HASBRO
The noticeably thinner tater is part of Hasbro’s “Active Adventures” campaign – and he can even fit into a pair of pants now! (via Healthland)
At the recent 2011 International Toy Fair the portly Potato Heads, both Mr. and Mrs., showed off their new, fit figures. No longer are their stomachs portly or their love handles flabby. Evidently the couple has cut down on the carbs and set out on a new fitness regimen. But what does the slim-down mean for society at-large?
(More on TIME.com: The 100 Greatest Toys of All-TIME)
“Obviously there’s a culture-approved idea of fitness that is now part of the bigger picture of what that culture says is beautiful,” says Washington D.C.-based child psychiatrist Jean M. Thomas tells Healthland. The same company, Hasbro, puts out both Mr. Potato Head and the stick-thin Barbie. Our friends at Healthland are curious about a potential trickle-down effect: “We’re wondering whether the cultural pressure to be thin finally got to even these iconic characters of childhood?”
Will seeing thinner toys put undue pressure on children to be skinny? Or is the endeavor simply helping recent initiatives like Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign against childhood obesity?
(More on TIME.com: Toy Fair 2011: 15 Smartest Toys for Young Geniuses)