Thank You Shaq!
Shaquille O’Neal is making a difference! While many harp on the topic of childhood obesity, very few are at the ground level actually making a difference. It’s one thing to complain about a problem, and another to actually do something about the problem.
It’s nice to see a big name such as Shaq getting involved.
Let’s hope that parents around the world are watching this show. I’ve never seen a 10 year old go grocery shopping on his own. His or her parents are buying and supplying the junk food that leads to obesity.
Clean up your refrigerator and turn off the video games! It’s summer! Get outside and do something with your kids.
Ross Enamait
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While I applaud Shaq for getting involved in making a difference I think the show focuses on the wrong thing–losing weight. It should be about gaining fitness, and instead of setting a goal to lose a certain amount of weight, the goals should be fitness-oriented, such as doing a certain number of push ups and situps and pull ups and running a specific distance in a specific time, etc.
I agree with you in theory, but a young child has no concern over fitness achievements (at least not now). They first need to lose the weight, and in doing so, hopefully will gain an appreciation/interest/respect FOR fitness, upon which time they can work towards their own personal goals/interests.
Ross
another reason that it’s important for kids to lose weight is the impact upon their self-esteem–some kids will tease overweight kids, and thus the kids feel bad about themselves. over time, such taunting leads to feelings of disempowerment that can manifest as learned victimhood, fear of trying new things, feelings of alienation, etc.
children deserve parents who empower them, who teach them to believe in themselves and their ability to learn and do…propagating obesity is the opposite of this.
Shaq needs to stop endorsing burger king and pepsi if he wants to make a real change. kids see him in those commercials and they think that stuff is ok to ingest.