Fat celebrities are sending a dangerous health message, warns British expert.
Michael McMahon from the Nuffield Health, Britain’s group of private hospitals, claims that "fat TV stars are seen as role models, helping to make being overweight acceptable."
He says "it is akin to the dangers of skinny media images and anorexia."
"We talk about the dangers of skinny media images, but the problem actually swings both ways."
A recent survey in Britain revealed that "many obese people are apathetic about their weight gain." Most of them "fail to even recognize they have a problem at all."
Although he does not say that "obese celebrities have been in any sense responsible for the obesity epidemic that exists today," Michael McMahon says "the increased acceptance of obesity is alarming."
The proportion of Britons who are obese has doubled since 1999, from 11% to 23%.
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Comments: 9
"Britain’s group of private hospitals, claims that "fat TV stars are seen as role models, helping to make being overweight acceptable."
Sure health is an issue as it is with smokers, drinkers, risk takers, grossly underweight and overweight, but reliance on role models is what I see as the tragedy in this premise.
"Reliance on role models is what I see as the tragedy in this premise."
I agree Robert, but this is the reality...
Beat the anorexic, skin and bones, need a burger celebs that are currently invading television, movies and magazine covers.
Excellent point Juan, that emaciated version is just as unhealthy, and just painful to look at in some cases.
Perhaps turning off the TV is the answer to more than just how much one weighs. Maybe that would also solve the issue of perception when it comes to satisfaction, acceptance, tolerance, communication, values and the false paradigm the world lives within.
Obesity is a huge health problem in the US, but "fatism" is the last "politically correct" form of discrimination!