Should Barbie Become A Dietitian?
Should Barbie's next career choice be Registered Dietitian?
Barbie is a pretty experienced lady. First she was a model, but then she had 124 other professions including veterinarian, ballet teacher and doctor! As part of Mattel's career line called "I can be", Barbie's next career has been voted on by the public in recent years. In 2010 girls voted Barbie in as an anchorwoman, while the rest of the public voted for her to be a computer programmer. This year Mattel announced architect as her career of the year. It seems appropriate to me; Sustainable design and buildings are an important topic!
So what is Barbie's next career move? This year I think we can all agree nutrition is all around us; I'm not just saying that as a dietetic intern. Recently dietitians were voted as the 3rd best job saving the world. There's a movement for preventative healthcare and wellness promotion. People are beginning to see how important nutrition is to their health!
But here's where it gets a little blurry. Barbie isn't exactly a realistic body image. In fact, if she was a real human, her measurements would make her 5'9"with a 39" bust, 18" waist, 33" hips and a size 3 shoe. You can find dozens of blogs articles and I'm sure even a few scientific studies on Barbie, eating patterns, and the female mind.
Honestly, I loved Barbie growing up. I loved the shoes (as did our vacuum) and the outfits. I definitely used her as a doll in a few elementary school dioramas. Yes, I even mentioned her iconic pink corvette in a public speech I gave in high school. People can still like Barbie and value healthy over skinny , although I'm sure there are solid examples that can argue for and against this example.
If Barbie did become a dietitian, what would the outcome be?
- Dietitians would certainly become more recognizable in the public mind. Is there a career Barbie has taken up that hasn't been?
- Girls, or boys, could be come introduced to the possibility of a nutrition career at an early age which I completely support. I didn't even know RD's existed until I was a senior in high school!
- But what about the shape of the body, the fact that she can only wear high heels, or the misconception that much of the public thinks dietitians are out to make everyone only eat lettuce?
So what's your say? Comment and share your take on Barbie's careers.