Kids, dieting and body image

Guests: Charlotte Markey, Virginia Sole-Smith

A new Weight Watchers app for kids called Kurbo is receiving criticism from parents and some experts who say the app could damage children’s self-esteem and put them at risk for developing eating disorders. Weight Watchers has defended the app, saying that it is part of their mission to “inspire healthy habits for real life, for everyone,” So, with one in five children classified as obese in the United States, should children be dieting? This hour, we’ll talk about the best ways to teach kids healthy habits while maintaining a positive body image. And we’ll discuss the impact that pop culture, social media and technology is having on how kids see themselves. Guest host Tracy Matisak talks with CHARLOTTE MARKEY, professor of psychology at Rutgers University at Camden, and VIRGINIA SOLE-SMITH, author of The Eating Instinct: Food Culture, Body Image and Guilt in America.