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by witiwebprod2 from MyFoxMilwaukee.com

Last Post 94 days, 18 hours Ago


Carlos' Corner: Is Bigger Better?
Apr 8, 2008 | 1:03 PM
Category: News
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Being big is beautiful in the United Kingdom. A British plus-sized model was crowned Miss Surrey in a pageant in March (read story here). She will be competing in July for the Miss England crown. What makes this such a controversy is that she weighs 176 pounds is 5 feet 10 inches tall and has a size 16 waist.

So is being big healthy? Some would say that big is beautiful and is perfectly fine. Others would say that big (wo)men do not take care of themselves and are unhealthy.

Here's the government figures for the state of Wisconsin:

According to a 2004 report from the Centers for Disease Control, Wisconsin ranked 26 out of 50 in terms of the percentage of people who were obese. Colorado ranked in first place.

A chart from the state's Department of Health and Family Services illustrates this best. From 1990 to 2005, the percentage of people obese was 11% in 1990. In 2005, the percentage rose to 24%. This is more than double over 15 years.

So what does it mean to be obese?

According to WedMD and the Cleveland Clinic, obesity "is an excess proportion of total body fat. A person is considered obese when his or her weight is 20% or more above the normal weight."

According to Wikipedia, health experts say obesity could lead to such conditions as diabetes, cancer, liver disease, infertility, and depression.

But doing a search on Google, I found many websites devoted to Big & Beautiful people. Everything from sex guides, dating websites, dolls, and a magazine for teens.

Growing waistlines are big business and a big expense. In Wisconsin, the state spent $272/person on obesity related expenses in 2003. That's according to a October 2004 report from the Trust for America's Health Report.

So what does all this mean to you? Do you think we should leave bigger people alone? Should we encourage them to lose the pounds and "get healthy"?

Share your thoughts on this blog. Remember -- keep it real and keep it clean.

11 Comments |  Add a Comment

Member Comments Total Comments: 11
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Centauri65 read my blog
Apr 8, 2008 | 1:14 PM

I think it is Spain that does not allow models to be in fashion shows unless their ratios are above a certain amount. Obviously you can weigh too much but the emphasis has been too much on the stick figures and not on reality.
gardendesigner read my blog view my photos
Apr 8, 2008 | 2:01 PM

I would love to be thin again!!
I think I am Judged by my weight every day.
antmarta read my blog view my photos
Apr 8, 2008 | 2:44 PM

I don't see anything wrong with crowning a plus size beauty pageant winner, not one thing! You see models that are pencil thin and anorexic looking. I wouldn't exactly call them healthy or attractive for that matter. The part about bigger women not taking care of themselves and that they are unhealthy is not true at all. I wonder where that idea comes from. I am a bigger woman and I take extreme good care of myself. Regular physicals once a year plus every six months to keep my thyroid levels in check. I take good care of myself on a personal level as well. Even though I am a plus size gal, I always try to look my best! As Centauri said too much emphasis on the stick figure instead of reality. I think more men would prefer to see women with a little meat on their bones too.
In response to should we leave bigger people alone, the answer is YES! Next thing you know we will be telling people they're to thin too ugly too this too that..people should just mind their own business!
Don't worry Vanessa, there's just more of us to love and you look BEAUTIFUL!!!!! {{{{{Vanessa}}}}}}
hahnmeister read my blog
Apr 8, 2008 | 3:14 PM

In the UK, esp Scotland, they eat alot of greasy, heavy foods, like eggs, sausage, patties, bacon and cheese for breakfast. The Highlands have one of the worst rates of alchoholism and teen pregnancy in the EU (so much so that they recently lowered the legal age of consent/marriage to accommodate). Its no secret that they like to deep-fry just about everything they eat as well... including candybars. So I wouldnt look to the UK for health suggestions exactly. It might just explain why they went with the plus-size model.

Also, there are different versions of 'big', all very subjective. That model might be considered big, but if you met her in person... okay, so she isnt a stick-figure, but still much smaller/petite than 'average' for 'big'.
Anna Nicole was large by model standards, but still not 'big' by everyday standards. If you take a close look at this Chloe Marshall (the girl being mentioned), she isnt exactly 'big'. There is always this small movement every few years or so, spearheaded by someone like America Ferrera, or Chloe... but wait a few years and see what happens. I bet in the next 6 months that Chloe drops a good 30-40 lbs to compete. Even Queen Latifah ended up trading in her ample figure for something smaller, and admitting it was better. Star Jones, Rosie, etc...

If is wasnt for the fact that all that extra weight comes with additional health risks, the idea wouldnt be so absurd. If you asked anyone who is 'heavier' if they wouldnt prefer to be more fit, I dont think you would see any claiming they prefer their fat... sometimes its just e
F0x6Fan read my blog view my photos
Apr 8, 2008 | 4:24 PM

heck yeah, bigger is better....ask my ladyfrie...Ohh, i'm sorry i thought you said...."nevermind".
clarbear45 read my blog view my photos
Apr 8, 2008 | 7:46 PM

Interesting post Carlos. I know that I am overweight myself. Some of affects that I have High blood pressure and colestral problems due to poor eating. Also I have sleep amiena Since my doctor told to go on low fat diet, I have feeling a lttle better and sleeping a little better with a machine that I have to use at night. Even before he put me on a low fat diet I was starting to lose weight. When I started at Sentry on 68th and State about 3 and half years ago, I weighed 311 pounds now I weigh around 227 pounds. I also went from a size 56 pants to a size 46 and soon 44 when the weigh continues to go down. Even though though i have been healthier I can still eat some higher fat content foods but limited bases, and unfortunely I still smoke which I hope to quite soon. Thanks for the post Carlos.
MrsTracy read my blog view my photos
Apr 9, 2008 | 2:34 PM

Alright Clarebear!!!!! It is so hard though because if you look at some charts on what a healthy weight is, it is rediculous. I am 5 feet 5 inches and weigh 125lbs. BUT I have seen charts that say I am healthy right down to 111. While I would love to have that pre-baby figure, I know that because of my stretched out skin, that will never happen. But I see those charts and they tell me that I am near an unhealthy weight near the higher end. Then there are charts that have me at almost an unhealthy weight near the lower end. And it doesn't help when you go to buy clothes and sorry to embarrass any boys here, but when a size 8 underwear is considered extra large, what are you supposed to think?
hahnmeister read my blog
Apr 9, 2008 | 10:06 PM

Its amazing how much our lifestyles determine these things for us. If I was very overweight I would want to move to Germany, UK, or France... where people walk everywhere (or take the train) rather than their own car, food costs more/portions are smaller/fast food isnt so dominant. I bet just about anyone in the US would lose all their extra weight after a couple years there. I had a friend that lived in Greece for 6 months and went from 'portly' to skinny just like that! We are pretty fat in this country as a whole. Restaurants push items with high-fructose corn syrup (hard to digest sugar), and foods heavy on the carbs (wheat, or rather the high-gluten wheat that has evolved in the US and is used in so many foods is a huge weight gainer and creates problems for many regarding sugar levels). Some researchers have cited the discovery of grains as a food source as one of the most detrimental factors to human health in our history... simply put, we werent designed to eat bread, or for that matter dairy products. Meat, Veggies, and Fruits (nuts). Thats what we should eat mostly. Not hamburger buns, fries, toast, pankakes, pizza, chips, cookies, ice cream, etc. Fatty foods arent the worst thing it turns out. The French, British, Germans... all eat alot of greasy foods... but they wash it down with alchohol, which breaks down the fat and prevents you from getting much of it. Its the carbs and sugars which kill us. Chronic stress doesnt help either, and stress levels for most US citizens is higher than normal.
Katbird read my blog view my photos
Apr 10, 2008 | 12:13 PM

I don't think your weight, facial features or lifestyle are anyone else's business.
Unless your lifestyle affects them.
Why not just mind your own business?

Congrats Clarbear. You made yourself feel better and your feelings on this are all that matter. It's hard to diet, quit smoking or drinking because someone else wants you to. You have to want it for yourself. That's the only way it works.
desertwindrider read my blog view my photos
Apr 12, 2008 | 9:37 AM

It is difficult to remain healthy reagrdless of your weight. I agree that the stress level in our society is well over the top. Add to that the schedules that are demanded of us, the lack of access to goood food - as opposed to the schlock that fast food restaurants serve us, lack of sleep, constantly being on the run and unable to relax - or just catch your breath in my case; add to that a risky potentially life-threatening job, and you have a recipe for disaster. I am not surprised that we are a nation of overweight people. We push our health to the limit to make a living for ourselves and our families. We have no time for ourselves. The most overweight people I know are the people who manage to get the most done.
MrsTracy read my blog view my photos
Apr 12, 2008 | 5:47 PM

I don't know. I run around alot, but I do manage to make sure that I count my calories. Some people are just built bigger, and some people are just heavier for whatever reason. I know many people who are overweight and simply can't take it off. I am blessed to be able to keep my body at a healthy weight and when I see the scale start to go up, I just add in some extra exercise which is very stress relieving, and cut down a bit on my calories. But I just hate it when people who manufacture clothes try to sell us into the rediculous sizes and we feel fat just looking at them.
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witiwebprod2

Hey everyone! I'm Carlos, your friendly neighborhood MyFoxMilwaukee.com Web Producer. I'm here to get you talking about the issues that affect our community. While you're on here, please be good to each other. And remember to try to have a good today and a better tomorrow.

Member Since: 8/28/2006


 

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