Does the toy icon need to lose a few pounds?
If Barbie is looking a little uh, different these days, there's a reason. Whether she's been slacking off at the gym or just hitting the fridge a little too hard, the blonde icon is now larger than life.
In a new effort to curb childhood obesity, an organization called Active Life is creating new ad campaigns using popular toys like Barbie and Superman and, well, making them fat. The tagline for the campaign is "Keep obesity away from your child." The hope, according to Active Life, is that the ads will encourage kids to get off the couch and exercise.
One ad depicts an overweight Barbie lying on her bed, holding a laptop, surrounded by empty cartons of food and soda cans.
Another popular ad features overweight toy pirates eating and drinking on their ship.
And the third ad shows a plumped-up Superman sitting on a chair, slurping up ice cream, and channel surfing.
Considering the constant barrage of messages kids are given about their weight, do we really need to ruin playtime with a lesson on body image? And speaking of which, cut Barbie some slack! She's either too fat or too thin -- enough already!
filed under: family
Email19 comments so far | Post a comment now >>
You know even if it doesn’t help curb obesity, Barbie sure does look hilarious in that shot!
- Two Thumbs Up
Toy Company Tip - maybe somebody could invent an inflatable/deflatable Barbie, complete with treadmill and Drive Thru, for all of Barbie’s ups and downs.
- Mary
This is the worst thing I have seen. Come on is it really cool to nake fun of obese people As they say There be for the grase of God go I. And I know I spelt that wrong
- carrie
I think these adds are fantastic. Our country is becoming very fat and maybe this will make someone think before stuffing another twinkie down there throat or giving it to their kids.
- Kristen
Lame
- Anonymous
I think its great. Kids need to see what can happen if they sit around watching tv, snacking and drinking soda all day! I dont think of it as making fun of obese people but making it real.
- Jenni
I think this is the wrong way to go about it. Nothing ever lasts or works long enough to have a real effect when your ‘scared’ into it. These ads are geared toward scaring off kids from fat. If they really want to make a difference try making exercise look fun and inviting.
- alwaysadorable
Yes, children should be taught how to eat healthy and exercise regulary but poking fun at obese people through popular toys and cartoons is not the way to go about it. I agree with the person above who said that the media should try making exercise look more fun and inviting. We need to nurture our childrens young minds not bombard them with unrealistic images of what may occur to ones body due to a poor diet.
- Victoria
I find myself surrounded by empty TaB cola cans!
- RMX
It’s up to the PARENTS to set the “exercising is fun” example…as far as these obese toys~enough already!I predict a huge rise in eating disorders coming in a few years with all of this obsession about weight—feed your kids right,turn off the tv,and go outside and play with them!
- lisa
There is no way these fat toys will ever make a child see he has to lose weight. The over weight child has enough to deal with than be called yet another name “fat barbie” This will pyschologically have a negative impact on the minds of children. I can’t believe our society has come to this!!!!
- Deborah
IF THIS COUNTRY REALLY WANTS TO STOP OBESITY, THEN STOP PUTTING ALL TOSE HORMONES IN THE FOODS THAT WE EAT! DO YOU REALIZE HOW MANY HORMONES ARE TRANSFERED FROM THE FOOD WHEN WE EAT IT…AND THEN THEY OR WE CANT FIGURE OUT WHERE OR HOW TO GET THE WEIGHT OFF! COME ON, WHY DO YOU THINK THE OTHER COUNTRIES DONT HAVE THIS PROBLEMS?? OPEN YOUR EYES AMERICA AND THEN OPEN YOUR MOUTHS AND SPEAK UP!!!
- Barb
why promote obesity, it is not healthy….trust me i am a big girl so i know!
- Janet
I don’t think it’s ever right using toys to teach what the parents should be teaching in the first place. Personally, if I were a kid (and we all know how cruel kids can be at times), I would be making fun of these characters, not really learning anything from them. My husband and I both have medical family history that carry a lot of baggage. When my daughter is old enough to understand, I will use these as part of the reason why staying healthy is important. I know people that can eat until food runs out their ears and still fit into the same small clothes they did in high school (and I’m talking this was ten years ago)!Food isn’t the problem. Our highly sedentary lifestyle can cause as much or more problems that just blaming food. Find out what interests your kid (they like video games, HELL~O Wii Sports/Fit anyone?) and try to make it a family fun thing. Go for family walks when the weather permits. Exercise doesn’t have to be gut busting or overly strenuous. Doing anything but sitting on your butt is good for you.
- Ju
Great! So is this my future as I sit hear on my bed in front of my laptop? Ok, minus the soda cans and food cartons, but dang, can’t a girl catch a break? lol! The worst….seriously, I don’t need MORE out there to tell my child they don’t look “healthy” or “normal” enough. Thanks Active Life, but I got this.
- NYCity Mama
People bitched cause Barbie was too skinny and a bad role model. Now this is good because Barbie is fat and she should loose weight? Give it a rest already!
- Brenda
This is the stupidest thing I have ever heard.
- Jane
Maybe they should show actresses, models and the original Barbie standing next to famine victims and skeletons. Or better yet vomiting into a toilet and pushing lettuce leaves and water away saying I’m full. Just because you’re overweight doesn’t mean you sit on the couch all day eating bon bons and watching tv or playing on a computer. The only thing this ad did was to teach children to make fun of someone different. Thank goodness I have taught my children to respect everyone no matter their differences and to stick up for others against bullies.
- aerialla
wrRYdG comment3 ,
- Jyxqxqxt
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