To think that it is not particularly healthy to "promote" being plus size?

[MaterTheGreater]

I'm sure this discussion's been done, so no yawns please, but on Radio 2 this afternoon they were talking about the story in the news that 1 in 4 items sold in women's clothing are a size 18 or over.

They were saying that this was great and that Adele was a great role model for women.

Now I agree that they shouldn't be sending size zero models down the catwalk, and I think it's great that some designers are using something like a size 14, but I really don't think it's in any woman's best interest to think that a size 18 is a good thing.

I love Adele - she has an amazing voice, and comes across as a lovely girl, but she is definitely "overweight", and healthwise that can never be a good thing.

I know that obviously if you are taller with a bigger frame, then you need a bigger size, but I think even at 5'11" (which a good friend of mine is), an 18 would still be overweight.

I am 5'8" and a size 18 on the top half and 16 on the bottom and I am totally miserable. I am constantly worried about my health and the effect that my weight has on it. I am currently trying to shed the pounds, which is hard, but I really do not want to be this size - it's disgusting and unhealthy and I hate all the "big is beautiful" bollocks.

I like to see someone who is "plus size" portrayed positively in the media, not because I want to emulate their appearance, but because I am fed up with being made to feel like a social pariah because I am a size 24

I agree! You are made to feel socially unacceptable if you are heavier than a size 14! Like you are some kind of inferior being! No wonder bigger people feel 'disgusting' in their bodies, because societies message is, that you can only be beautiful/accepted/loved etc if you are thin!

Am I the only person who doesn't know (or care) what their BMI is?!

Nope! I have no idea. Don't care right now. I know that I am overweight, but I am happy in my body at present & feel no need to change it. One day I will. But because I want to, not because society tells me that I have to!

Why not ban all clothing sizes over an 18. It's pretty hard to be over a size 18 and not be obese.

So what? All people over size 18 have to walk around in sack cloths until they are your more preferred weight? Can't you see that that is discrimination & bullying? you aren't who we think you should be, change or look disgusting, you don't look how we think you should look, wear nothing but sacks until you fit into our (unrealistic) preconceived ideals?

Just the thing to make people binge!

'Then why is my healthcare rising rapidly? I'm being told by the government that it is because of the increase in obesity related diseases.'

& how have they told you this? & your healthcare??? Your taxes? Or the proportion of your taxes that are being spent on healthcare?

I pay taxes and I pay a monthly fee to MSP, Medical Service Plan. In regards to the MSP, the government issue a statement to the media stating that it needs to increase due to pressure on the system due to rise of obesity related diseases.

So GotArt I guess you're not in the UK then??

No, British Columbia.

Ooooooh, BC is so beautiful.

Sorry...as you were....

Before i comment i just want to say that i have not read all the thread, pretty much just skimmed through so sorry if i repeat anything and also i'm aware that i am more than likely going to get flamed for what i say so her goes

I have to agree with the OP that promoting the big is beautiful thing isn't in women's or children's best intrestts, as i find it a little irresponsible and rather unhealthy. I try to encourage my children to be healthy and comfortable in themselves but have to admit that i can at times find this difficult without being negative towards the larger size. I my self am a size 8 at just over 5 foot and feel that for my height im an unhealthy size however my dp is 6 foot and a size 40 (yes yes i know little and large ) and i see how his weight and size affects him on a daily basis, its from this that i don't want my babies growing up thinking it's a good life choice to be unhealthy and overweight. So i have to agree that i don't find adele and beth ditto etc being portrayed as good roles models is a healthy attitude

Strawberrytot You said you feel that you are 'an unhealthy size'. Was that a typo? I hope so as it sounds as though you are the 'right' size for your height :)

How do you feel about your partner's size? How does he feel?

Olifin no sadly not a typo, i absolutley hate my size it makes me physicaaly sick. me and the other half have a running joke that we both have body dysmorphia as i look in the mirror and see a fat person and he looks in the mirror and sees a thin person

As for my partners size i love him thin or thick i just worry about his health especially as he is older than me and i know that it does affect him as he misses out on doing stuff with the kids that i can.

erm that should say physically

Gosh strawberry, that is sad. I can understand not liking the look of your body, that's something many women can relate to of course but to feel you are an unhealthy size? You really aren't by the sounds of things but I daresay people have told you that before.

I think I would also worry about health implications if my partner were very large. Having said that, my oh smokes and the only reason I don't worry about that is that I also smoke and nicotine addiction has a cunning way of allowing smokers to ignore the bleeding obvious ie that we are seriously jeopardising our health.

Indeed HappySeven, I got the same treatment when younger from some family members and my GP. But it is no where near as common and people do not recieve half the bashing as plus size people do. I say this as someone who has seen friends and a close family member insulted walking down the road.

If it really was looked on that badly to be skinny on such a large scale, we wouldn't have size zero girls being used on runways to such an extent because it would be looked at as ugly by society. But look at the struggle to simply get size 12 girls on runways, it is near impossible.

Size 0 models are not on the runways because they are pretty they are human clothe hangers picked for their shape which help make the clothes stand out. There are even male models who are on runways advertising female clothes because their body shape suits it. The models that are glamourised or seen as attractive are bigger like the glamour models in sun or loaded,FHM mags not runway models.

Size 0 models are not on the runways because they are pretty

Most of them are rather strange looking IMO.

It's true about models. I used to be a magazine editor and found many models are photogenic but look quite plain IRL. And this wasn't high fashion - the type of people in Vogue do sometimes look quite odd.

(Some are absolutely stunning, though, obviously.)

I'm a bit confused at this post (genuinely not having a dig)

Nope! I have no idea. Don't care right now. I know that I am overweight, but I am happy in my body at present & feel no need to change it. One day I will. But because I want to, not because society tells me that I have to!

If you're happy with your body...I mean truly happy then why would you ever want to change it?

I know a lot of overweight people how claim to be happy until they lose weight and then admit they were miserable. It's the same with smokers..you often heart them saying 'I do't WANT to give up, i enjoy smoking' but then they do?

I am happy in my body at present & feel no need to change it. One day I will. But because I want to, not because society tells me that I have to
This really sums up how people in society have become so selfish. Always doing things for themselves because they want to and not because of the impact it might have on other people.

Whatever happened to "teamwork"?
No wonder Cameron wants to try and bring back the culture and feeling of "responsibility" not just to ourselves but to others in his Big Society.
In essence I think that Cameron really wants to say "Stop being so bloody selfish and do things for others just once in your lives" - if only more people would start doing as they were told!

I'm fat and I'm going to stay fat just to piss the likes of you off nailitorelse.

Nailitorelse really? Tell that to the 500,000 protestors from yesterday.

Have a in aid of your Cameron worship.

I hope you don't die an early death because of it Worzel

Are you seriously saying you'd cut short your time on earth with your family and loved ones just to piss a stranger on the internet off?

I'm only worried because being overweight is becoming increasingly acceptable and that's fine if an adult doesn't mind the health implications (despite the cost to the NHS) but this problem is growing amongst children, more and more are becoming obese and obtaining health complications that are completely preventable this includes children under 10 and they are not making this choice for themselves they are eating whatever is being given to them.

I agree and usually the second anyone mentions a child being overweight, someone will come along and scream 'you'll make them annorexic' if you watch their weight.

Poor kids with parents like that are often doomed to a life of battling the fat because teaching them simple, sensible eating and excercise, was never their parent's strong point.

I think with kids it is different, when I see an obese child I do judge the parents. I do think it is neglect to let your child become obese.