"At Risk for Overweight"
Posted on Wednesday July 5, 2006 at 3:22pm.
Leave aside my problems with the hysteria over the obesity epidemic (that if given enough time will become the War on Obesity). It is amusing to see nanny state political correctness battling itself.
On the one hand, being obese is not okay, because we owe it to society and the government to be healthy, are obligated to save the public money on our healthcare costs, and must set a good example for others.
On the other hand, we need to accept everyone, shouldn't judge people, and don't want to injure a child's self-esteem.
It's quite a conflict. Hence the debate over whether we should call obese children obese:
This Rana let her nine-year-old daughter get 40 pounds--40 pounds--overweight. Clearly, she's qualified to be giving advice. Fortunately, not everyone is as cruel as Ms. Rana, willing to use the o-word in front of an obese nine-year-old girl (at some point).
Source: CNN
On the one hand, being obese is not okay, because we owe it to society and the government to be healthy, are obligated to save the public money on our healthcare costs, and must set a good example for others.
On the other hand, we need to accept everyone, shouldn't judge people, and don't want to injure a child's self-esteem.
It's quite a conflict. Hence the debate over whether we should call obese children obese:
Paola Fernandez Rana of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., has a 9-year old daughter who at 40 pounds overweight is considered obese. Rana said doctors "refer to it as the 'o-word'" in front of her daughter "in an effort not to upset her."Rana "said she agreed with the term [obese] and thinks that at some point it should be used with her daughter, too."
This Rana let her nine-year-old daughter get 40 pounds--40 pounds--overweight. Clearly, she's qualified to be giving advice. Fortunately, not everyone is as cruel as Ms. Rana, willing to use the o-word in front of an obese nine-year-old girl (at some point).
Chicago pediatrician Rebecca Unger [...] said she likes using the term "at risk for overweight" because it gives patients hope that "we can do something about it."The research is still being conducted, and the experts have yet to make final recommendations about what exactly doctors should call these kids. I'm guessing they won't decide to just go with fat bastard and be done with it.
Source: CNN