As someone who has battled her weight her entire life -- mainly as a result of frustrating genetics, hormonal and metabolism issues, a keen interest in gourmet food, and sedentary activities -- I was horrified to read about a recent study that basically showed just how much overweight women and even formerly overweight women are, well, sort of screwed. The research, published in the journal Obesity, found that despite having similar heights and weights, women who had a history of weight trouble are perceived as less attractive than those who had always been thin.
So, in other words, even if you lose the weight, it's going to haunt you for your entire life, and you'll still never on the same level as a woman who has naturally never battled the scale? What a nightmare!
When trying to wrap my head around the "why" behind this disturbing finding, I could only come up with one reason: We've got a real issue with obesity in this country, but we also have a problem with our perception of obesity. We can't seem to get it out of our thick skulls that weight problems aren't always the fault of an overweight person. In other words, obesity isn't always or necessarily self-determined or easily controllable.
I know Mayor Bloomberg thinks he's going to squash NYC's weight problem by banning large sodas, but there's a lot more to that epidemic than people guzzling full-calorie Coke. Like genetics, our environmental challenges, our chemical-laden, antibiotic- and hormone-packed food supply, our workaholic tendencies that have us sitting for hours upon hours a day. At the same time, we're inundated with advertising that depicts a false reality, a completely manipulated idea of beauty. No wonder we're so confused and could never forgive a formerly overweight woman!
It's nothing short of completely disheartening that a woman who has made the effort to pare pounds -- and succeeded! -- would never be considered as attractive as a woman who has always been thin. I really do hope it's not as true as these researchers assert, but if it is ... society needs a serious reality check.
Do you believe this?!
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Comments 37
I'd say this is true because many overweight women may get back down to a healthy weight but still carry saggy skin, be covered in stretch-marks and/or have cellulite dimples from pounds lost. Heck- I know this personally, after having lost 100# and then standing side-by-side with a girlfriend who has always weight my current weight... She looks 10x better in a swimsuit than I do, which saddens me- especially after all the hard work I've put into becoming active and changing my formerly sedentary ways.
I don't doubt the study's findings. I think there's a suconscious judging we do on this subject. I doubt the study was suggesting people are aware of this judgement - it's probably something we don't realize we're doing - just like other subtle forms of prejudice.
Once again, my only question is:
"Why on Earth are we wasting money and man hours on such superficial research?"
Take my case, I was once fat, but changed my ways and lost a lot of weight. But, I have an ugly face, therefore, even with an athletic physique, I'm still ugly. Just the way it is.
As someone that has lost a lot of weight in the past, I still find myself unattractive... but I've never had a problem with someone being attracted to me regardless of my size.