Crack down on fat

One in 100 adolescent girls develops anorexia nervosa - the third most common chronic illness for adolescent girls in Australia. Bulimia nervosa is as high as one in five in the student population. Obesity is only one part of the body image equation - it should be of equal concern that many girls are also trying to "disappear" themselves by indulging in extreme dieting.

Have you noticed how on The Biggest Loser, it’s all about the scales, which have a god-like status as the revealer of all truth. So when Munnalita weighed in at exactly the same as the previous week, is she commended for sticking to her rigorous exercise program and for her healthy eating? No. (I wonder if any account is made of the fact that women’s weight varies naturally during their cycles which could account for nil weight loss in a particular week?)

I want to know what happens after “the results are in”?

What about reversing the erosion of the “commons”, and creating environments where children can roam and which sees the maintenance of sporting grounds as an investment in health rather than an economic burden? What about addressing work family balance, so there is time for relationships and the creation of healthy meals?

What about helping disadvantaged families where obesity is more prevalent, with community-based advice on cooking, and budgeting to accommodate a healthy diet? Perhaps the fact that lettuce can cost $4 a head in some remote communities makes chips look like a good food choice?

If our political leaders are truly concerned about children’s health, perhaps they should do something to address a toxic culture environment, which prematurely sexualises little girls. As the American Psychological Association has found, this dangerous environment results in eating disorders, self-harm, binge drinking, and depression because of the pressure to conform to an idealised body type.

We are seeing a breakdown of what makes communities and families work; an erosion of mutual care and connectedness, an epidemic of violence against women and children. We’re over regulated but under connected. Addressing this is where the priorities should lie.

Childhood obesity is the tip of the iceberg of the demise of a healthy childhood. The erosion of childhood that results in obesity is caused by economic and social policy settings that need to be urgently addressed.