Can Popeye rescue the health budget?
Posted by Dave Bath on 2007-07-20
Childhood obesity (and by implication the health budget) is in the news again, and this week’s New Scientist (Editorial and feature) suggests to me that Popeye could be part of the answer.
NS, while talking about other successful programs, discusses a TV show (with Irish government support and a WHO gong) in which cartoon superheroes (the Food Dudes) are able to battle the forces of evil after downing their fruit and veg.
Well an ancient (since 1929) cartoon called Popeye who got his superstrength after scoffing his spinach, with a slim heroine (Olive Oyl, obviously not prone to cardiovascular disease, although I don’t know if she was into mediterranean food), a sidekick (Wimpey) who was pretty useless and obese from his hamburger addiction and a cute baby (Swee’Pea). That’s positive and negative reinforcement. It worked for me when I was a kid.
As an aside, there’s even a (US) "Popeye" brand of spinach and recipes (the spinach-stuffed mushrooms look good to me).
So, parents, buy those budget cartoon DVDs, play your kiddies the movie with Robin Williams, and start putting some decent spinach courses on the table – not just the green goo of my childhood.
OMG, did I just do a cooking post?
Popeye is a copyright character of King Features Syndicate
Robin Williams and Shelley Duval as Popeye and Olive
