Maggie’s Diet

By Andrea Lucado, at Her.meneutics, and there’s more at the link:

And what say you?

With a title like Maggie Goes on a Diet, it’s hard to believe author and publisher Paul Kramer did not anticipate the criticism he and his publishing house would receive when the book recently appeared on Amazon for pre-order. Not even in print yet, this book has been hurtled into the middle of the ongoing debate regarding childhood obesity, eating disorders, and how exactly to teach young children about healthy eating habits.

If the title doesn’t make you cringe, maybe the product description will: “This book is about a 14-year-old girl who goes on a diet and is transformed from being extremely overweight and insecure to a normal sized girl who becomes the school soccer star. Through time, exercise and hard work, Maggie becomes more and more confident and develops a positive self image.” Add to that the book’s reading level — ages 4 to 8 — and the cover image of an overweight girl imagining a thinner self in the mirror, and the result seems more likely to cause psychological damage than a desire to eat better and exercise.

The public’s reaction is split. Some believe the book at least provides a healthy alternative to poor eating and no exercise; others say it could spark eating disorders. Time quotes psychologist Carolyn Becker, who sides against the title: “They are trying to promote healthier behavior, but at the same time they’re likely promoting weight stigma. . . . For some people, getting healthier may or may not lead to significant weight loss. It’s also quite possible to lose weight on an unhealthy diet.” Yet many believe Maggie’s approach to weight loss is healthy and applaud her efforts. As the Los Angeles Times wrote, “The key — as Maggie discovered — is not only to eat healthier foods but to exercise.”

As reasonable as the Times sounds, something that stems from years of images of perfect bodies thrust in our faces has many women in an uproar about Maggie’s experience.

Despite my strong feelings, I do not believe Kramer has malicious intent.