The latest technique in the fight against obesity is sure to be a success. The Diet Voodoo Doll comes with a set of pins to motivate the dieter to stick to their diet. The diet voodoo doll has phrases on its body such as “put it down”, “if you eat that, your arse will grow,” and more lovely, warm phrases that will fill anyone with a warm glow inside. Apparently after sticking pins in the doll, the fear of voodoo curses will motivate the dieter to keep going.

According to one website selling this tasteless product, you can also ruin someone else’s attempts to diet by sticking pins into the part of the doll that you most wish the person to fail in. That’s just so caring and thoughtful (sarcasm intended)!

I have to wonder who buys these things. If it’s meant to be a joke, who’s laughing? While this doll is marketed as a novelty item and not a serious attempt for those attempting to Lose Weight, I also have to wonder how using this voodoo doll would compare to using other approaches in the ‘fight against obesity’. For example, mainstream dieting to lose weight has a number of damaging side effects, such as increasing feelings of hopelessness and one’s sense of failure. While initial weight loss may be readily achieved on a diet, long term sustainable change from dieting is difficult and most people regain the weight they lost plus more! Furthermore, constant dieting may lead to eating disorders. Perhaps one might be better off using this ugly voodoo doll than going on constant diets that never work. Maybe not. I’m just being facetious.

I have to question why there is a viewpoint that instilling fear, shame or guilt is likely to motivate anyone to lose weight. These emotions tend to make people move towards using food for comfort. Increasing fear, shame or guilt is more likely to result in weight gain, than weight loss! I have recently seen advertisements in the USA, where instilling shame appears to be a tool in encouraging children to lose weight. The link to those advertisements can be found by clicking HERE. Advertisements shaming children about their weight are more likely to encourage bullying, depression and low self worth, than weight loss.

Do you think shaming and instilling fear or guilt is likely to make someone lose weight? If so, why?