SubscribeObesity as Entertainment
Researchers in Australia have claimed that "A growing fear of being fat has fuelled a doubling in the number of Australians with eating disorders in the past decade".
The number of people regularly binge eating, abusing laxatives, making themselves sick or undergoing extreme fasting jumped from 4.7 per cent in 1995 to 11 per cent in 2005.(via)
There is an air of desperation about these statistics. What drives this fear of fat?
The lead author of the research made an interesting statement alluding to media coverage of the "epidemic":
"[...] the obesity epidemic has to be managed very carefully because there is a whole other problem it could be creating."
TV shows about obesity are hot at the moment. Just recently I happened to glance at one such program: It showed people jiggling around their stomach fat, bouncing into one another, grabbing at all their "fat bits" - reminiscent of a slapstick comedy. My young daughter happened to be present and screwed up her face in confusion - "why do those people do that?" she asked.
I didn't know what to say - but I wondered at how this fat-obsessing show trickled into her subconscious - I have caught her grabbing her stomach fat on more than one occasion.
By all means let's educate about physical activity and healthy eating - but can we do it without the theatrics and extremism?
I absolutely agree with what you've written regarding the obesity epidemic we face. The statistics are staggering!
ReplyI am really upset with the way obese people are characterised (spelling) on those shows. WE yes I did say we ( I am an obese person). I can asure you I would not , could not behave like that. I swear these programs find the most outragous people they can just to up their ratings.
ReplyThose people who are afraid of getting fat surely needs the right education about healthy living.
ReplyI agree with what the author of the research said that they will just create new problem based on what they are doing.
The "Fat Monica" thing on Friends has always stuck in my craw. Hur hur hur she's fat, that means she stuffs her face with pizza and Kit-Kats all day. OMG that's sooo funny!
I could actually almost tolerate that stuff except that there was one flashback episode that was supposed to be taking place at a party shortly after she started losing weight -- she bragged about having lost four pounds (in a month, which is a bit behind pace considering she must have lost 100+ pounds in the space of a year but she was hardly slacking off!) and Rachel snarked, "yeah, and you can so totally tell." And then she drank tons of beer, ordered a pizza just for herself, and got stuck in a bean-bag chair by the end of the night. OH COME ON!! Fatty can't catch a break. >.
ReplyDid any of you keep up with Jacob, the guy who ran the Boston Marathon? There were so many people who posted very nasty comments on his blog. He has a great sense of humor and dealt with it very well. But, I think it's just another example of how there are people out there that really do have hatred towards the obese. (As a former obese person, I KNOW that for fact...I was the brunt of many terrible comments from strangers.)
I agree that such hatred is either started or fueled (or both!) by all the media attention to the "obesity epidemic".
ReplyWe are a society of instant gratification. We want it now and we want it easy. (I have had to examine my own behavior as I have become very impatient lately.) We live in the moment, so the moment better be good. Boredom must be banished at all costs. Our cars come have with music, movies and cup holders. Our homes have TVs with a bizillion channels, DVD players and games. Constant stimulation seems normal. As a society, we are adjusting to this new way of life where we exert minimal energy for maximum results. So, maybe, if we are bored, we just need to stop whining and go outside and play.
ReplyI also cringe when I remember the episode where Joey wondered what would happen if he'd married Monica. In it, she remains slim but she enjoys overfeeding him unhealthy stuff, so he is really obese, gets home to her, and she has a huge table full of fried stuff, and he says "You made my favorite! Fried stuff with cheese!"
ReplyAside from that, I actually liked the way they treated Joey. He enjoys food but isn't treated like a big fat pig by the writers, he's attractive to the ladies, and he feels good about himself. In one episode, Rachel's annoying sister is harassing him about eating some junk food and he says, "Hey! I'm curvy, and I LIKE IT!!"
ReplyI wonder what goes on with the minds of those people. They don't want to get fat, but they are missing the main point which is the risk of disorders caused by their actions.
ReplyYes I think its gone a bit far too, I have a child whos just turned 2 so I have looked at different parenting forums during that time. Whilst doing that I have noticed and also noticed in the press that this whole anti fat thing is now spreading to our toddlers and infants. A chubby infant is looked down on these days instead of once being thought of as a sign of good health. Instead most are skinny (too skinny) with low muscle tone, you don't (or don't atleast here) see many solid infants and toddlers around these days.
ReplyTrue, I only wish they had a female character like that as well.
ReplyI agree that those people need to be educated properly about the importance of health. They are probably acting that way because they are not aware of certain effects that their actions might do.
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ReplyWow this is sad... I have a plump one year old and I have heard the comments about how big she is... Friggin get over it peeps she is only one! Let her be comfy in her body while she still can! When she gets to high school she will have to worry anyway but not now!