'VJ's Fat Experience': What It's Really Like To Be An Overweight Child (VIDEO)

We often speak about childhood obesity in America in terms of statistics -- one of every nine children is overweight^[1] . But, there are real people behind those numbers.

Now, a new video^[2] produced by "The Fat Experience Project,"^[3] illustrated by Stacy Bias, goes beyond the data and, as the group explains on their website^[4] , "humanizes" the experience.

Adult narrator, VJ, tells her very personal story about being 10 years old and shamed for her weight. A nun at parochial school sent her home with a note, suggesting that VJ be taken to the doctor to deal with it. Her mother obliged, only to be taken to task by a medical professional. "He even insinuated that she was a bad mother because I was large," VJ recalls.

The doctor told VJ’s mom their family would lose public assistance if she didn’t send her daughter to an inpatient facility for kids with severe asthma and diabetes. As VJ says, "Apparently, fat was so bad that I had to be put in a facility."

VJ's most heartbreaking realization: "I learned that other people could be really cruel."

Studies have shown that kids as young as 4 learn to discriminate against heavier people^[5] and overweight kids are more likely to be bullied^[6] at school -- and at home^[7] .

“We believe that, at the root of discrimination and judgment, there is often an unfortunate lack of basic understanding,” The Fat Experience Project^[8] says in its mission. “We believe that conversation -- hearing the truth of others, and speaking our own truths -- can be a healing force.”

(hat tip Jezebel)^[9]

Earlier on HuffPost:

Loading Slideshow

• 
  

  17 Percent Of Children And Adolescents Are Obese

  
  

  According to the Center For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/17/childhood-obesity-linked-health-problems_n_2497054.html" target="_blank">17% (or 12.5 million) of kids and adolescents aged 2 - 19</a> years in the United States are now obese.

  
  


• 
  

  Obesity Rates Among Kids Ages 2-5 Have Doubled In 30 Years

  
  

  <a href="http://www.letsmove.gov/sites/letsmove.gov/files/Let_s_Move_Child_Care_Fact_Sheet.pdf" target="_blank">The rate</a> among this age group <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/obesity_child_07_08/obesity_child_07_08.htm" target="_blank">increased</a> from 5% to 10.4% in 1976-1980 and 2007-2008.

  
  


• 
  

  One In Five Kids Is Overweight By Age 6

  
  

  <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/obesity/facts.htm" target="_blank">Obese kids are more likely to also be obese as adults</a>, which <a href="http://www.letsmove.gov/sites/letsmove.gov/files/Let_s_Move_Child_Care_Fact_Sheet.pdf" target="_blank">puts them at risk</a> for heart disease, diabetes, and more adult health problems.

  
  


• 
  

  Over Half Of Obese Children First Become Overweight By Age 2

  
  

  These kids are even <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/obesity/facts.htm" target="_blank">more likely</a> to <a href="http://www.letsmove.gov/sites/letsmove.gov/files/Let_s_Move_Child_Care_Fact_Sheet.pdf" target="_blank">become obese adults</a>.

  
  


• 
  

  The Childhood Obesity Rate Has Almost Tripled Since 1980

  
  

  <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/obesity_child_07_08/obesity_child_07_08.htm" target="_blank">CDC data</a> shows that there was an increase in the pervasiveness of obesity in the American population between 1976-1980 and then again from 1999-2000, the prevalence of obesity increased.

  
  


• 
  

  One In Seven Low-Income Preschoolers Is Obese

  
  

  Obesity in <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2009/r090723.htm" target="_blank">low-income 2- to 4-year-olds</a> rose from 12.4% of the population in 1998 to 14.5% in 2003 but increased to 14.6% in 2008.

  
  


• 
  

  Less Than Half Of Preschoolers Consume Two Daily Servings Of Fruit

  
  

  And only 25% of kids in this age group get the recommended three daily serving of vegetables. One way to make sure your child gets the <a href="http://www.letsmove.gov/sites/letsmove.gov/files/Let_s_Move_Child_Care_Fact_Sheet.pdf" target="_blank">amount of fruit and vegetables that they need</a> is to serve them at every meal.

  
  


• 
  

  One-Third Of High School Students Get The Recommended Amount Of Exercise

  
  

  <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/physicalactivity/facts.htm" target="_blank">In 2011, only 29% of high-schoolers</a> in a survey participated in 60 minutes of physical activity each day, which is the amount recommended by the CDC. <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/guidelines/children.html" target="_blank">It’s best for kids to get three different types of exercise</a>: aerobic activity, like walking or running, muscle strengthening activities like push-ups or pull-ups and bone strengthening activities like jumping rope.

  
  


• 
  

  Childhood Obesity Is Linked To A Wide Range Of Health Problems

  
  

  High blood pressure, diabetes and other cardiovascular issues have been previously tied to obesity. But <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/17/childhood-obesity-linked-health-problems_n_2497054.html?utm_hp_ref=childhood-obesity" target="_blank">a 2013 study</a> found that obesity also puts kids at risk for other health issues such as ADHD, allergies and ear infections.

  
  


• 
  

  The Food Industry Spends Over $1.6 Billion To Market To Kids Each Year

  
  

  This<a href="http://www.ftc.gov/os/2008/07/P064504foodmktingreport.pdf" target="_blank"> number was documented by the FTC in 2008</a>.<a href="http://www.apa.org/topics/kids-media/food.aspx" target="_blank"> According to the APA</a>, there are strong associations between the increase in junk food advertising to kids and the climbing rate of childhood obesity.

  
  


• 
  

  Related Links

  
  

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/17/childhood-obesity-linked-health-problems_n_2497054.html" target="_blank">Childhood Obesity Linked To Wide Range Of Health Problems </a> <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/09/healthy-weight-kids-strict-lunch_n_3045355.html?utm_hp_ref=childhood-obesity" target="_blank">Healthy Weight In Kids Tied To Strict School Lunch Standards </a> <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/28/kids-meals-fail-nutrition-test_n_2969810.html?utm_hp_ref=childhood-obesity" target="_blank">Kids' Meals At Major Chains Fail Nutrition Test</a>

  
  

• Contribute to this Story:


• Send us a tip^[10]


• Send us a photo or video^[11]


• Suggest a correction^[12]

References

1. ^{^} one of every nine children is overweight (www.huffingtonpost.com)


2. ^{^} a new video (www.youtube.com)


3. ^{^} "The Fat Experience Project," (thefatexperience.com)


4. ^{^} the group explains on their website (thefatexperience.com)


5. ^{^} learn to discriminate against heavier people (www.theatlantic.com)


6. ^{^} more likely to be bullied (health.usnews.com)


7. ^{^} and at home (well.blogs.nytimes.com)


8. ^{^} The Fat Experience Project (thefatexperience.com)


9. ^{^} (hat tip Jezebel) (jezebel.com)


10. ^{^} Send us a tip (www.huffingtonpost.com)


11. ^{^} Send us a photo or video (www.huffingtonpost.com)


12. ^{^} Suggest a correction (www.huffingtonpost.com)