Isn’t that a good question? But before we even
attempt to answer it, let’s ask a more fundamental question: is it really bad
to be fat? or is it good?
For many people, the reason they want to get thin, because
thin people look good? But do they really? Is thin really sexy and fat is ugly?
If we try to answer these questions from the cultural point
of view, people’ perception of overweight people used to be way different than
it is now. Whether you are in East or West, overweight women used to be looked
at as more beautiful and really sexy. A chubby girl meant a very sexy one. A chubby
girl meant that she came from a very affluent background and everyone wanted to
marry her for both reasons. A chubby dude meant a strong one! It meant power
and masculinity!
Before the spread of automation, most jobs were very labor
intensive. That meant burning a lot of calories and most likely as a result you
would be thin, whether you are a man or a woman! If you are fat, you are an exception
back then! So being fat meant really being special!
With the spread of automation, the expansion of the middle
class and the abundance of food especially at cheap subsidized prices, being thin
meant you are really the exception and therefore you are special!
So, recently, this view has changed because people’s taste
has changed, as well! Off course the media played a role in shaping this image,
but we are not here to discuss all the possible reasons; just some of them.
Fortunately, this cultural view, for the most part, is
really consistent with the medical point of view. As we all now, being fat is
never good for your health! But remember, there was a time when being fat meant
being really good! So, people who are really trying to get thin just because most
people want to, they are doing the right thing for the wrong reasons.
We all know that obesity is a real global problem now. It is
costing people a lot. Sometimes it is costing them the most precious thing they have; their lives.
It’s costing billions of dollars to treat people from its aftermath. We all
know there needs to be a global effort to fight it. But you know what? If we
are waiting for the whole world to move to fight obesity in order to get fit,
we will definitely be dead by then!
To be continued!
