Body Image

[IBM]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6376367.stm

If there's such a problem with body image in this country, then how come I see so many more fat people than thin ones?

And while anorexia & bulimia are serious problems, I've got to say that obesity, incredibly poor diets, heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure are worse.

Is it all a lot of fuss over nothing? Do the papers just right about skinny models because the models are in the public eye more? Are people looking at these skinny models saying 'they're so thin. I wish I could be thin like them' while tucking into a bucket of KFC.

And I should make this last question a poll. What do you prefer, skinny or fat? I know most people would prefer something in the middle, but if you don't have a choice, what would it be?

[Koolpc]

McDonalds = Fat People (I love McChicken!!)

[Slick]

Your point is absolutely stupid, being too overweight is bad for your health, as is too underweight, but you don't need to decide between the two. There's a healthy inbetween. Personally I think it would be better for someone to be slightly overweight and enjoy life than one who is 6 stone, starving themselves, spends every waking moment thinking about how fat they are and hates life. You have obviously never met anyone with one of these conditions and your comments are pretty offensive, but I'm sure that's what you intended by writing them.

[MadduckUK]

Zinger Tower > Mc Chicken Sandwich.
sorry but it is true.

I know most people would prefer something in the middle, but if you don't have a choice, what would it be?

is celibacy an option? it depends how far we go to the extremes

[Funkstar]

Are people looking at these skinny models saying 'they're so thin. I wish I could be thin like them' while tucking into a bucket of KFC.

yes i think a lot of people are

i do also think a lot of this is to do with the 24 hour news media we have now. they ahve to fill the time with something, so every study like this gets air time where it wouldn't before.

Also, remember the phrase "Lies, damned lies, and statistics"

You can make anything sound good or bad with statistics, it's all about what questions you ask and how you ask them.

EDIT: oh and i'd rather someone was over weight than under. but the worst thing is the extremes

[SteveC]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6376367.stm

If there's such a problem with body image in this country, then how come I see so many more fat people than thin ones?

Agree with Funkstar about 24 hour media.

I think it's partly because of unrealistic expectations. If society / media demand a certain body image, then for many individuals, this is now the benchmark - anything slightly less than that demonstrates failure.

Because the issue is of such great importance, this sense of failure is compounded, and becomes completely entrenched. The all-pervasive media reminds them of this constantly.

If people see themselves as having 'failed' in achieving their target, vociferously demanded of them by society, then 'failure is failure'. It's as if there's no point bothering to be healthier - if the target's not met, that's that. Enter KFC. Possibly also accompanied by more self-destructive tendencies.

I always tend to think that if people saw body image as just a continuum between more and less healthy, without overplaying this link to some kind of individual 'value', or endless correlations (via celebrities) between body image and wealth, fame or happiness, then we'd all feel better.

[Kezzer]

is celibacy an option? it depends how far we go to the extremes

Seeing as though celibacy is abstaining from sexual relations or getting married then I can't see what it has to do with being overweight.

[MadduckUK]

Seeing as though celibacy is abstaining from sexual relations or getting married then I can't see what it has to do with being overweight.

i didnt just pluck the word out of the air. i guess you read the question a little different

[Kezzer]

i didnt just pluck the word out of the air. i guess you read the question a little different

I'm still completely missing the point. Explain it to me

[htid]

What do you prefer, skinny or fat? I know most people would prefer something in the middle, but if you don't have a choice, what would it be?

Maybe madduck was replying to this? Would make sense

[MadduckUK]

yep exactly

[chicken]

The problem with any of these kinds of arguements is that you end up with people arguing from completely different cases.

In the red corner we have the "It's their own fault" crew, pointing at that fatty chowing down on his KFC, thinking they're right in their opinion because what they see "proves" it.

In the blue corner we have the "It's in my genes" crew, wondering why when they skip breakfast every day they're still fat, they "can't do anything about it" and the red cornerers are mean for suggesting they can.

The trouble is that neither are 100% right. Yes some people are naturally larger than others, but also some people stuff their face with fatty junk on a regular basis. You can't sum all these people up together.

Not everyone can help being overweight whilst still maintaining their health. But then it's not as if the sudden rise in overweight people is suggesting that all of our genes have suddenly mutated to make us naturally larger. So there's a difficult trade off between poking fun at someone because they have a bit of a thing for the pies, and risking offending someone who just looks at a cake and balloons.

And before you ban poking fun entirely, it has it's purpose. People keep each other in check with banter, it's sort of a friendly way of saying you'd be better off if you didn't eat that giant pie.



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Oh yeah, and as for the skinnyness thing, I don't believe the news are helping the situation by bringing stuff like this up all the time!

[IBM]

Your point is absolutely stupid, being too overweight is bad for your health, as is too underweight, but you don't need to decide between the two. There's a healthy inbetween. Personally I think it would be better for someone to be slightly overweight and enjoy life than one who is 6 stone, starving themselves, spends every waking moment thinking about how fat they are and hates life. You have obviously never met anyone with one of these conditions and your comments are pretty offensive, but I'm sure that's what you intended by writing them.

There certainly is a stupid point here, but I'm pretty certain it isn't mine. The point of my post is raise a debate, and personally I can't see anything offensive in my post, just observation and questions. I didn't say you had to chose between the two, nor do I debate that there's a 'healthy inbetween' (really? You don't say). And I'm not comparing people who are 'mildly overweight' with people who are six stone, I'm comparing people who are bone skinny with people who are circus fat and the fact that I see a lot more of the latter walking around than the former.

And I've met plenty of people who suffer from both ends of spectrum, and undoubtably suffer from some of the problems I mentioned, but isn't everybody tired of tiptoeing around people with self inflicted problems (oh god, please don't start ranting about social/peer/economic pressures, I know it's a huge factor, but there is a thing called will power) just because they don't want them to get offended?

is celibacy an option? it depends how far we go to the extremes

No!! You have to chose one or the other, and then you have to sleep with them, everytime they demand. And they have unusually high sex drives (unusual for the skinny ones anyway, who typically don't eat enough to have energy for sex, as opposed to the fat ones....they've got to do something with all that sugar they put in their systems).

Okay, so that was slightly offensive. Sorry Slick!

Because the issue is of such great importance, this sense of failure is compounded, and becomes completely entrenched. The all-pervasive media reminds them of this constantly.

Yeah, but all these reminders don't seem to be putting thinner people on the street. You'd think with all this pressure that people would be getting thinner, but stats (tips hat to Funkstar) show there's more obese people around than ever. So what's going on? And while being TOO thin is unhealthy, I'd rather have people exercising and eating less to get thin as per the latest role model, than stuffing their face to be like the latest fat role model.

All these agencies and support groups saying its alright to be fat....but it's not. It's really really bad for you. Be happy with who you are! No, don't. Loose some weight, it's better for you! The opposite applies to the really skinny people of course, but I can't find any....

[MadduckUK]

No!! You have to chose one or the other, and then you have to sleep with them, everytime they demand. And they have unusually high sex drives (unusual for the skinny ones anyway, who typically don't eat enough to have energy for sex, as opposed to the fat ones....they've got to do something with all that sugar they put in their systems)

id have to go for the "fat ones" then, as bonking would have health benefits for them? (god im such a nice guy!)

[Kezzer]

Maybe madduck was replying to this? Would make sense

Damn you and your sexual references!

Dirty mind Madduck, dirty mind

As for skinny and fat. I used to be fat, quite so as well. Fitness and healthy eating isn't *that* difficult. But there-again, if you've lived a life without fitness and healthy eating I presume it'd be very difficult to change your mode of thinking and general lifestyle. I hit the gym a few times a week, try to eat as best as I can.

I guess it's getting a lot worse because of culture perhaps? America are the fat culture, although I'm not making accusations, but that's what they're generally known for and are more accepting of larger types. Then of course there's the fashion industry with stick-think women. The whole indie-emo cultural scene has introduced super skinny guys as well.

It's not as if the culture doesn't introduce healthy living enough, because loads of supermarket chains have the healthy sections and even places like Sainsbury's do the whole "5 a day" tokens with your purchases which means you get free fruit/veg when you have a token.

[99Flake]

Do you get a free roll of gaffer tape with the bone thin ones?