Recently, a change.org petition has been created which asks the Walt Disney Animation Studios create a "Plus-sized Disney Princess" character in a future Diney film. The petitioner argues that such character would provide young women and girls with a "positive plus-sized character in the media". Although the petitioner's intentions are positive, a creation of such a character would actually be detrimental to children who view Disney films.

Although it is true that each person's body and genetics are unique; it is generally accepted by the medical community that a healthy balance should be maintained regarding body weight and fatty tissue content in the body. This is especially critical in children whom are developing and whose bodies are more vulnurable to conditions such as diabetes, high cholesterol, and cardiopulmonary complications as a result of overweight or obesity.

The Center for Disease control of the United States reports that childhood obesity ahs doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the past 30 years. It is also reported that in 2010, more than one-third of children and adolescents in the U.S. were overweight or obese. Finally, the CDC reports that overweight and obesity are results of "caloric imbalance" due to excessive eating, lack of exercise, or both. More regarding these conditions, as well as detailed description of the consequential effects of these conditions can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/obesity/facts.htm

It is important for children to have positive role models that will encourage them to make changes in the lives that will affect them positively. Yet creating characters whom are obviously overweight does nothing but provide children the message that these conditions are normal and should not be the cause for concern. Rather than perpetuate behavior that leads to these conditions, which is already so prevalent in U.S. children, create characters which demonstrate behavior that PREVENTS overweight and obesity.

A child will benefit much more from characters that take an active role in their health and fitness, than a character whom accepts a condition which is detrimental to their well being.