine in Germany had stirred things up a bit and how Karl Largerfeld had spoken out about skinny models being just fine. PlusSizeMe.com reports that his view may of changed or more likely attempted to redeem himself in front of the media .

Just a few months ago, Chanel designer Karl Lagerfield was criticising plus-size models, saying no one wanted to see 'round' women on the catwalk.
It seems he might be eating his words though, if his recent photoshoot for V is anything to go by.
Plus size Burlesque dancer Miss Dirty Martini was the star of a photoshoot shot by Karl, for V's latest plus-size issue

Did he mean it? Check out more, Karl Lagerfield eats his words

Journalist looking for interviews for magazine articles

By Bob Toovey | 18 January 2010

Julie Cook is an experienced freelance journalist who is looking for help with a magazine article or two. Initial interview over the phone and those whose stories get published are inline for a fee. Please contact her direct using the email address below

JOURNALIST FOR WOMEN'S MAGAZINES LOOKING FOR YOUR STORIES!

Are you a person living with obesity? Are you happy the way you are and want to tell the world? Or are you unhappy and want to change? Perhaps you've tried every diet going and decided to stay as you are? Or have you tried something more drastic such as surgery? Maybe you think there's too much pressure on being 'thin' and want to talk about that?

I am a freelance journalist for national women's magazines such as Bella, Best, Woman's Own, Closer and many more.

I am searching for all sides of living with obesity and am interested in all angles - people who are confident and happy how they are, people who have changed, people who have a story to tell...

If you wanted to go ahead all it would involve would be an initial interview over the phone and your agreement to be photographed.

All the magazines pay a fee for your time and trouble so if your story was published you'd receive a fee on publication - usually between £200 - £500, sometimes more!

More importantly all the magazines I work with all have a policy of 'read back' - where the article is read through to you word for word to ensure you are happy with it.

If this is of interest, please do email me at jules_77123@hotmail.com and I can call you for an initial chat - with no obligation to go ahead.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Book for young kids that helps with body image

By Bob Toovey | 15 January 2010

Passing on a healthy body image to kids is important, especially if you are a plus sized parent. It's not often you find a book that does this, it is indeed a rarity.

So I was please to receive an email from Bryce Conway containing a PDF copy of her new book called, 'My Mom is fat'.

It is aim at the very young, it uses a way of passing on a positive body image using cognitively correct ® way of writing.

It is illustrated with pictures of real kids and real plus size mom's. It describes what mom is good at, playing games, hugging and being that when they hurt themselves. Only at the end is mom's size mentioned.

I read this book with my 8 year old son, it was slightly too old for him but he got the message with no problem. His mother is plus sized so he probably understood it better than others of his age. I often discuss size related issues with the family and my children have a good understanding already. For others this book may help reinforcing that mom is mom, size is not an issue.

More details are in the press release below and on the website.

Bergen County, Bogota, NJ Mom has written "My Mom is FAT!" by Sydney & Spencer's Mom - her first children's book.

A 24 page, fully illustrated children's book - cost of $9.95 (US) retail. Available on the website www.mymomisfat.com and ask for it at your local area bookstores.

IT seems to be very topical now with more fat people featured in reality tv show and commercials. The problem is body image starts in the preschool stage of development.

This is a heart touching ode to Mom. Written in cognitively correct ® way; with a single negation and showing all the abilities of Mom and her wonderful body image.

All children get their body image from their parents. If you love the way you look unconditionally, you will be able to fully support your child's positive and health body image.

This book features myself and my children mostly, pictures are original photos taken by Stephen Mazzella my "husband". "My Mom is FAT!" by Sydney & Spencer's Mom (Bryce Conway) is a very personal book, showing both mom and child that you are both loved and loving irregaurdless of how you look. There is even an opportunity for the child to declare what makes their mom so special.

It's time to start a new generation of children who are exposed to a positive way of thinking about their body and how it's all about their abilities.

Childhood obesity film from 1967

By Harold Wood | 14 January 2010

This educational film comes from the Wellcome trust, Britain's biggest and most unique medical archive. It's called "Cruel Kindness" and dates from 1967. It's about childhood obesity. Check out their YouTube channel for more.

Found via BoingBoing

GlaxoSmithKline funds film on over eating, for truth or advertising?

By Bob Toovey | 11 January 2010

GlaxoSmithKline, those people who brought you Alli the weight loss drug, are financing a film about over eating. And yes it is a way to boost sales of their product, not that they will admit it mind you. Their aim is to expose 'over eating', in a similar manner that Al Gore's film 2006 documentary did on climate change. Here is a quote that appears on the BoingBoing posting (Pharmaceutical company funds documentary about over-eating)...

The partners say they hope to emulate "An Inconvenient Truth," Al Gore's celebrated 2006 documentary on climate change. It cost an estimated $1.5 million to produce and sold $50 million in tickets worldwide. Ms. Ferdinando summarized the film as "the 'Inconvenient Truth' of mindless eating," with the story taking a "behind-closed-doors, fly-on-the-wall" approach that highlights unhealthy relationships people have with food.

The problem with 'expose the truth' documentaries that are funded by the very companies that offer a solution, is that they become nothing but advertising no matter how dressed up it is.

 

Dating website dumps members because they are fat

By Bob Toovey | 4 January 2010

I know I have lots to post about from end of last year but this just popped up on my RSS feed and I just had to mention it. The dating website BeautifulPeople.com has just axed 5000 members because they are overweight.

Those wanting to join the site have to be voted in by the existing membership. If you don't meet the criteria (you have to be beautiful - how ever that is defined) you don't get in. Members have been singled out after they posted pictures of themselves showing they had put on weight. The membership voted out the 5000 with the US, UK and Canadian members on top of this list.

I have no real problem with this mass outing. If you join a dating site for the vain and self centered then that is what you get. What it shows though, is the society still believes that 'fat' people can not be beautiful.

More from the BBC if interested, BeautifulPeople.com axes holiday weight gain members

 

 

 

Welcome back...

By Bob Toovey | 4 January 2010

Welcome back after the festive break. Hope you all survived friends, family and fun packed parties. We had a big party news years eve, not only did we celebrate the new year but also my eldest son's engagement which took place at midnight. A great way to start 2010...

This week I shall be attempting to catch up with the emails I received before Christmas and during the break. Lots of good stuff to tell you about. Mrs T on SizeNet ShowCase is still ploughing her way through emails, checking for bargains and sales that are still going on.

We will be posting more as soon as we can...

Merry Christmas!

By Bob Toovey | 23 December 2009

Christmas is almost here so this is the last post until after the big day. For all those who have emailed in the last few weeks, I will be posting about your products and services. I have just run out of time!

There are eBooks, comics and more to tell you all about but as I say, I have run out of time. Almost ready with gifts, food bought and just a little more organising to do.

I would like to wish all those who have stopped by a very happy Christmas. A special thank you to those who have regularly visited over the last 10 years.

 

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