Editor's note: Mallory Hytes Hagan is an American politician and former beauty queen who won Miss America 2013 as Miss New York 2012. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

The pandemic has led to a spike in childhood obesity, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. While this period has been difficult for all of us, it has also exacerbated an already enormous problem. We owe it to our children to better understand their wellness and to reverse this heartbreaking trend.

U.S. deaths due to obesity have overtaken smoking in people over age 45. Researchers have examined the comparative effects of obesity, smoking, heavy drinking and poverty on chronic health conditions. Obesity emerged as the most serious danger.

Did you know that obesity, anxiety and depression can be significantly decreased through quality foods? While the symptoms of these issues grew during COVID-19 lockdowns, they were rampant long before. It's my mission to help everyone understand that eating better foods, not starvation or shame, is how we simultaneously ward off obesity and the potential of diabetes. If adults understand this concept, I'm confident they will engage in healthier habits for their kids.

We need evidence-based, true body positivity in order to reverse course. We do not have to choose between happiness and health, and we owe it to the next generation to provide them with a sane, evidence-based approach to empowering self-talk, nutrition and a healthy lifestyle. This is what I needed when I was growing up and even more so after I won the coveted job as Miss America 2013.

The first time someone said, "If you would have lost ten pounds, you would have won," I was 14 years old. At this time in my life when my self-esteem was already teetering, my body was rapidly changing, and I was facing the seemingly insurmountable pressures of being a teenager, those words were incredibly harmful.

Now, teens are getting that same message at every turn. Many multimedia platforms are filled with shaming messages about bodies. Too skinny, too fat, too muscular – very little of which is rooted in science. It is up to us to shift the mindset of our youth from appearance to performance. Our bodies are incredible machines that will work in our favor if we just know how to treat them!

After being crowned Miss America in 2013, I experienced public body shaming around a few photos of me in Hawaii, post-walking across the stage in a swimsuit. While this gave me the opportunity to become one of the first voices in the body-positivity movement, it was also deeply traumatic. For the last eight years, I have struggled with health and happiness, falling victim to yo-yo dieting, depression and a lot of misunderstanding about my body.

It's time for a culture shift. Instead of obsessing over our body image, it's time to focus on our body performance. That starts with the right education. We need to help young people better understand their bodies so they may actually love themselves – from their brains to their bellies.

It's encouraging that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is introducing measures to promote better eating in his government-backed rewards program, but this type of incentive only goes so far if we don't understand the nature of shame and body image.

The traditional body-positivity movement is a healthier alternative to fat-shaming and yo-yo dieting, which encourages people to resist the prejudice. At times, however, it implies that we should surrender to our bodies without understanding them. That is the part I find dangerous.

We have the ability to create a lifestyle that works for us. What we should strive to celebrate is our ability to use modern science, self-love and empathy to end body shaming, obesity and diabetes. For instance, I had no idea that my body was actively working against myself for all these years. It was only when I tested my gut and began to understand my body's "set point," which refers to what weight my body has gotten used to, that I got to know why diet plans were keeping me in a constant state of tension and craving calories. It is a true, science-based lifestyle that I was missing.

It is my hope that we can help individuals love themselves into optimal performance through evidence-based body positivity: nutrition, gut health, understanding and empowerment.

The message I want to send young people, especially young girls today, is simple: You can love yourself into a body that helps you rather than hinders you, both physically and mentally. In fact, loving yourself is the key to realizing your true health and potential.

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