Vote in This Week's Poll: Has your perception of what is considered 'normal' weight changed over the years?
One question that's been asked over the past few months, as we ponder rising obesity in America, is: Is fat the new normal? This is one question authors attempted to answer in "The Social Dynamics of Obesity," published in Economic Inquiry. In the study, experts found that:
- The average woman's weight has increased by about 20 lbs between 1976 and 2000, and
- The desired weight of the average woman has also gone up from 132 lbs in 1994 to 135 lbs in 2002
While most of us think that 'normal' weight is a standard set by the medical community or the secret people who make up those BMI charts, this actually suggests that what we consider 'normal' weight can change based on changing standards of beauty. This is such an interesting question and one that makes me curious. Have your perceptions of weight changed over the years? Is it more acceptable now to have a larger body size than it was 10 or 20 years ago? Vote in this week's poll and tell us what you think.
Poll: Has your perception of what is considered 'normal' weight changed over the years?
1. Yes
2. No
3. I don't pay attention to that kind of thing
4. I don't know
5. I don't care
6. Other - please explain in comments
Comments
Everybodys weight should be different depending on their height and body frame…A healthy body should have good muscle tone and about 8-15% body fat…That is what people should be working for, not a specific weight measurement…
I believe there is a normal weight range according to age, size, etc… that most people base their weight by.
However, what is “normal” to one person is not neccessarily “normal” to another when it comes to point of view and how they feel looking at their own body.
I know this is not the norm I am 56 lift free weights & do cardio. I
My perception of normal for everyone else has gotten larger, but that’s because the people I see are bigger. That being said, what I consider normal or even acceptable for other people I’d consider uinacceptable and hideously fat if I were looking at myself. And it’s harder to respect people when it appears they have so little control and so little regard for themselves.
As a trainer I feel I must have a dark-side, for when I continually see our society accept obesity as closer to a norm, I feel much better about myself! I don’t think they like it, but many have decided to accept it for they know not how to correct it, or are unwilling to make the committment to exercise and LIMIT CALORIES. Personally I don’t get it-like sex, I don’t want to lower my standards of a shapely woman’s body merely to get laid. I want something that excites me and will do without if that is my choice.
I think that being fat has become much more acceptable over the years. Now you see fat people everywhere, and why are there so many fat kids? This is a health crisis. I am considered thin now when before I was just average. So sad that so many people are missing out on the joys of being fit, and attractive.
The BMI charts are a joke, they do not take body fat % into the calculation, I’m 48 , 5′8″ and 195 my BMI is 29.6 ! That is considered OBESE , I am not ! My body fat% is 14.1 healthy range for a male 41-60 is 11%-22%, I lift weights 3 days a week and do cardio 3 days a week and am quite healthy. People need to look more at their body composition more than just the BMI chart.
Society is being pressured to accept fat as acceptable. What seems odd is we’ve all heard those who are obesse say they can’t help it. However, Bariatric surgery forces them to eat less because they “feel” full. In essence, Bariatric surgery does what their will power fails to do. They are still eating less and losing weight. The vary thing they say will not work.
You know your body. You know yourself.
I like how kristy said “what is normal isn’t necessarly normal to someone else”
AND THAT IS SO TRUE!
But all it comes down to being happy. Whatever size you are and if you’re truly happy with your body, that’s all that matters.
Normal or not is irrelevant. In parts of the world malnutrition is normal.
I have never thought appearance is a good reason to lose weight. I think the folks who have the fat is beautiful attitude have something worth saying in terms of our judging our self worth based on our weight. The question is am I healthy, not am I normal.
As for normal, a lot of teenage girls consider anorexia normal too.
Curt
A major problem seems to be that poor quality garbage food is being considered as normal. Far too much intake of animal fats and not enough fruits, grains and vegs.
There is no excuse for obesity with the vast knowledge base we ALL now have, and the free help available.
An enjoyable exercise program (walking, jogging, weights, aerobics, swimming, boot camp sessions, cycling etc) balanced with healthy food is the proven formula. But, you have to make the commitment to get off your fat asses.
Has your perception of what is considered ‘normal’ weight changed over the years? If by ‘normal’ you mean healthy, well, yes.
That which we consider beautiful and even health has changed over time. Over-weight woman, at least according our standards, was considered beautiful and healthy during 19th century. Medieval artists had a different conception of lovely. And, so it goes.
Perceptions also change across space as well, across cultures. It wasn’t until television became popular in some Polynesian islands recently did women want to slender-down.
I think the so-called ‘normal’ weights of a few years ago were bordering on anorexic!What the media and diet moneymaking machines want is our dollars..pure and simple.People are sucked into spending to attain the ‘normal’!If you are healthy and fit then ‘obesity’ becomes a non-word. But there are those who are overweight and need to regain their HEALTHY weight which is not the same for everyone….
I was undiagnosed hypothyroid for over 40 years.
Doctors contantly accused me of closet eating and lazy, or it was all in my head. I was fat
and eating between 800 and 1000 calories a day
just to maintain. Then that didn’t work anymore and my weight shot up to 230. FINALLY I was diagnosed, put on Armour, and now weigh 140. In fact now I have to monitor that I eat enough after so many years of extreme dieting.
Did I change my perception about weight? Yes,
for 40 years I had to accept fat in spite of my efforts to be thinner. I wonder just how many over weight people out there struggle like I did, or to a lesser degree, because doctors do not recognize the symptoms and use incomplete testing to diagnose hypothyroidism and just dismiss us as hysterical women?