Protruding Bellys

We've got our sunny days back in southern Cali, at this point I reflect: "were they ever really gone?" That means everyone's out and about sporting latest fashions. LA displays two extremes of sorts: the blonde bombshell about to topple over her newly implanted breasts and the teen popping out of her tshirt layered upon tshirt. My focus is drawn to the latter. 

My work, hence a big part of my life, circulates around obesity. So I can't help but be drawn to it in public. I must say that this low-riding jeans haven't really helped the cause. If someone really wants to succeed through this recession, find a way to make that "full figured teen" look appealing, not appalling. 

But I digress. I was cruising down Melrose Drive, passing Fairfax and see three youthful teens crossing the street. They look happy and chatty, but my eyes are quickly drawn down to the full expansion of their shirts; bright green, bright pink and orange-all stretched to capacity. I shake my head in disapproving shame and once again think, "why can't they control what they eat?" Soda. Gatorade. Firey Hot Cheetos. 

It's not but a second later that I catch myself, thank God. I never look at a malnourished person and think, "why can't they just eat enough, they look horrible!" Why is it okay on the other end? I realized that so much of myself and society carries an element of judgement and shame attached to obesity. Obesity entails failure, lack of discipline, laziness, recklessness and more. Unfortunately, we are passing these labels on to our little ones, to which we are giving the cheetos and chocolates in the first place. 

When there is a problem we always look for someone to blame. Is it Frito Lay, is it the mothers, hotmail which depends on add revenue? A lot of it starts at home in resisting a slue of mixed messages passed to our children on a daily basis. In school they are taught to "be healthy," then offered pizza, hamburger or french fries for lunch. McDonald's sell their food so cheap they almost pay us to eat it and then we plaster images of stick thin women wearing jeans near the mall and school. Lastly we talk about the importance of fitness, then remove the requirement of PE from two of their four years of high school! The "do as I say but not as I do" has yet to prove successful. Today I start with myself. Whether it be upon me or others, I will be mindful about the labels I cast upon the "obese and overweight" in America.