Sunday, September 28, 2008

09.28.08: The Holy Grail of Weight Loss

During an Advertising Week panel last week in New York City, members of the Coalition for Healthy Children, lead by moderator Devika Bulchandani of McCann Erickson, converged to discuss the issue of childhood obesity. They talked about their combined efforts in the advertising world to educate kids about the need for a healthy diet and exercise.

The panelists -- Penny Royall, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health, Disease Prevention & Health Promotion; Mark Waller, Senior Vice President of Marketing & Sales for the National Football League; Mary Sophos, Senior Vice President & Chief Government Affairs Officer for the Grocery Manufacturers of America; and Kerry Hughes, senior vice president for advertising sales and partnerships at qubo --seem to agree that the message is getting out there.

The true challenge is changing other people's behavior. That is the Holy Grail of the obesity issue. What makes people want to change?

They believe these messages must be reinforced again and again before people will make true change -- and before obesity levels in adults and children drop.

If you're already well on your weight loss journey -- What did it take for you to change? Was it something you learned? Something you did? Or something that happened to you?

If you're feeling stuck, what is preventing you from changing that behavior?

1 comment:

Jessica said...

I volunteered at the Boys and Girls club in Hartford on Friday. I was amazed at how many overweight kids there were and I was amazed at how the club seemed to just throw candy at them...

I don't think it happens all the time, and I know that what I saw is just a snapshot. Perhaps they have nutritionists and eating education programs...

anyway, I was just surprised.