As we discussed in class on Thursday, media often associates being thin with being healthy. However, as Anya and and Stephanie mentioned in class, we also get mixed messages about being healthy. In my textbook for PE class “Fit & Well”, the authors says that “Body composition, the body's relative amount of fat and at-free mass, is an important component of fitness for health and wellness . . . Unfortunately, many people don't succeed in their efforts to obtain a fit and healthy body because they set unrealistic goals and emphasize short term weight loss rather than the permanent changes in lifestyle that lead to fat loss and a healthy body composition” (Fahey et al. , “Fit and Well”). The authors also mentions that “even in the absence of changes in body composition, an active lifestyle can improve wellness”. As one of the women whose interview we watched in the class mentioned, some people, for genetic reasons, have larger then average figure despite of their active life style. It is very sad that so many women's magazines are advocating thinner and thinner body without putting emphasis on balance in body composition and long-term healthy life style.
These erroneous promotion effects women of all ages and sizes. In Korea, where the average body size is smaller than U.S., the definition of “thin” is even worse then in the States. When I visited Korea after living in the States for four years, first thing many people said to me was that I gained weight. Although I am usually not so concerned about weight, whenever I plan to visit Korea, consciously and unconsciously I started to get concerned about my weight. What is worse, I think these trend of getting thinner is spreading to younger age group, as years go by. I remember when I was middle school, weight was not a big issue among my friends. However, it seems like young girls are no longer free from pressure to be thin. In one of Ugly Betty's episodes, several girls from Betty's brother's middle school visit magazine publishing company. When one of these girls saw models walking around the office, she looks herself and says how fat she is, and that she will skip her lunch (in the show, she looked skinny already). I don't know how common this is among teenage girls these days, but what is clear is that nowadays, we cannot go a single day without encountering weight loss articles and advertisement, regardless of age and gender. I've realized how important it is to have correct information for myself about healthy weight and body composition, in order for me not to be tricked by “health” magazine articles. It is also important to stop stereotyping people who weight above average and always seeing them as having medical or social problem, as Kathleen Lebesco and Jana Evans Braziel put it.
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I agree with your comment that it's disappointing to see the media advocating one body type as healthy. People ignore the fact that healthy can come in many variations, not just slim, toned, and tan. Also, the emphasis on the idea that happiness can come from healthiness which comes from skinniness is another faulty reasoning.
Also, it's terrible to see that the obsession for weight is spreading across the waters and to younger age groups, too. That Ugly Betty episode you mentioned is a good example of how young girls are constantly being affected by the media. Like you said, each individual has different standards for what is healthy. I hope that future generations are taught this before they become aware of what the media and society expect them to be.
Your comments on how the media and people are so focused on unrealistic weight goals is very relevant to our everyday lives. I remember that right after we discussed these articles in class I went to Cox for lunch and ran into some girls that I knew through classes. We got to talking about spring break plans and how they were all headed to the beach. The whole conversation focused on how none of them wanted to be in a bathing suit and how they were so self conscious of their weight and untanned skin. It is so sad that instead of being able to enjoy their vacation these women were too concerned with their appearance. The vast majority of people I know work out to look better and not for the health benefits. Also, people still go to tanning salons even though the health dangers are well known. It is truly frightening how distorted our views on health and weight have become.
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