Duane Hicks
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Headlines from around the world about obesity are becoming more common every day, but what is being done to change the blame-based model of obesity, which links it to lack of willpower and laziness?
What is being done to change people’s perceptions of food as a substance that can be abused just the same as alcohol or tobacco? What is being done to encourage binge eaters to develop a health relationship with food?
Thunder Bay resident Paul Murphy, a recovering binge eater who advocates he is “Against Obesity, Not Against Obese People,” has been working hard for the past year to try and raise awareness of obesity-related issues and get a dialogue going in Northwestern Ontario.
And it now looks like he finally might start getting heard.
Murphy, who some readers may remember from an article in the Aug. 27, 2008 edition of the Fort Frances Times, was interviewed last week by the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN).
“It’s thrilling,” he said of the experience, adding that aside from the article in the Times last summer, he’s had a very difficult time getting media coverage.
“I am hoping that more things will happen [because of the APTN interview],” he noted. “But the goal here is creating a discussion. I do not have the answer, that’s not what this is about.”
The interview aired Friday through Sunday on APTN National News, and now can be found at APTN.ca
Murphy said he also has contacted Maclean’s, and is hopeful to get his story featured in that magazine.
He stressed he’s not looking for personal recognition—he just wants to get a dialogue going regarding what he feels is a very important topic, starting with people in this region.
“Let’s look at why we’re using words like ‘lifestyle,’ ‘unhealthy eating, ‘lack of willpower.’ Why aren’t we talking about the other complex factors?” Murphy wondered.
“There’s a story on my ‘Facebook’ page that talks about the relationship between the strong fast food industry and obesity epidemic. That’s a huge, huge thing,” he remarked.
Murphy said he’s obtained letters of support from Thunder Bay-Superior North MPP Michael Gravelle, Thunder Bay-Atikokan MPP Bill Mauro, Thunder Bay Mayor Lynn Peterson, former Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP Ken Boshcoff, and Health Promotion minister Margarett Best, and has had contact with Dr. David Butler-Jones, the chief health officer of Canada.
As well, he’s talked to about 3,000 people from across the region regarding obesity, and is in the process of contacting mayors and chiefs from each community to have them organize a roundtable discussion on obesity and what can be done either in their respective communities or the region as a whole.
“The intent is to find interested parties to participate in a discussion,” Murphy noted.
“The idea of rolling up your sleeves and creating an intervention means you open the page and look at all the factors,” he later added.
Murphy said he’s had quite a bit of success with the online community, but wants to make that same breakthrough with people here in Northwestern Ontario.
“The number of people who have been reaching out [online] and saying, ‘It’s been like this for me,’ or ‘It’s been like that for me,’ it’s amazing,” he enthused. “We’ve got 6,300 views [on YouTube].
“The idea of just talking about it is enough to start it off.
“There are people all over North America and all over the world that are sending feedback,” he later added. “A lot of people recognize they have been faced with discrimination because of obesity.”
For a plethora of obesity-related videos clips and articles, people can visit YouTube and type in “Obesity Thunder Bay” or look for Murphy on “Facebook.”
