American Attitudes About Fat Versus Thin

The market research firm NPD recently published results of a survey that attempted to measure the attitudes of Americans with regard to fat and obesity. What they found was that many more Americans are comfortable with other people being overweight. Partly as a by-product of their own obesity, as America is fatter than ever now. But how does that relate it an historical context?

Weight and body shape have always been subject to ebbs and flows in public opinion. From the paintings of many of the great masters of the past we can see what the idyllic body of that time was. And it has often been large, especially for women. In most of the 20th century, the trend was more to thinner types, even as the population got bigger and bigger. Is it a good trend, or bad? That might depend on context.

It is better for all Americans if society as a whole becomes more acceptable of those who are different for whatever reason. It is bad for individuals when they tend to think that “everyone else is big, so I’m not worried” or sentiments to the like. Over the years mountains of evidence has accumulated to show the bad effects on the body of being obese. It pushes people into diabetes that might not otherwise become diabetic, it increases heart disease, and it takes a huge toll on the entire body. When over half of America is considered obese, there is a health concern.

So it is good that we are becoming less hostile to the overweight. I can imagine that it can be truly hard to be obese in society, and I am very pleased to know that attitudes are changing. Yet we cannot forget that we need to strive to be in better health. As the life expectancy has gone up, it is more important than ever to look at long-term chronic conditions to ensure a healthy and happy old age.