Diabetic Barbie Dolls

By Robin Itzler 

Editor's Note:  This is one of the commentaries selected from Robin's weekly newsletter Patriot Neighbors.  If you wish to get the full edition, E-mail her at PatriotNeighbors@yahoo.com to get on her list, it's free.

Ruth Handler, co-founder of Mattel, introduced the iconic Barbie doll to the public on March 9, 1959, during the American Toy Fair in New York City. Barbie was wearing a black and white swimsuit but also had dresses in her wardrobe.

Barbie was the first mass-produced doll in the United States that had adult features. Until then, dolls were babies or toddlers. It wasn’t until 1999 that Mattel gave Barbie a belly button.

Since Barbie’s introduction, Mattel had been accused of promoting an unhealthy body image. Starting in 2016, the company began manufacturing Barbie’s showing different body styles. Today, there is a Barbie for most every ethnicity, career, weight, and time period. Several weeks ago, Mattel introduced its diabetic Barbie. This Barbie has Type 1 diabetes and features a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) and insulin pump.

As Health and Human Service Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. focuses on how to Make America Healthy Again, he wants to know why our children are becoming diabetic at such an early age. The numbers are increasing for Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. There's big difference between the weight of young people in 1950 versus 2025.  Being overweight is not the reason in every case, but childhood obesity is a major risk factor for Type 2 diabetes.

America's Obesity: We’re growing wider

According to Brilliant Maps, the obesity rate in many states exceeds 30 percent with some states surpassing 40 percent. Most states are above European nations. Is anyone surprised? Kids today aren’t bicycling or skateboarding, they are sitting or standing still on powered bikes or boards. Adults will move their car from one end of a shopping strip rather than walk.

Most European countries are below 25 percent, and a good number are even less than 15 percent.

Here is a sampling of states and their current obesity rates. We would have listed all 50 states but it’s time for lunch and our bacon and cheeseburger with fries and a vanilla shake are on the dining room table. (Just kidding …)

West Virginia 40.6, Louisiana 38.6%, Ohio 37.7%,Texas 36.1%, Alaska 33.5%, New York 29.1%, Florida 28.0%,  California 27.6%, Colorado 25.1%, Hawaii 25.0%  

Click here to read the Newsweek article that features an interactive US Map that shows the obesity rate in every state.