As the many readers of this blog know the idea that fat people have low self esteem is a myth. Here is another scientific study that proves conclusively that fat people have high self esteem and we are not the pathetic and depressed losers the old NAAFA style size acceptance portrays us to be.Fat Bastard asked me to present this article and discuss my feelings regarding my experience with fat women. We both will be commenting in the comments section. For now I will let the article and study stand on its own merits.
How High Self-Esteem Keeps You Fat
A new study sheds light on why some women find it difficult to lose weight. When obese women have positive self-image, 1 in 5 will choose a silhouette of an obese woman as being at her “ideal” body weight.
This study also supports other research that has shown that fat people tend to have fat friends. Alcoholics or drug addicts who are overcoming addiction are taught to get rid of the friends that enable their dangerous behaviors.
Maybe a person on a diet needs to do the same?
In research published in the May issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Temple researchers studied the body image perceptions of 81 underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese women in the North Philadelphia area and found that as their body mass index (BMI) increased, two-thirds of the women still felt they were at an ideal body size.
n research published in the May issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Temple researchers studied the body image perceptions of 81 underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese women in the North Philadelphia area and found that as their body mass index (BMI) increased, two-thirds of the women still felt they were at an ideal body size.
"So the question for doctors then becomes, 'How can we effectively treat our overweight and obese patients, when they don't feel they're in harm's way?'" said study researcher Marisa Rose, M.D., assistant professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences in the Temple University School of Medicine. "It stresses a need for culturally sensitive education for this population."
All participants were measured for height and weight and completed an anonymous survey to determine their self-perceived, current and ideal body sizes. Each woman was then shown an illustration of different-sized women that correlated with increasing BMIs, and were asked which size they felt they were at currently, and what their ideal would be.
While most of the participants selected illustrations of women in the normal to overweight range, about 20 percent of the obese women selected an overweight or obese silhouette as their ideal body shape. Further, 68 percent (15 out 22) of overweight participants and 84 percent (26 of 31) of obese women underestimated their current BMI. African-American and Hispanic women had significantly underestimated their current body size, while the white women overestimated.
and her fellow researchers say this is the first study to evaluate body image discrepancy specifically in the inner-city population of women seeking gynecologic care.
"For this group, gynecologists often serve as the primary care provider as well," said Rose. "As more women become obese and overweight, it becomes critical for gynecologists to know how to talk to their patients about the adverse effects of obesity."
The researchers say that their next course of action is to determine from a more diverse population whether the trend of women incorrectly perceiving their body size extends to most underweight, overweight and obese women or whether the trend is specific to the inner-city population.
"Informing our patients about the dangers of obesity, even when they feel they're not at risk, can help empower them to change their lifestyles and lead healthier lives," said Rose.
Other authors on the study were: Sushma Potti, M.D.; Marina Milli, M.D.; Stacey Jeronis, M.D.; and John P. Gaughan, Ph.D of Temple University School of medicine.
Fat Bastard asked me to make some comments on the above article. I would like to speak to the veiled criticism by the medical profession of fat people regarding their health. I would ask these doctors if they aren't as critical of people who play dangerous sports. Let's take one of our heroes, the Butter Bean, king of the three rounder. I bet his doctor gives him more crap about being obese than having his brain damaged and suffering a life of dementia pugilistica. Larry Holmes beat the Butter Bean senseless. Let's take look at the other sports like soccer and football. People get permanently injured and maimed regularly in these sports. Now we have auto racing, bungee jumping, sky diving and a host of sports that appeal to the adrenaline junkie. Nobody complains about thrill seeking behaviors associated with these sports. Why should they complain about about people like Teddy and Fat Bastard and others who are fully aware of the dangers of gluttony? Actually fat people are pretty smart about mitigating the damages their lifestyle causes. Teddy knows exactly how to adjust his insulin for his power eating sessions. He knows the risks of gluttony and he mitigates them. I feed with fat because fat fattens best. It lowers the risk of diabetic coma and when I do use fats I use the mono-saturated types.
This article busts another myth perpetrated by the old and angry fat acceptance. The ideal body that women seek is not a normal weight or underweight body but rather a fat or obese body. I know that the old angry fat acceptance is going to want to take credit for this one of many examples of the normalization of obesity but fat women did not come to this realization with the help of the old tired angry man hating disingenuous fat acceptance but rather in spite of it. Gluttony is the rule today and not the exception.
Unlike the angry man haters in the old and obsolete fat acceptance movement Fat Bastard and I found some very positive things about this article. We found what we both already knew and that is fat and obese women have very high self esteem and being fat and gluttonous is a sign of high self esteem. It is getting more and more difficult for the hacks in the old fat acceptance to continue to portray fat woman as tragic victims especially in light of these scientific revelations.
