Introduction
It is important to note that one of the core objectives of kinesiology is to promote health. Therefore, it is in current and future kinesiologists’ best interest to engage in the battle against the obesity epidemic plaguing Americans and even the world. The documentary titled ‘Fed Up’ by Stephanie Soechtig provides an insightful message on what are the real underlying causes of the problem as well as the powerful forces behind obesity. Kinesiologists should help people fight obesity by providing the correct information on the extent to which exercise can help and calling out corporations using exercise as a shield, but the most impactful changes require comprehensive solutions.
Kinesiology and The Battle Against Obesity
Firstly, future kinesiologists can use the information presented in the documentary in the field of kinesiology by advocating and promoting health by providing the correct information on the extent to which exercise can aid. The experts throughout the documentary showcase that the food industry, especially the sugar industry, actively subverted the role sugar and processed food play in causing the obesity epidemic by shifting the focus to exercise (Soechtig, 2014). There is a clear trend correlation between fitness popularity increase and obesity, which means that exercise has become a cover for the big food (Soechtig, 2014). Even Michele Obama’s campaign to combat the problem was eventually hijacked by the big food to be no longer about the corporations but rather about exercise (Soechtig, 2014). Since kinesiologists primarily focus on the exercise part of the equation compared to nutrition, it is critical for professionals to honestly communicate that exercise is not a primary solution.
Therefore, future and current kinesiologists can help fight the battle against obesity by calling out the deceptive efforts of big food to shift the public’s attention from their poisonous products to exercise. It is vital to ensure that the public knows the limited role of exercise in preventing obesity. This can take the form of educating people on calories burnt through exercise compared to food portions and the real benefits of exercise conditioning. Although physical exercise and other aspects of movement can be phenomenally beneficial in many areas of human health, kinesiologists should be honest about it when it comes to obesity. Kinesiologists must not let corporations use movement and exercise as a solution to the problem they are causing.
Food Production and Consumption
Secondly, the changes implemented by the government so far have been ineffective, superficial, and too compromising for the benefit of the big food. However, for food consumption, Bill Clinton’s proposition to return to the purely cooked cafeteria with no involvement of big food to combat childhood obesity will have an impact (Soechtig, 2014). The documentary makes it evidently clear that big food targets children from a young age, and many of its products are aggressively introduced in cafeterias (Soechtig, 2014). These corporations are essentially abusing the vulnerability of children to make them addicted or ‘hooked’ on sugar from a young age to have lifelong customers. I think processed foods should come with a label similar to tobacco products, such as ‘This product contains sugar additives,’ ‘harmful for health,’ or ‘sugar kills.’
In the case of food production, the conflict of interest in the Department of Agriculture must be removed since it cannot be responsible for agriculture while at the same time making dietary guidelines for Americans. My opinion is that due to the severity of the problem, a separate department needs to be established to avoid any conflict of interest. The Department of Health has a conflict of interest since it manages the healthcare system and benefits from the illness as well. Food production should not be subsidized if the beneficiaries are not the farmers but the big food corporations (Soechtig, 2014). These subsidies provide an incentive to overproduce foods, such as corn, which can be used to produce sugar. As a result, sugar becomes a cheap and addictive product pushed on the public rather aggressively to maximize profits. Thus, I think all of these changes will have a massive impact, but they need to be implemented thoroughly and systematically.
Conclusion
In conclusion, kinesiologists should help people fight obesity by providing the correct information on the extent to which exercise can help and calling out corporations using exercise as a shield, but the impactful changes require comprehensive solutions. Since kinesiologists primarily focus on the exercise part of the equation compared to nutrition, it is critical for professionals to honestly communicate that exercise is not a primary solution. Future and current kinesiologists can help fight the battle against obesity by calling out the deceptive efforts of big food to shift the public’s attention from their poisonous products to exercise. The changes needed include a ban on marketing to children and food labels for adults, the removal of the conflict of interest in the Department of Agriculture, and the elimination of subsidies. It is important to note that these propositions will have a significant impact only if they are integrated systematically and thoroughly.
Reference
Soechtig, S. (2014). Fed up [Film]. The Weinstein Company.