This information is copied from another forum for parents of children with diabetes: "I don't even know where to begin about this. I am trying to relax, reading my newly arrived Elle magazine (Jan 09), in between yelling at the boys not to kill each other. I start to read an article titled "Meme Roth's War." Meme Roth is a supposed antiobesity activist. Apparently the lack of calories has not only shrunk her body, but also her brain. I quote from the article, "They call them Happy Meals, but they won't be so happy when they get juvenile diabetes." Well, thank goodness now we all know where our child got this from-- from eating Happy Meals. This kind of drivel makes me ill. To think she is spreading this misinformation through thousands of magazines and according to the article she appears on TV and radio shows about once a week. The email address for letters to the editor is elleletters@hfmus.com. I'm off to write my letter. I hope you all do the same." I've already written my letter and I hope you guys will do the same.
I will be picking up the magazine later to read. I want to send a letter but want to be sure I am educated enough about the article not to sound like an idiot. Although they dont show the same intelligence. I chose to wait to take my son to the Dr because he couldnt have diabetes he wasnt over weight or unhealthy. My son could have died because people like this chose to continue to write uneducated article and reports that misinform all of us. Thank God I never judged anyone with diabetes type 1 or type 2 because the guilt would have killed me. I tell everyone I know because I wish someone had told me sooner about diabetes!
I sent them a nasty letter. Makes me feel good today. Maybe we should have one posted that people can copy and add their own thoughts to, but a generalized, "you sure screwed up when talking about diabetes email"
here is the address to ask meme roth to contact ELLE and issue a retraction and a new article that accurately describes the difference between type 1 and type 2 info@actionagainstobesity.com
Here is a copy if anyone wants to cut and edit it for themselves. Dear MeMe Roth, As a Registered Nurse working in the area of diabetes, I am deeply offended by your statements about diabetes in Elle Magazine. I feel that it is important to inform you that There is NO possible way for a person to GIVE onself any type of diabetes, including, and especially Juvenile diabetes, (which is an outdated term, just so you know, the medically correct term is Type 1 Diabetes) Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune disorder, and type 2 is largely genetic. You have also insinuated that a child with diabetes should be unhappy. My son, aged 11, diabetic for 4 years, would beg to differ. Despite the challenges he faces, he is a very happy kid. What may surprise you is that the most challenging thing he has to deal with is not shots or hypoglycemic reactions to insulin, but the loads of unsolicited advice he gets from unqualified people that read things that people like you say publicly, and assume it to be true. That is what is hardest to endure. For me, it a constant battle to keep him educated and constantly have to UNDO the education the public gives him about anything from eating more cinnamon to what his dietary or carbohydrate needs are. Please publish a correction, and an apology to every kid with Type 1 Diabetes out there who will have to endure constant misinformation due to the armchair physicians who have read your article and feel a need to advise them. You have perpetuated a myth that will affect millions of kids all over the world in a negative way. It will confuse and misinform young children and their caretakers who are newly diagnosed, as well as all people with little access to medical care, since people tend to believe what they read. You should also consider apologizing for perpetuating a myth that has long been put to rest by the medical community years ago. Your information is wrong, and wildly outdated by about 30 years. I insist that you publish a correction and get to work to help to dispel the myths that you have perpetuated, and that you do so in a timely fashion. Sincerely, Mary Jennifer Dean, RN
Same here I decided to go straight to the source...I contacted her, I'll let you know if I get a respose
In my email to Elle, I asked for her contact information. There's no reason someone who is claiming to be an "expert" should be saying blatantly false information in interviews.
I got the contact info by googling her...This is the response I recieved... Thank you for writing, Ms. Coffey. And I'm terribly sorry to hear about your son's situation. As for your comments...You are absolutely right, and I could use your help. Whether it was a misquote or misunderstanding in Elle Magazine, I assure you I work in obesity prevention and never address any type of diabetes other than Type II. The setting was a McDonald's in Times Square New York City back in June or July of this year. A Japanese film crew was following me, and the Elle writer was following them... Did the writer mishear me? Or did an unknowing editor somehow add the word "juvenile" to my quote? I have no idea. But I can tell you the moment I read the article, I was mortified to see that term attributed to me in that context. If you spend any time (not that you literally should) on the NAAO website, or reading the countless other articles or watching interview after interview, you would find that I only ever address Type II Diabetes. And it is Type II Diabetes that is ravaging the health of those I love the most. As a parent, I can only imagine what your family must endure day-to- day suffering the toll exacted by Type 1 Diabetes. Please know that I would never want to distribute misinformation about any type of diabetes. And in the case of Elle Magazine, I am misquoted in a highly upsetting and terribly unfortunate way. I would ask for your help in spreading the word that what appears in Elle is a misquote, and that I'm terribly sorry for the fact that it appears in print. I genuinely appreciate your taking the time to write. NAAO is an all-volunteer organization working toward obesity prevention, and I apologize that due to limited resources, I must send the same message to the many concerned parents who have contacted me/NAAO regarding this matter. I wish you and your family all the best, MeMe
Looks like the efforts should be directed at Elle magazine, rather then the woman interviewed. I'm going to read the story and then right my letter citing the information provided by the article subject.
Heather, Thanks for sharing your response. It appears that she is genuinely concerned about the "misquote" :cwds:. Hopefully the magazine will print a correction/retraction---or, better yet, a full fledged article about type 1. Who reads the retractions anyways?! The harm has been done, the best way to fix it is to get the full and correct info. out to the public in the broad sense.
