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Cosmo's new cover photo has been circulating. This isn't the first time they have put obese women on the cover, but this is the first time they've blatantly said, "this is healthy".
Here's a thread on why we can't normalize obesity (based on my blog) https://alexleaf.com/is-normal-weight-an-artifact-of-society/
Here's a thread on why we can't normalize obesity (based on my blog) https://alexleaf.com/is-normal-weight-an-artifact-of-society/
Promoting obesity as healthy will have a big influence on the millions of young, underdeveloped, and impressionable minds reading the magazine.
We know that people already have skewed perceptions of body size. For example, both men and women don't believe obesity starts until the body size reaches a BMI of 37, which is almost morbid obesity. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17700580/
We can't blame them. After all, normal is common. If common shifts, so does normal. As society becomes fatter, perceptions of what is a normal weight will also increase. By putting obese adults on covers of magazines and saying "it's healthy", we perpetuate a pseudo-reality.
This point is especially relevant considering that two-thirds of the population is currently overweight or obese, and normalizing obesity will only serve to give them an excuse to maintain their current diet and lifestyle habits that caused their weight problems to begin with.
People are far more likely to pursue lifestyle changes to lose weight when they perceive themselves, or receive a doctor diagnosis, as overweight or obese. So, let’s get self-perceptions back on track. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21042327/
There is no such thing as “healthy” obesity. Sure, you can be obese and free of metabolic abnormalities, but you still have a markedly increased risk of developing obesity-related diseases in comparison with normal weight individuals. https://alexleaf.com/is-healthy-obesity-a-thing/
