Finding The Balance Between Loving Your Body And Fighting The Obesity Epidemic | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

Finding The Balance Between Loving Your Body And Fighting The Obesity Epidemic

No girl should have a low self esteem because her body isn’t flawless like the movie stars, but society tells her to

72
Finding The Balance Between Loving Your Body And Fighting The Obesity Epidemic
Playbuzz

In the media women with flawless, and for the most part unrealistic, body types are displayed as the norm in advertisements, TV shows, and movies. The frequency of these body types is completely unrealistic, for only 5 percent of women possess the body type that nearly all women in the media have. And this incessant display of physical perfection has deplorable effects on the self-esteem and self-image of millions of young women in the U.S.. Having a negative self image can cause horrible things in young people’s lives: the extremes include depression and suicide, while the more mundane, but just as serious, include eating disorders and self-harm.

As a result, there has been a movement against this grave injustice perpetrated by the media. This movement is focused on getting girls to love their body the way it is and to accept “imperfections” as part of who they are and nothing to be ashamed of. It attempts to reject the standards set by popular media and embrace the diversity of body types, in effect getting rid of the shame surrounding “non-perfect” body types. This movement is vital in reversing the widespread, negative effects on women and girls’ self-esteem and self image, for no girl should develop depression or an eating disorder just because her body isn’t “perfect” like the media and society says it should be.

It is quite clear that accepting your body is an important part of building an identity and maintaining mental health. However, there is a trend within the movement that, while having good intentions, is what is sometimes referred to as “fat acceptance.” Similar to the movement to accept one’s body type, “fat acceptance” is a movement to shed the stigma associated with being fat. The movement is sometimes manifested in a proliferation of images spread around the internet showing obese women holding signs that say “#loveyourbody” or “#stopfatshaming.”

The purpose of this movement is to help overweight people cope with the negative impact of being overweight on one’s self esteem and self image. From this perspective, this is a noble cause; coming from someone who used to be fat, fat people do face an unfair stigma from society that negatively impacts many aspects of their life. Fat shaming is ineffective and cruel, and therefore not conducive to promoting healthy lifestyles.

However, despite the need to improve the self esteem and self image of young people everywhere who feel shame for their bodies, the “fat acceptance” movement is toxic in that it encourages people to continue putting their lives at risk by remaining overweight. An obesity epidemic is plaguing our nation. The severity of the obesity epidemic cannot be overstated. Right now, there are 78.6 million obese adults in the US (34.9% of the population). The leading causes of preventable death in the US, including heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer, are all related to obesity. The obesity epidemic is quite costly; the average annual medical cost of obesity in the US is $147 billion (to put this figure into perspective, this is higher than the GDP of Ukraine).

The implicit message in the fat acceptance movement is that it’s OK to be fat. Of course, the definition of “fat” is subjective; people who have a little bit of fat can of course still be completely healthy. And perhaps those people are the target of this movement. In that case, “fat acceptance” is a good thing, for girls should not have to be skinny to feel comfortable in their own skin. But for people who are very overweight or obese, fat acceptance is sending the wrong message, and is in effect telling these people that they shouldn’t try to change their unhealthy and costly lifestyles.

The seriousness of the obesity epidemic appears to be lost in the movement of fat acceptance. While it is necessary for girls with different body types to accept themselves for who they are and to shed the stigma that society has unfairly placed on them, telling obese people to “love their body” is sending the wrong message. In order to effectively fight the obesity epidemic, it is essential that people who struggle with obesity receive support and encouragement to lose weight and to develop healthier lifestyles. Of course, fat shaming and negativity are not ways to go about doing this, and this article in no way condones fat shaming. However, rather than encouraging obese people to continue their unhealthy and costly lifestyles, we should be supporting them in developing healthy habits with hope that we can fight back against the obesity epidemic.

For more facts on America and obesity, take a look at these statistics.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Entertainment

Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

These powerful lyrics remind us how much good is inside each of us and that sometimes we are too blinded by our imperfections to see the other side of the coin, to see all of that good.

120523
Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

The song was sent to me late in the middle of the night. I was still awake enough to plug in my headphones and listen to it immediately. I always did this when my best friend sent me songs, never wasting a moment. She had sent a message with this one too, telling me it reminded her so much of both of us and what we have each been through in the past couple of months.

Keep Reading...Show less
Zodiac wheel with signs and symbols surrounding a central sun against a starry sky.

What's your sign? It's one of the first questions some of us are asked when approached by someone in a bar, at a party or even when having lunch with some of our friends. Astrology, for centuries, has been one of the largest phenomenons out there. There's a reason why many magazines and newspapers have a horoscope page, and there's also a reason why almost every bookstore or library has a section dedicated completely to astrology. Many of us could just be curious about why some of us act differently than others and whom we will get along with best, and others may just want to see if their sign does, in fact, match their personality.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

20 Song Lyrics To Put A Spring Into Your Instagram Captions

"On an island in the sun, We'll be playing and having fun"

25899
Person in front of neon musical instruments; glowing red and white lights.
Photo by Spencer Imbrock on Unsplash

Whenever I post a picture to Instagram, it takes me so long to come up with a caption. I want to be funny, clever, cute and direct all at the same time. It can be frustrating! So I just look for some online. I really like to find a song lyric that goes with my picture, I just feel like it gives the picture a certain vibe.

Here's a list of song lyrics that can go with any picture you want to post!

Keep Reading...Show less
Chalk drawing of scales weighing "good" and "bad" on a blackboard.
WP content

Being a good person does not depend on your religion or status in life, your race or skin color, political views or culture. It depends on how good you treat others.

We are all born to do something great. Whether that be to grow up and become a doctor and save the lives of thousands of people, run a marathon, win the Noble Peace Prize, or be the greatest mother or father for your own future children one day. Regardless, we are all born with a purpose. But in between birth and death lies a path that life paves for us; a path that we must fill with something that gives our lives meaning.

Keep Reading...Show less
Health and Wellness

10 Hygiene Tips For All College Athletes

College athletes, it's time we talk about sports hygiene.

24213
Woman doing pull-ups on bars with sun shining behind her.

I got a request to talk about college athletes hygiene so here it is.

College athletes, I get it, you are busy! From class, to morning workouts, to study table, to practice, and more. But that does not excuse the fact that your hygiene comes first! Here are some tips when it comes to taking care of your self.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments