Teen Obesity and Faze Magazine

Choco

Of course, an inestimable amount of totally informal communication between teenagers goes on all over the electronic universe. Surprisingly, some have not abandoned the conventions of print publications, even if their publications only exist online. The content, generated by teens, is vetted, organized, and structured into traditional magazine format. Open Directory offers a list of […]

Milk, Vitamin D, and Childhood Obesity

Morning milk

We’ve been looking at various proposed answers to the childhood obesity problem. A small percentage of babies could be helped by making sure that their bottle-feeding phase does not extend for much over a year, and should certainly be finished by age two. One of the reporters we consulted was Bill Taylor, whose article included […]

Why Parents Don’t Want to Hear About Food Addiction, Part 8

menace

The Psychological Food Dependence-Addiction Paradigm is a very simple concept. People, yes, even kids, can become addicted to high-calorie, low-nutrient, hedonically engineered substances that masquerade as food. Food can be a drug of abuse, and it’s a lot easier for kids to get hold of than most other drugs of abuse. The good news is, […]

The Childhood Obesity Perfect Storm, Part 6

Rain Storm

In America, we are so immersed in food, it’s ridiculous. Sure, not everybody can afford it, but it’s out there. Everywhere we turn — in the house, in the school, in the church, in the movie theater — food is staring us in the face. What Dr. Pretlow wants to know is, How will we make the […]

They Said It, We Believed It — Teens and Food Addiction

The Awakening's Giant Hand

One of the features of the Weigh2Rock website is the Comfort Eating Board, which is typical of the several different discussion groups that are available so kids can talk about and seek help for their obesity problems. It even has a search function. Just for grins, we plugged the word “addict” into the search box, […]

Obesity Tales: Walk a Mile in My 46"-Waist Track Pants

Plus size mannekin

Let’s check in with some people who have experienced childhood obesity or observed it from a nearby vantage point. Jane Shure is a psychotherapist specializing in eating disorders and the transformation of shame. She trains healthcare professionals and gives workshops in making peace with food and body image, and she’s a former fat kid. In […]

The Childhood Obesity Perfect Storm, Part 2

Another Storm Over Cayuga

We’re taking a closer look at the elements of the childhood obesity perfect storm, as Dr. Pretlow terms the combination of circumstances that all came together in just the wrong way. The first element is the use of high technology to develop and manufacture not only food, but pseudo-food, ersatz food, fake food, and food-like […]

Stress, Boredom, Activity, and Childhood Obesity

Laila having exercises

Researchers at Iowa State University, after studying the lives and health of over 1,000 teenagers, have concluded that adolescent obesity is very much connected to the increasing levels of stress. For starters, 47% of the adolescents they studied were overweight or obese. But after six years of collecting data and interviewing the children and their […]

Pop Culture and Obesity: "Fat Girls"

Fat Girls

In 2006, a feature film called Fat Girls was released. The story takes place in Texas, one of the worst states in America for a gay teen, especially a boy who aspires to the Broadway stage. Rodney, the main character, is played by a 20-year-old Ash Christian, who also wrote and directed, which is an […]

Stress Eating Is Hereditary

They Can't Be Comfortable

This really should come as no surprise to anyone, but now it’s official: Stressed out teens are more likely to be overweight or obese, especially if they live with a mom who also feels frazzled… Fathers figure in this psychological dynamic, too, in a bit more complicated way. The point is, this has been known […]