With Gratitude to ADA

On Friday, I receive a copy of a memo that made me proud to be a member of the American Dietetic Association. In response to my letter and the comments of many others, HOD Leadership Team issued a strong statement urging the Legislative and Public Policy Committee to take a more positive approach to addressing childhood obesity. Key sections are pasted below and the entire memo is included under pages to your right.

The HOD Leadership Team would like LPPC to consider mobilizing the Association to respond to this resolution and that ADA propose a more positive message to address childhood obesity. It was suggested that the month of September be recognized as Family Healthy Eating and Lifestyle month as a way to promote healthy family meals and family activity. Promotion of healthy habits such as meals and physical activity would be more a positive message with a focused outcome on changing the weight of children as a result of changes in eating and activity patterns. We are concerned that the unintended consequences of focusing on obesity awareness may result in children being stigmatized by others for their weight. We need to have a focus which does not create disrespect for others.

We strongly encourage you to take a stance on to this proposed resolution by taking a leadership role in collaboration with other organizations to promote a more positive message to Americans. We are aware that many ADA members are in support of Dayle Hayes comments and are looking for ADA to move the discussion to a more productive and beneficial outcome.

Please join me in thanking Ethan Bergman (bergmane@cwu.edu) and other HOD leaders for this strong and timely statement. You could also let Jeanne Blankenship (jbship@att.net) know that you support this course of action. Feel free to use any of the wording in my original letter to ADA leaders. I also know that the HOD leaders found the Rudd Center video about childhood obesity compelling, so I am embedding it here as well. You can share it folks who may not understand your concerns.