Jordin Sparks: Too Fat to Be American Idol?

By now, most of us have heard the same messages over and over from various media outlets--eat healthier, exercise more, and lose the extra weight. While the benefits of following a varied, nutritious diet and engaging in vigorous physical activity at least a few times a week are undeniable, some individuals and groups are beginning to take the call to drop excess pounds too far.

The National Association Against Obesity (NAAO) appears to be a well meaning enough organization. Its president, MeMe Roth, has made various appearances on Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC, and has been featured in the New York Times and Post, among other prominent publications. Ms. Roth and her association have publicly supported the ban of trans fats in restaurants, argued against the use of Shrek to promote junk food to children, and made other familiar complaints against purveyors of fatty snacks.

At first glance, then, Ms. Roth and the NAAO appear to be another one of the countless organizations concerned with the nation's health. Indeed, this has lead to Roth gaining credibility and quickly becoming a television personality of sorts. However, when one examines the press releases of the NAAO, as well as some of Ms. Roth's proclamations, it becomes clear that this is an organization and a leader that are extreme and dangerous to the nation's well-being in various ways.

For example, Roth went on record before the 2007 American Idol finale on Your World with Neil Cavuto saying that Jordin Sparks should not win the title. Why? Because she was overweight, she would not be a good role model. During the program, Ms. Roth said that "When I look at Jordin, what I see is heart disease, I see diabetes, I see high blood pressure." While the dearth of larger women in various media is well documented and considered to be a tremendous problem, it appears that Ms. Roth would only like to see tighter restrictions on who can and cannot appear on television--for the safety of our children.

Appearing on CNN's Paula Zahn, Ms. Roth offered additional thoughts on the well being of the nation's youth, saying that letting children become overweight and obese amounts to child abuse, and arguing for the government's ability to intervene when children start gaining unnecessary weight. Ms. Roth claims that the government should "get involved sooner when we first start seeing signs. . .just as we would if we were seeing early bruises or if there were signs the child was not being properly cared for at home."

In addition to advocating frightening Big Brother scenarios where the government can seize your child for gaining a few pounds, Ms. Roth apparently wants to set back the gains accomplished by feminism at least a century. She and her organization recently instituted a "wedding gown challenge" to American wives, saying that "Women commit fraud on their wedding days" by losing weight for the big day and regaining it in the course of the marriage. According to her, wives should be able to fit into their wedding gowns year after year. Of course, there is no mention of a tuxedo challenge for the men.

Ms. Roth's continued television presence could very well legitimate and normalize her extreme viewpoint and cause a great deal of suffering for overweight and obese persons and their families, and even those who are not technically overweight. Sadly, her position as a media darling seems to only strengthen with time, but everyone should be aware of her radical beliefs and listen with at least partial skepticism and extreme caution.

Sources:

www.actionagainstobesity.com