The Fat Lady … Models

Abstract

Despite the growing awareness of obesity’s health hazards and the widespread concern about its escalation, there has been a subtle but unmistakable countertrend: a societal embrace of the large man, woman, and child. In the words of Marion Nestle, author of Food Politics, “[W]hat used to be considered pudgy before isn't even worthy of a comment today.”¹ Perhaps it is the inevitable consequence of our disappointing track record, as individuals and as a society, in treating weight gain and reversing its upward trend. Nevertheless, many health experts fear that as fat becomes mainstream, it will drive more and more people to become complacent and seriously undermine treatment and prevention efforts.²