Greg Crister's "Too Much of a Good Thing"

Critique of Greg Crister's "Too much of a Good Thing"

Greg Crister, the author of the op-ed essay that was featured in the Los Angeles Times, "Too Much of a Good Thing," argues that in order to stop obesity, we should stigmatize overeating. Crister states that we should place shame on overeating due to the rising obesity epidemic that faces the world today. The U.N. proclaims that "obesity is a dominant unmet global health issue, with Westernized countries topping the list." Crister states that twenty five percent of all Americans under the age of nineteen are either obese or overweight. Children are becoming more obese, and more out of hand with their weight, and something needs to be done to try and solve the obesity epidemic. In our society, stigmatization of overeating may have positive results; however, by itself, it will not solve the worldwide childhood obesity epidemic.

In Crister's essay, he states that in order to solve the problem of childhood obesity, we must stigmatize the unhealthy behaviors that cause obesity. Crister says that this epidemic should be treated swiftly because of the expensive medical costs to treat people with obesity related illnesses such as diabetes, coronary heart disease, and crippling bone conditions. Crister states that these stigmatizing tactics have worked in the past, with situations such as smoking and unprotected sex, and that these tactics can also work with the obesity epidemic. Crister writes that children respond positively to dietary advice, and that we should implement dietary restraint to prevent children from overeating. He states that this would be very effective, as there are studies that indicate that children do not know when they are full.

Crister mentions ...

... middle of paper ...

...must be held accountable for their children, and they must be aware of their children's health and eating habits.

Crister's essay "Too Much of a Good Thing" is a decent proposal for stigmatizing overeating; however, it is no more than a simple solution for a very complex problem that plaques the world today. For example, stigmatization may increase the likelihood that children may become more obese from the pressure exerted from stigmatization. There are also many genetic factors that may play a role in obesity in children. Altogether, Crister's proposal would help to partially solve the problem with childhood obesity, but it is not suitable for a complete solution (461-63).

Works Cited

Crister, Greg. "Too much of a Good Thing." Writing and Reading across the Curriculum. Eds. Laurence Behrens and Leonard F. Rosen. New York: Longman, 2003. 461-63.