Body Image
The obsessions, the issues, and the link between diet and body image. (148 posts)
3 Steps to a Healthier Body Image
sxc.hu: bjearwicke
Here on Diet Blog our aim is to promote positive body image. As one of our forum posts rightly pointed out recently, the message is "Eat Right. Get Healthy," not "Get Anorexic."
If you're a regular reader on our forum though, you may have noticed the number of posts from readers who appear to have disordered eating or obsessive behaviors surrounding dieting. It makes for pretty sad reading at times.
But, why is that some people -- especially young women -- will go to any lengths to achieve what they perceive as the "perfect" body image?
» morePoll: Women Grow Their Own Breast Implants
Body image obsession is nothing new among women and some will go to great lengths in their quest for the perfect dimensions.
In the UK women are trying a new procedure for decreasing their belly size and increasing their breast size without surgery.
» moreObesity Etiquette: Is It Really Necessary?
Etiquette guru Mary Mitchell says that it's not polite to tell someone they're fat.
No kidding.
It's also not polite to suggest ways for an obese person to lose weight, or to say, "You'd be so much prettier if you were thin."
But, in a recent column at Reuters, Mitchell says that when including an obese individual in your social plans, it's important to take their needs into consideration.
» moreDo You Like Having Skinny Friends?
Kate Moss + friends.
Late last year, research into consumer behavior showed that eating with skinny friends could lead you to eating more than if you were with overweight friends.
"We think 'if she can eat like that and stay thin, so can I,' or 'she is having cake, then I can too,'"» more
Do You Want an Hourglass Figure?
NY Mag
There is a strange dichotomy in the fashion world. Very lean high-fashion models regularly get called 'fat', yet we also laud hourglass figures on the cover of magazines.
Madmen actress Christina Hendricks talks about body shape in New York magazine - in particular how her figure has been discussed more than her acting ability.
Anytime someone talks about your figure constantly, you get nervous, you get really self-conscious. I was working my butt off on the show, and then all anyone was talking about was my body!"» more
Weight Issues Around the World
Reader's Digest surveyed and analyzed responses from 16,000 people in 16 countries to find out what people around the world think about weight.
Here's what they found:
The most pressure to be thin
Brazil topped the list, with 83% lamenting that their culture places too much emphasis on weight. Runners up are India at 68% and the US at 62%. This isn't that surprising as the beauty industry has surged in Brazil in recent years. There is likely a correlation there.
Retouched Models: Because Real is Never Good Enough
Just a few years ago, photoshopped images were something of a novelty. We published a list of sites where you could gaze at the multitude of ways that models were altered. The practice has now become so commonplace that there are websites devoted to pointing out all the mistakes made in the industry.
Beyond the hilarity, I believe the practice is not helpful. A recent post pointed to research showing that images of models do have an impact on a person's self-esteem.
» moreOverweight Women: Stop Looking At Models
From new research in the Journal of Consumer Research:
» more
"We recommend that overweight consumers attempt to avoid looking at ads with any models, thin or heavy (perhaps by avoiding women's magazines),"
