News

Hi all,

Senator Gillebrand of NY and Senator Voinovich of Ohio have jumped on the childhood obesity bandwagon with a proposal that September be “National Childhood Obesity Month.”

As a New York resident, I’ve already contacted Senator Gillebrand’s office in opposition to this proposal.  My concerns are manifold, but here are just a few:

• A child’s size is not an indicator of their health or fitness levels.  No one has an issue with kids having more access to better food and physical activity, but this is not specifically an “obese child” problem.
• Children who are labeled as obese or fat often suffer life-long battles with low self esteem and disordered eating.
• To avoid being obese, children will often go on diets (either self induced or as directed by parents or doctors) that can set up blood sugar issues that remain with them for life.
• Children who are called fat are more likely to commit suicide than other kids.
• Focusing on obesity creates body dissatisfaction, which is now a nationwide problem affecting the vast majority of women and girls.
• Focusing on obesity allows for people to be discriminated against for being of size, with no federal laws to protect them.

So please join me in expressing your dissatisfaction with this resolution.

Senator Kirsten Gillebrand
New York City Office
780 Third Avenue
Suite 2601
New York, New York 10017
Tel. (212) 688-6262
Fax (212) 688-7444

http://gillibrand.senate.gov/contact/

Senator George Voinovich
Washington D.C. Office
524 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
phone: (202) 224-3353
http://voinovich.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm