Disney shuts down, retools obesity exhibit after critics complain

(CBS/AP) Walt Disney World calls itself the "happiest place on earth." But its latest Epcot exhibit, Habit Heroes, could have made obese children unhappy, critics say. After receiving complaints about the exhibit shortly after its unofficial opening in February, the park closed it down and is retooling the attraction.

Habit Heroes featured animated fitness superheroes "Will Power" and "Callie Stenics" and super-sized villains "Snacker" and "Lead Bottom", who eat junk food and watch too much television. Critics said these characters are insensitive and reinforce stereotypes that obese children are lazy and have poor eating habits.

Obesity can sometimes be attributed to genetics and certain medications, and food can be used as a coping mechanism, doctors say.

"We're appalled to learn that Disney, a traditional hallmark of childhood happiness and joy, has fallen under the shadow of negativity and discrimination," the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance said in a statement.

"I was really disturbed to see the most negative habits were attached to really fat bodies," Peggy Howell, a spokeswoman for the group, said after viewing a companion website. "These pictures further the stigma against people of higher body weight."

Some doctors agreed.

"It's so dumbfounding it's unreal," Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, an assistant professor of family medicine, told the Calgary Herald. "I just can't believe somebody out there thought it was a good idea to pick up where the school bullies left off and shame kids on their vacation."

The official opening has been postponed indefinitely, the Orlando Sentinel reported Thursday.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield partnered with Disney to create the exhibit. Blue Cross spokesman John W. Herbkersman said the exhibit was meant to be helpful.

"Our goal is to ensure that the attraction conveys a positive message about healthy lifestyles in a fun and empowering way," Herbkersman said. "To work on further improving and refining the experience, the attraction is closed for the time being. We look forward to officially opening it soon."

Added Disney spokeswoman Kathleen Prihoda: "That's why we have a soft opening. So we can open it up to others and listen. We've heard the feedback."

Childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years, according to the CDC. Obese kids are at higher risk for heart disease, diabetes, bone and joint problems, social and psychological problems, and many types of cancer.

Healthy lifestyle habits, such as healthy eating and physical activity, are the best way to prevent or eliminate obesity.

"Obesity can sometimes be attributed to genetics and certain medications, and food can be used as a coping mechanism, doctors say" - yeah, and it can also be attributed to eating too much junk food and doing fuck-all exercise. Which these days do you think is the more common reason? Hint to parents: if little johnny is feeling sad because the disney exhibit makes him remember that he's fat, and you try to make him feel better by giving him a big bag of candy or a tub of ice-cream, the problem isn't with disney....

Childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past thirty years...

Yes, it probably has. My question is why? What has happened in the past 30 years that may be atrributed to this?

Dennis324 wrote:
Yes, it probably has. My question is why? What has happened in the past 30 years that may be atrributed to this?

I blame MTV, Nintendos, lawyers and paedos. MTV came out in 1981 and the NES and Mario Brothers came out in 1983, and the combination heralded in the age where you don't have to get up off the couch to get entertained any more. Then, the lawyers came into the equation when if little jimmy fell over in the school playground and cut his knee, instead of dusting him off and sending him back out, the parents started suing the school for damages. So, the places where kids used to go to for exercise started getting lumped with huge insurance costs and so started cutting back/closing down so they didn't get sued. Then the media started the whole paedo scare thing so that instead of the kids being left off to go running around outside to burn off all their energy, parents stared keeping them indoors so that they didn't get snatched by some perv. So, kids have no outlets for exercise any more.

I think you're right. When I was growing up we were outside AL the time. I was raised on a farm, ripping and running around playing war and cowboys and stuff like that. We built tree houses, rode bicycles and horses. We burned off a awful lot of energy that way.

Today the children of my peers do NONE of that. They sit around indoors, watching tv and getting underfoot. The whole family used to get together on holidays and we were always outside playing sports, football and baseball, etc. Our parent MADE us get out of the house coz we were driving them crazy.

The children of my former playmates sit inside and aggrevate the snot out of us now and the parents just sit there and let em. Drives me nuts.

Dennis324 wrote:
The children of my former playmates sit inside and aggrevate the snot out of us now and the parents just sit there and let em. Drives me nuts.

Yeah, they should just throw them out the door and make them get exercise. If there are paedos around, it'll just teach the kids to run faster :-P