Diabetes Campaign Infuriates Parents

Filed in archive News on March 19, 2006

The intentions were good, but perhaps more research would have been helpful.

California's First 5 Commission recently invested nearly 12 million dollars developing television ads aimed at fighting childhood obesity. A noble effort, but in lumping all types of diabetics together, the ads' creators raised the ire of parents with diabetic children.

The ads depict children yammering for grease and sugar, and asking their father to "buy me some diabetes." They warn that bad eating habits can cause diabetes that will cut their young lives short by 26 years.

Parents said the ads are insensitive and do not distinguish between the type of diabetes that can strike a child as a toddler _ and may have nothing to do with diet or obesity _ and the more common form of diabetes, which typically afflicts overweight adults.

The ads will be reworked to better reflect the differences.

What do you think? Should the ads continue to air without change, or is it necessary to acknowledge the differences in types of diabetes, in order to make true progress?