BLOG 131 DANGER: TEEN BINGE EATING
Childhood obesity has been on the rise and it’s a direct
reflection of lifestyle and eating choices. We live in a world where most things
are a click away or convenient. Technology is the new form of playing with your
friends. Less talk, less action, less movement. I recently watched a
documentary on Amazon Prime called, “Danger: Teen Binging” (2015), in which 3
teenagers were obese and the movie documented how they coped with this on a day
to day basis. Let me share what this film was about with you.
Of course seeing overweight teens is no surprise to me. In
fact, everyday around 3pm I see students walking home from school with some
sugary beverage in one hand and a bag of chips in the other from AM/PM. They
have been sitting all day at school only to go home and sit more, have their
terrible snack, and then eat again at dinner. The only good part is the WALK
home. I can’t remember getting home before 5pm from school from sports
practices and activities. Adding that it if I was home, I was outside with my
neighbors playing until it got too dark. Times have changed. Now with school being online and sports cancelled, the problem has only exasperated itself.
In this documentary, we learn that 1 in 5 children are
obese. Many reach a point of no return, meaning once they reach adulthood, it
is too late to lose this weight. Their metabolism has been ruined and their
only hope is surgery. Children as young as 12 are having gastric bypass
surgery. The opening scene is of a devastated family whose daughter, Samantha,
ate herself to death. She died as a teen from her destructive eating habits
that led to such terrible health.
Then the film looked at 3 others teens. Harry was 14 years
old, heavy set, but did not even know his current weight. To him, there was no
problem. But his parents fought over this issue. He used his bubbly, comedic
personality to hide from the truth of his weight. He was the class clown, loved
by all, and has his own YouTube Channel. He loved to cook, but had alternative
motives to eat many of the ingredients during the process. Harry wanted to be a
pilot when he grows up, so his dad had him undergo the real medical evaluation
for this process to prove to him that his dreams were unrealistic given his
current habits. The army-like nature of his father versus the caring concern of
his mother created a recipe for disaster. Regardless, Harry refuses to diet and
doesn’t want to waist his childhood starving himself.
Jess was 16 years old. She was bullied at school and comes
from a mother who had weight issues herself. Her mom had gastric bypass surgery
and she is headed down the same path. Her typical snack is a Frappuccino and
bag of chips.
Holly, who was 14 years old suffered from body anxiety. She
rarely attended school and her mother was even fined for this. She sees her
skinny sister and wonders why she is overweight. Holly is the type who keeps
her emotions bottled up.
All 3 teens used food for comfort and pleasure. In the end,
they started light activity but ultimately, they didn’t want to change. This
means their adult lives will be marked by health issues and weight related
issues. The documentary was nothing out the ordinary or shocking, but proves
the point that children today need to get moving. Movement is critical so there
needs to be a form of activity that is tolerable to them on a daily basis.
Looks like the parents are up for a challenge. At the studio, I want to
encourage every BODY to lead by example and be part of an active family
environment. This is teamwork as you become the best version of yourself.
Danger: Teen Binging (2007) by Ed Kellie, &Katy Lock
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