As we have seen, January is World Health Esteem Month, as well as Clap 4 Health Month, which was originated by Shape Up Us in 2018. And Family Fit Lifestyle Month. And National Staying Healthy Month, which concentrates on the concept of balance.
In addition to the aforementioned Lose Weight, Feel Great Week, the first week of January was also Diet Resolution Week, and its page on the history of weight-loss dieting salutes some weight-loss diets that were publicly advocated as far back as 1724. Also, people in the United Kingdom will embark tomorrow on National Obesity Awareness Week. The 12th is Healthy Weight, Healthy Look Day. The 17th will be Rid the World of Fad Diets & Gimmicks Day. Its page says, “Being overweight was such a social handicap at the time that a book published in 1881 even suggested that governments arrest and imprison overweight people.” And, the 19th celebrates Women’s Healthy Weight Day.
Food months, weeks, and days
In the United States, this is Slow Cooking Month, as well as being dedicated to three separate foods: soup, oatmeal, and menudo. Pizza Week begins on the 2nd Sunday, and Fresh Squeezed Juice Week begins on the 3rd Sunday. The month’s last Sunday is the kickoff day for Meat Week.
The list of national food days for this January is astounding. Almost every day is designated National Whatever Day for some kind of food, and several days carry the burden of honoring more than one food or eating custom. Aside from National Buffet Day, they include days devoted to cream puffs, chocolate-covered cherries, spaghetti, whipped cream, beans, shortbread, tempura, toffee, apricots, bittersweet chocolate, milk, marzipan, peach melba, hot pastrami sandwiches, bagels, strawberry ice cream, fig newtons, Peking duck, popcorn, buttercrunch, cheese, granola bars, pie, peanut butter, peanut brittle, chocolate cake, blueberry pancakes, corn chips, croissants, and hot chocolate. The astute reader will recognize that not many of these are recommended by healthful eating experts.
How does this happen?
As it turns out, creating a National Day involves very little effort. The National Day Calendar was founded by North Dakotan Marlo Anderson in 2013. Free subscriptions to it are given to 20,000 media outlets. When a company or organization buys a day, they get a place on the website, a press release, a certificate, a media alert to related publications and, of course, a lot of raised awareness.
Journalist Jillian Berman wrote,
Applicants submit a brief online form. The committee must unanimously agree for the day to be featured on the calendar, which is offered in print and online. If a day is approved, the applicant must pay $2,300 to $4,500…
Special days keep growing as barriers to new celebrations fall. Twitter, Instagram and other social media platforms have made it easier than ever for companies to create so-called hashtag holidays and amplify special days that fit with their brand.
Your responses and feedback are welcome!
Source: “History of Diet Resolution Week,” NationalToday.com, undated
Source: “Does it seem like everything has its own ‘day’? Here’s why,” MarketWatch.com, 07/12/16
Image by Dan Moyle/CC BY 2.0
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