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Diet Crazy Mums

As a follow on from a number of posts I’ve featured on dieting and body image*, I thought I’d share this recent segment I did on channel 9’s Mornings Show; I am one of the program’s resident parenting experts and their body image spokesperson.

Whilst it would be easy to dismiss the new reality television series we discuss here, “Diet Cray Mums”, as merely extremist nonsense, in reality I think it illuminates many beliefs and behaviours that have become mainstream. An irrational fear of fat and the willingness to do anything to “save” one’s child from being larger. The belief that if we fit a narrow ideal of beauty we will be loved, happy and successful. An obsession with monitoring weight, rather than a focus on health…

Take a look and let me know what you think. Are many of us guilty of being “diet crazy” too?

If you continue watching my Youtube channel after the “Diet Crazy Mums” segment finishes, more vision of my Mornings Interviews will play. In fact, it is immediately followed by a related debate with fitness expert Amelia Burton on the suggestion we should be weighing primary school aged children in our schools.

* More posts on dieting and body image that have been featured on this blog include:

Unpacking the diet industry’s false promises

The toxic message in Facebook teen health and fitness sites 

Generation Cleanskin (a three part series that starts here)

Body image and self-esteem programs: What really works? 

The weight-loss industry has no place in our schools

Published inParentsPower of Words

2 Comments

  1. Jane Higgins

    Scales are for fish – NOT children!
    You can see and feel your passion for this topic Danni – the interviewer kind of misses the point though in arguing we should just not watch it. It will not go away until we change things for our girls. I agree that this show is just a macrocosm of the microcosm of what is occurring in many homes world wide. If we as mothers only focus on our looks, size and shape as our worth then what else will our girls think!

  2. Lynne

    Fundamental to this issue is for parents to address their own issues around food & body image. I know you’ve talked about this Danni but I can’t stress enough how important I believe this is. An untreated eating disorder or prejudice (against overweight people) has the most influence on attitudes & behaviour in my experience.

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