Hey Ya'll!
So, I previously mentioned that I was working on a book review, and I have finally finished it. Yay!
A while back I was meandering through Barnes and Noble trying to kill some time, when I saw a book that grabbed my attention. I saw the price tag though, and figured I would just wait and order it from Amazon.Fun fact: I cannot stand to spend more money than necessary on something.
The book came and I read it in about a week. I couldn't put it down. So, what is it about? The Heavy by Dara Lynn Weiss, is a mother's story about helping her young daughter lose weight. I realize that this is not a very palatable topic for many people, and the author does too, but this is not about aesthetics, it's about health.
The book is told from the author's perspective, and Weiss is touchingly, heartbreakingly honest. She unabashedly shares her journey, and the reader feels that they are fumbling along with her. She talks about her own personal challenges with body image and eating, but makes it clear that this is not what drives her feelings about her daughter's weight.
This book might make you uncomfortable; it made me uncomfortable. Talking about putting a child on a diet is something that seems wrong and difficult. As a society we tend to brush off childhood obesity as a phase or we judge the parents, assuming that they must be stuffing their child full of junk. I have to admit that I tended to feel both ways about childhood obesity before reading this book. If I saw an overweight child, I basically assumed that the child would grow out of it, or I assumed that the family must hit the drive-thru regularly, but this book changed that for me. The author and her family came from an upper-middle class New York family who tended to eat organic, natural foods and the author admits that she judged parents who took their children to fast food restaurants. What I found interesting was the author's shift in thinking about food and eating as her experience with her daughter progressed. As her thinking shifted, so did mine.
I admire the author for tackling such an important and tender topic in a way that is loving but direct. I think that this is an extremely important issue facing this country, and I think that far too many people are not taking it seriously.According to the CDC, "childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents over the past 30 years" and "in 2010 more than one third of children and teens were considered overweight or obese." (Source) It is a complex issue and there is no blanket solution, but the bottom line is that something must be done, dialogue must begin. Again, it is not about aesthetics, it is about health and the consequences are very real.
If you are interested in sociological topics, true-stories, narratives,or have an interest in health, fitness, or nutrition, then I think you would enjoy this book, and would benefit from reading it. If any of ya'll are interested in reading it let me know; I would be more than happy to lend you the book.
Fiercely,
Amanda
