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The average American woman is 5'4'' and 140 pounds

The average fashion model is 5'11'' and 115 pounds

Fashion models are thinner than 98% of American women

80% of women are dissatisfied with their appearance

91% of women in a recent survey on a college campus said they have attempted to control their weight through dieting

25% of men and 45% of women are on a diet at any given time

Approximately seven million girls and women struggle with eating disorders and 1 million boys and men

Source: The National Eating Disorders Association and Screening for Mental Health

Ahtman wrote:The average American woman is 5'4'' and 140 pounds

The CDC states: (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/overwt.htm/)

Percent of adults age 20 years and over who are obese: 33.9% (2007-2008)
Percent of adults age 20 years and over who are overweight (and not obese): 34.4% (2007-2008)

That's a total of more than 2/3rds of Americans who are overweight. They get counted in that average, you know. Comparing anything to the average American size is not good. The average American is overweight, and close to obese. This is a far greater problem than a handful of models being underweight.

Redbeard wrote: a handful of models being underweight.

Only a handful? And who stated that we have to pick one problem over the other? Both are problems that need to be addressed.

Ahtman wrote:The average American woman is 5'4'' and 140 pounds

The average fashion model is 5'11'' and 115 pounds

Fashion models are thinner than 98% of American women

80% of women are dissatisfied with their appearance

91% of women in a recent survey on a college campus said they have attempted to control their weight through dieting

25% of men and 45% of women are on a diet at any given time

Approximately seven million girls and women struggle with eating disorders and 1 million boys and men

Source: The National Eating Disorders Association and Screening for Mental Health

Spoiler:

Excellent

Ahtman wrote:The average American woman is 5'4'' and 140 pounds

The average fashion model is 5'11'' and 115 pounds

Fashion models are thinner than 98% of American women

80% of women are dissatisfied with their appearance

91% of women in a recent survey on a college campus said they have attempted to control their weight through dieting

25% of men and 45% of women are on a diet at any given time

Approximately seven million girls and women struggle with eating disorders and 1 million boys and men

Source: The National Eating Disorders Association and Screening for Mental Health

The average human being is unique - basic biology.

Interesting that you mention mental health, as psychiatric units prohibit fashion magazines as they are detrimental to recovery because they promote unattainable goals and lifestyles, and promote poor self esteem.

Ahtman wrote:

Redbeard wrote: a handful of models being underweight.

Only a handful? And who stated that we have to pick one problem over the other? Both are problems that need to be addressed.

Both are problems, true, but with 100 million-or-so obese Americans, and a bill for obesity-incurred healthcare in excess of 75 billion per annum, it's pretty obvious which is the more - ahem - weighty problem.

Supermodels being a weight achievable by normal girls would go a long way towards fighting obesity. But that's a very large discussion with a lot of possibilities.

English Assassin wrote:

Ahtman wrote:

Redbeard wrote: a handful of models being underweight.

Only a handful? And who stated that we have to pick one problem over the other? Both are problems that need to be addressed.

Both are problems, true, but with 100 million-or-so obese Americans, and a bill for obesity-incurred healthcare in excess of 75 billion per annum, it's pretty obvious which is the more - ahem - weighty problem.

It is only a large number of people because we have so many people, the UK has just as much a problem with obesity as we do. In the UK an estimated 60.8 per cent of adults and 31.1 per cent of children are overweight. According to figures from 2009, almost a quarter of adults (22 per cent of men and 24 per cent of women) in England were classified as obese.

The two issues (underweight or overweight) are connected; to address one really requires us to address the other.

Ahtman wrote:

Redbeard wrote: a handful of models being underweight.

Only a handful? And who stated that we have to pick one problem over the other? Both are problems that need to be addressed.

I think he means that models are a handful of the general population.

Also, Melissia, if it means anything, I've talked to Redbeard about nutrition in person. I
believe him when he says his wife is a dietician because nobody is going to believe a guy
who looks like him knows what he knows

Ahtman, are you suggesting people in the developed world eat too much high fat food, far too many empty calories, don't get enough exercise, and are incapable of basic statistical analysis of populations?

For shame sir. For shame.

Dang...I've seen some fat Afghans....

Ahtman wrote:

English Assassin wrote:

Ahtman wrote:

Redbeard wrote: a handful of models being underweight.

Only a handful? And who stated that we have to pick one problem over the other? Both are problems that need to be addressed.

Both are problems, true, but with 100 million-or-so obese Americans, and a bill for obesity-incurred healthcare in excess of 75 billion per annum, it's pretty obvious which is the more - ahem - weighty problem.

It is only a large number of people because we have so many people, the UK has just as much a problem with obesity as we do. In the UK an estimated 60.8 per cent of adults and 31.1 per cent of children are overweight. According to figures from 2009, almost a quarter of adults (22 per cent of men and 24 per cent of women) in England were classified as obese.

The two issues (underweight or overweight) are connected; to address one really requires us to address the other.

I wasn't singling Americans out; living as I presently do in the north of England, I'm horribly conscious of how many fat bastards we have here in dear old Blighty. My point, however, was that only do I see no causal relationship between the two problems (beyond both involving food), their relative levels (8 million anorexics globally, versus 100 million obese in the US alone) make it obvious which one is the pressing medical and social problem.

Medium of Death wrote:

scarletsquig wrote:In general, fat dudes are more attracted to fat chicks.

Law of gravity.

Seems legit.

Most men over the age of 18 who like MLP are sure to be future/current child molesters.

Get in the van!

Melissia wrote:That actually is close to the desired body type for supermodels.

Mind you, it was far worse during the sixties and seventies.

That's not true (that tiny body huge boobs is the desired body type for supermodels) these days. It was moreso in the 60s/70s, the Monroe hourglass figure, but there are very, very few (none?) D-cups walking the fashion stage overall. None of the women in the VS would be considered exceptionally busty.

Redbeard wrote:

Ahtman wrote:The average American woman is 5'4'' and 140 pounds

The CDC states: (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/overwt.htm/)

Percent of adults age 20 years and over who are obese: 33.9% (2007-2008)
Percent of adults age 20 years and over who are overweight (and not obese): 34.4% (2007-2008)

That's a total of more than 2/3rds of Americans who are overweight. They get counted in that average, you know. Comparing anything to the average American size is not good. The average American is overweight, and close to obese. This is a far greater problem than a handful of models being underweight.

While I agree with the assessment that the majority of Americans are overweight, what is the actual metric that they're using to judge this? If they're going by BMI, then it's a laughably bad metric. I was skin, bones, and muscle in high school and I was overweight by the BMI scale even back then.

I'd check the link myself and find out, but apparently we've decided that cdc.gov is not work-safe and have blocked it appropriately. I'm as surprised as you are. God help them should we ever come under some kind of abrupt pandemic while I'm here at work and I can't research it.

sourclams wrote:that tiny body huge boobs is the desired body type for supermodels

Maybe for Playboy bunnies, but supermodels tend to not be as top heavy.

That's what I said.

sourclams wrote:That's what I said.

Ah, I see what you were saying now. I read it as X isn't true, with the description in the parentheses as being the truth.

Bottom one, no brainer. I loves me some chubbies.

Ahtman wrote:80% of women are dissatisfied with their appearance

This seems to imply that only 20% of American women are liars, which strikes me as somewhat low.

mattyrm wrote:... and Dogma, you wouldn't pursue a Victorias Secret model!?!

It would be about their fame, not their body.

And, honestly, no; I wouldn't. I would happily sleep with one, if it came to pass, but I wouldn't chase one.

Redbeard wrote:
My wife, a RD (Registered Dietitian) disagrees with you. And you too Melissia. The top group are not unhealthy, they're just thin. They're at the bottom of the healthy range weight, most of the girls in the second picture are mid-to-upper healthy range.

Tell me, how tall are the relevant women?

sourclams wrote:
That's not true (that tiny body huge boobs is the desired body type for supermodels) these days.

Anything beyond a C-cup is considered an impediment to a model.

Alternatively, they aren't meant to be hot; they're meant to be pretty.

Some of the women in picture 2 are seriously hot. Personally I think picture 1 looks like a pastiche of a schoolboys wet dream, complete with multiples of the same shiny woman. The essence of beauty is imperfection. Perfection is inert, boring and predictable. Honestly pic 1 looks like a production line. Tust me, production lines are not sexy.

Related:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2182016/Plus-size-Vogue-cover-girl-Robyn-Lawley-revealed-stunning-new-face-Dragons-Den-star-Theo-Paphitiss-lingerie-line-curvy-girls.html

I wouldn't say there are no beautiful, sexy women in the second picture. But I would say that there are only beautiful, sexy women in the first.

Manchu wrote:

Ahtman wrote:80% of women are dissatisfied with their appearance

This seems to imply that only 20% of American women are liars, which strikes me as somewhat low.

My missus told me she read an article that said 90% of women think they are "unattractive" and apparently about 90% of men think of themselves as "very attractive"

Sounds about right to me.

d-usa wrote:Related:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2182016/Plus-size-Vogue-cover-girl-Robyn-Lawley-revealed-stunning-new-face-Dragons-Den-star-Theo-Paphitiss-lingerie-line-curvy-girls.html

Oh my.

Frazzled wrote:

d-usa wrote:Related:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2182016/Plus-size-Vogue-cover-girl-Robyn-Lawley-revealed-stunning-new-face-Dragons-Den-star-Theo-Paphitiss-lingerie-line-curvy-girls.html

Oh my.

Wait, how are they plus sized?

They look normal and healthy...

Didn't you notice that tiny roll of belly while she was leaning up? In model world that makes you a whale.

A whale? i dare say she's a brontosaurus!

So we have supermodel thin and normal to plus size to choose from, but what about athletic? Won't someone think of the athletic women?