Fit Tip #6:
Childhood Obesity: A Dark Cloud With A Silver Lining...if we look for it
Eric Cressey
May 2007
Obesity: The Dark Cloud That Continues To Rain
The night before the Boston Marathon, I made an impromptu trip to Wal-Mart to pick up an umbrella for the expected rainy race. As I was standing in line, a woman a few people ahead of me dropped something as she was loading her items onto the checkout conveyor belt. She was taking care of a small child, and didn’t reach down to pick it up right away.
Just a second or two later, a rather overweight kid from a few feet away started walking toward her; my first assumption was that he was going to help her out and pick it up. Instead, he walked right past the item on the floor, actually bumped her aside a bit, grabbed a bottle of Sunkist® from a cooler next to her, and then walked off.
After throwing a “what the heck?” look at the kid for a split-second, I walked the ten-feet or so over to the women and picked her item up, set it on the conveyor belt, and smiled. She said thank you, and that was that.
The bad news is that kids are getting fatter and fatter, people. The good news is that many of them are so rude that pretty soon we’ll be more occupied with their lousy behavior to be concerned with their “husky” profiles.
Not surprisingly, the two are intimately connected:
“Regardless of race or sex, increasing weight is associated with emotional and weight-related distress in children.”
(Young-Hyman D. et al. Psychological status and weight-related distress in overweight or at-risk-for-overweight children. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2006 Dec;14(12):2249-58.)
I’m going to go out on a limb and infer from the research and my anecdotal Wal-Mart observation that if a kid is overweight, leading to depression and distress, chances are that he’s going to be more likely to treat people like dirt. I was more sarcastic when I was an overweight kid, and as I’ve gotten older and into better shape, I’ve developed a sense of humor – not more bitter sarcasm.
Fitness: The Silver Lining
Anecdotally, I’ve seen athletes whose demeanors changed as their body fat percentage dropped all in a matter of months. The more self-confidence one has, the less likely he or she is to point out the shortcomings of others. The stronger and leaner one becomes, the more likely he or she is to help out an up-and-coming athlete. Physical health and appearance can literally transform one’s personality.
About three weeks ago, I got a thank you email out of the blue from the father of one of my athletes who had been overweight. This past summer, right as I began working with him, his son (a senior) verbally committed to a solid Division 1 program to play baseball. Since August, this athlete has trained with me 3-4 times a week and given tremendous effort day-in and day-out. He’s leaned out, packed on some muscle mass, gotten a ton stronger, and actually looks like an athlete now. When we lift now, it’s like he’s another coach in the room, helping the newer guys out – just like a team captain should. He's also brought in teammates to experience the same great results that he did because he recognized that it fed right back into his own success. Perhaps most impressively, though, is the fact that his father contacted me to let me know just how much of a difference it has made in the way he carries himself. He dresses differently (for the better), walks with his head and chest up, and flat-out treats people better.
Take Home Message
If we’re looking to improve the attitudes of “Generation Y” – athlete or not – we need to make exercise and nutrition integral parts of that battle. Feeling healthy is clearly an important element for success and happiness in and out of the gym.
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