Childhood obesity has become a central concern in many countries
and a range of policies have been proposed or implemented to
address it. This co-authored book is the first to focus on the
complex set of ethical and policy issues that childhood obesity
raises. Throughout the book, authors Kristin Voigt, Stuart G.
Nicholls, and Garrath Williams emphasize that childhood obesity is
a multi-faceted phenomenon, and just one of many issues that
parents, schools and societies face. They argue that it is
important to acknowledge the resulting complexities and not to
think in terms "single-issue" policies. After first reviewing some
of the factual uncertainties about childhood obesity, the authors
explore central ethical questions. What priority should be given to
preventing obesity? To what extent are parents responsible? How
should we think about questions of stigma and inequality? In the
second part of the book, the authors consider key policy issues,
including the concept of the aobesogenic environment,a debates
about taxation and marketing, and the role that schools can play in
obesity prevention. The authors argue that political debate is
needed to decide the importance given to childhood obesity and how
to divide responsibilities for action. These debates have no simple
answers. Nonetheless, the authors argue that there are reasons for
hope. There are a wide range of opportunities for action. Many of
these options also promise wider social benefits. "This book
provides a welcome re-appraisal of commonly-held beliefs about
child obesity and misconceptions about what needs to be done. The
authors expose the futility of holding parents responsible for
children's unhealthy behaviour, they challenge the assumption that
education and family support will solve the problem, and they
condemn the prejudice and stigma which surround the narrative of
blame. The book shows convincingly how the causes of obesity - and
the range of associated diseases - lie in the fabric of the modern
market economy: in the food supply which shapes our diets, the
social and physical environment which encourages sedentary
behaviour, and in the media which promote ever greater consumption.
Obesity is not the problem: it is the symptom of a more complex
social and economic malaise encouraging poor health. The case for
interventions by governments to promote health and wellbeing above
crude economic growth is comprehensively proven." - Dr. Tim
Lobstein, Director of Policy and Programmes, The International
Association for the Study of Obesity and The International Obesity
Task Force A well-researched, highly critical, but carefully
balanced examination of everyday assumptions about childhood
obesity and its prevention from an intensely moral perspective.
Although the authors demonstrate that no intervention is without
ethical complications or effective entirely on its own, they call
for immediate actions to reduce the stigma of childhood obesity,
support parents, and create food environments healthier for
children, adults, and the environment.- Marion Nestle, Paulette
Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health,
NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
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