W50, Day 4: In the media

Okay, I take offense with the way media sources like the news on t.v. and the internet and movies often portray overweight and obese people.  I've come across the same picture used in two different articles and it's included in the slideshow link I've listed below.  The picture is the front of a fully naked woman (from the waist to the neck), obviously obese, with a doctor's scalpel in front.  The caption reads, "Obesity is a risk factor for developing arthritis in the knees, hips, hands and ankles."  Why on Earth is it necessary to include what most people would consider a humiliating picture with a caption like that?  It's demeaning to whoever's headless body is being shown in such a vulnerable way and the caption makes absolutely no connection to the picture. 


Honestly, I just find this slideshow very offensive in the offhand way they toss out degrading pictures:
http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/cf/slideshows/why-being-overweight-causes-pain-5-facts/obesity-can-cause-arthritis-in-more-than-just-the-hips-or-knees/?ap=825

I think a lot of people--thin, regular, overweight, obese--would be uncomfortable being shown topless in any health slideshow, but somehow it's okay to do it when the person's fat.  Sometimes I get the idea that people think overweight folks just don't care about how they look.  In the same slideshow, I noticed this picture:

When I see this, I can't help but think, "Yeah, sure, because most overweight people walk about with their shirts bulging out like this because we all just love to look like slobs."  Please note the sarcasm.

And many a time I've seen a news story on t.v. about weight were some enterprising camera person films obese people walking about, capturing and focusing on their most painful areas, their waists and butts, while cutting off their heads (for privacy's sake, I've heard).  I imagine there are few people, healthy weight or not, that would feel comfortable with a camera focused right on their rear end and then broadcast on the local news.  Why is it okay to do this to overweight people?  Are there no stock photos or clips of obese people looking well dressed, respectable, and presentable?  An example might be the way Queen Latifah always looks amazing and well put together.  There's nothing to say that obese people don't take pains to look attractive and dress well.

If you go to plus size websites like www.lanebryant.com, you'll view many models dressed in plus size clothing who look fashionable and neat. In the picture on the left for example, the woman looks beautiful and comfortable (and hey, you can get 50% off).   I would like to note, however, that sometimes I feel sites like Lane Bryant and the Avenue select models that are too small to truly portray their clothing.  They need to get some larger women in these pictures since that's who's going to wear their clothes.  I guess they feel smaller women sell clothes.

My ultimate point is that we should stop and think about the images we see of overweight and obese people on t.v, in movies, and on the internet.  How are these people being portrayed?  How does it affect the way we think of obese people?  There are certainly more positive ways to depict overweight people that wouldn't make them seem like less than human beings.  Overweight and obese people can be just as brilliant, funny, lovable, beautiful, etc. as everyone else--why not picture them that way?


If you're interested, here's an  interesting slide show of the different ways obesity is portrayed in movies:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/galleries/2009/08/24/photos-how-obesity-is-portrayed-in-hollywood.html

This article is a lot more information about weight bias in the media:
http://www.obesityaction.org/magazine/ywm19/fattertainment.php

W20, Day 7: One Nation, Overweight

I watched tonight a replaying of a show on CNBC called One Nation, Overweight about the ever growing problem of obesity.  The show looked at various aspects of the "disease".  I found it extremely interesting that they called obesity a disease, whereas other people might call it a choice.  Anyway, they brought up some interesting factoids like:

• At the current rate of increase, within 10 years 42% of the U.S. population will be obese.  That's a terrible, huge number!  
• This current generation of kids may be the first generation in our country to have shorter lifespans than their parents. 

The show then went on to look at all the foods that are in grocery stores and about how it's all about profit by pushing crap foods on people.  I myself find that to be very challenging whenever I go to the grocery store.  I try to avoid looking at any of the aisles too quickly, rushing in to buy the essentials and getting out of there as quickly as possible.  Crap food stares out at me from every aisle.  Imagine the cereal aisle.  Then think about how kids are bombarded with advertisements about sugary cereals in all their programming.  It's like they're being brainwashed into wanting junk.  Kids aren't the only ones.

But carrying on the kid idea, the show focused on how many high schools sell candy.  In times of major budget cuts, this is a way for schools to raise money for clubs and sports activities, but at what cost? You might say, it's only a candy bar.  But it isn't.  Not for kids who are obese.  I'll tell you a secret:  my senior year of high school I gained thirty pounds.  Why?  Was it because of what I ate at home?  No, not really, we ate pretty decently.  The real reason was candy at school.  I couldn't stop myself.  I remember begging a friend not to sell me candy, and then by first recess begging her to sell it to me.  I wouldn't have eaten it if it hadn't been there at school with me.  I know, I know, my fault for making the choice and I chose wrongly.  But what if I had never had to make that choice?  I don't want to ruin it for everyone else, but I truly don't believe in selling junk food to kids--including soda--at school.

Anyway, if you ever have a chance to watch the show, I highly recommend it.  I got a bit uncomfortable when one CEO said that he wouldn't hire anyone who was obese if he could get away with it because of the greater health care costs of that employee.  The counter argument was that policies like that discriminate against people unfairly, saying: "[Obesity] is a complex issue...and it's short-sided to say you choose or don't chose health," meaning that there are plenty of people out there like me trying to choose what's right, but struggling along the way.  Is it fair to discriminate hiring people like me?  Of course I have to say "No"!  But what about the  employer's added costs?  Still other employers are doing all sorts of incentive programs that seem to be having good effect with helping their employees lose weight and be more healthful.  Maybe that's the way to go?

In other news, good reader, guess what?  I'm finally going to do it, to take the plunge...to join out local gym.  I've been waiting for our new local gym to open and at long last, it's opening on June 1st, one day before I get out for summer break.  Coincidence?  I think not!

Here's a link to the show information:
http://www.cnbc.com/id/36073283/