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 34 such publications.

Faze Magazine, for instance, exists both as a print publication and an online magazine. It covers social issues, technology, pop culture, sports and fitness, and entertainment. It follows the old ways to such an extent, it even has a book review page. Searching the site for “obesity,” we found 12 references.

One is an interesting article about actress Hilary Duff, who has adopted childhood obesity as one of her causes. Written by Alicia Cox, the piece appears in Issue #22. Here is an excerpt:

Hilary has also recorded an antiobesity public service announcement for American radio, which encourages children to eat right and exercise. ‘It is important for people to understand the health risks involved with obesity and how pertinent it is to eat healthy and exercise, so that you will be able to enjoy a long fit life,’ she explains.

In the Creative Writing section, we find a poem by 17-year-old Val M. It’s a set of substitute lyrics to the Billy Joel song, “Since the World’s Been Turning,” and here is one verse:

Election 2004, Taliban, Mandy Moore
Trench Coats, Phen-Fen, Mary Kate, X Men
Colon cancer, Mini Me, childhood obesity
Freedom fries, Stem cell, Kathy Lee, Chanel

The poem is basically a list of some of the many issues, people, disputes, advertisements, and fears by which children and teens are surrounded and assailed. In fact, one of the personalities mentioned is Kirstie Alley, who is as famous for her struggle with food addiction as for her acting talent. “Low carb” is also mentioned, as are “Lean Cuisine,” “Starbuck’s,” “Cheese Whiz,” “Fruit Loops,” and “Shrek 2.” Aside from its clever execution, the poem carries an important subtext, which directly relates to childhood obesity.

As we know, comfort eating, stress eating, and all the other eating disorders pretty much boil down to the same thing: they are reactions to stress felt by a person. There is even a theory that anorexia is a response to a chaotic world, the intake of food being the one area over which a person can exercise control. Any adult who has ever wondered, “What do these kids have to be so stressed over?,” need look no farther for the answer, because it’s all here in this poem, which closes with,

Drunk driving for Billy Joel, Joan Rivers, Super Bowl
Laci P. washed ashore, I can’t take it anymore!

Your responses and feedback are welcome!

Source: “Kids and Teens: Teen Life: Magazines and E-zines,” domz.org
Source: “The Hilary Duff World,” Faze Magazine
Source: “Since the World’s Been Turning,” Faze Magazine
Image by cpaparcuri (Christian Paparcuri), used under its Creative Commons license.

3 Responses

  1. As a Registered Social Worker, former bulimic and founder of a weight-loss counselling/coaching business, I focus on emotional and mental health in order to achieve healthy weight-loss goals.

    In my book, EATING OURSELVES CRAZY, I discuss how we are emotionally dependent on foods to soothe, comfort and provide relief from intense feelings or low moods. There are many physiological and psychological factors that contribute to emotional-eating.

    Achieving weight-loss goals takes more than a weekly menu print-out and a list of “do’s and don’ts”. The universal formula of calorie-in and calorie-out diet only works for 10 percent of people as it does not address our emotional needs and cravings.

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Profiles: Kids Struggling with Weight

Profiles: Kids Struggling with Obesity top bottom

The Book

OVERWEIGHT: What Kids Say explores the obesity problem from the often-overlooked perspective of children struggling with being overweight.

About Dr. Robert A. Pretlow

Dr. Robert A. Pretlow is a pediatrician and childhood obesity specialist. He has been researching and spreading awareness on the childhood obesity epidemic in the US for more than a decade.
You can contact Dr. Pretlow at:

Presentations

Dr. Pretlow’s invited presentation at the American Society of Animal Science 2020 Conference
What’s Causing Obesity in Companion Animals and What Can We Do About It

Dr. Pretlow’s invited presentation at the World Obesity Federation 2019 Conference:
Food/Eating Addiction and the Displacement Mechanism

Dr. Pretlow’s Multi-Center Clinical Trial Kick-off Speech 2018:
Obesity: Tackling the Root Cause

Dr. Pretlow’s 2017 Workshop on
Treatment of Obesity Using the Addiction Model

Dr. Pretlow’s invited presentation for
TEC and UNC 2016

Dr. Pretlow’s invited presentation at the 2015 Obesity Summit in London, UK.

Dr. Pretlow’s invited keynote at the 2014 European Childhood Obesity Group Congress in Salzburg, Austria.

Dr. Pretlow’s presentation at the 2013 European Congress on Obesity in Liverpool, UK.

Dr. Pretlow’s presentation at the 2011 International Conference on Childhood Obesity in Lisbon, Portugal.

Dr. Pretlow’s presentation at the 2010 Uniting Against Childhood Obesity Conference in Houston, TX.

Food & Health Resources