Reaction mixed over Atlanta campaign to use obese kids to shock parents
In Georgia, a series of billboard and other advertisements have been published, featuring a group of obese kids. They're menat to spur Georgians to get to work to reduce its sky-high childhood obesity problem, but they're provoking as much outrage as action.
An Atlanta advertising campaign that uses obese children to try and shock parents into paying attention and making sure their kids are fed properly, get exercise and lose weight is drawing strong reactions.
On Facebook, reactions were fairly evenly split among those who say something must be done and if this is it, so be it, as well as those who say this ad campaign just amounts to another instance of trying to shame people for being fat.
Alison D’Addieco, a mother of an overweight son in Pittsburgh, said food served at her son's school is part of the problem.
"They're confronted by food that you would never serve them at home," D'Addieco said. "It's quite difficult to avoid."
D’Addieco said her son, who has Asperger's syndrome, has been told for several years he was at the high end of weight for his age. And though she tried to make changes in his diet, she was constantly confounded because of what he could eat at school. Though he's not obese, her son is considered overweight.
"I also have to credit the school district because, at least our school district, they send you a body mass index every year," she said. "They send you a letter if you child is overweight or underweight."
D’Addieco said she's found with her son that as long as she gives her son healthy options for snacks, he'll eat them. But if they're not around, he's perfectly happy with cookies and other junk food.
"You do have to go that extra mile. And not everyone can do that. Not every Mom is going to be home and available to have a healthy snack available right away when their kid is hungry after school," D’Addieco said.
But D’Addieco has done more than just modify what her son eats. She's also enrolled him in several sports — so that he's forced to be active and step away from the computer, where he's building his own website.
"I have to be honest. I know a lot of parents ... who don't even try to get their kids off the computer," D’Addieco said.
When it comes to the ads, D’Addieco said she doesn't think anything should be done that could expose kids to shame.
"I think that's negative, and I think absolutely not," she said.
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