The Perils of Commercialism: Australia's Example

Commercialism in classrooms.

Opinions expressed in commentaries are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the American Academy of Pediatrics or its Committees. Commentaries are not peer-reviewed.

School commercialism and adolescent health.

Commercial activities in public schools are examined in light of growing concern over increasing rates of childhood obesity. The work and findings of the Education Policy Studies Laboratory, which documents school commercialism through media references, is detailed. Alongside evidence of increased commercialism, including activities that promote the consumption of unhealthful beverages and food...

The perils of snowmobiling.

Snowmobiling is a popular winter sport in Wisconsin, but it can result in serious injury and death. From 1998-2002, 1090 people in Wisconsin were hospitalized due to injuries related to snowmobiling. From 2002 to 2004, 51 snowmobile-related fatalities were reported to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Multiple risk factors exist for snowmobile injury and death, with alcohol consump...

The Perils of Presidentialism

Commercialism, Holism, and Individual Responsibility; Comment on “Buying Health: The Costs of Commercialism and an Alternative Philosophy”

Churchill and Churchill’s editorial discusses negative (health) effects of commercialism in the provision of health care and nutrition. Three parts of their argument are commented: the claim that the fundamental problem of markets is the decomposition of the whole into parts (“reductionism”); the call for individual responsibility; and the notion of holism. On the three aspects the commentary c...