Plus size model on Sports Illustrated cover unhealthy?

[Gumbo4x4]

I just think it's odd that 'skin and bones, heroin addict' looking models send a bad message but overweight models don't.

To be fair, I don't think Cheryl Tiegs ever fit that description, at least not any of the times she was in SI.

 

[mnrose]

On the low end of BMI to underweight has been the ideal since what...sometime in the 60s? Twiggy and all that. Haven't Americans gotten fatter since then? Pushing Jane Fonda, Slim Fast and Kate Moss hasn't made us thinner so why will INCLUDING women like Ashley make us fatter? (She's only shown as one of several body types of models)

No, we haven't gotten thinner, but we have had an explosion of eating disorder cases. 1 in 6 females, about 1 in 9 males.

Now, do these photos cause eating disorders? Absolutely NOT. However, if you have the genetic predisposition to an eating disorder, these photos are very triggering. That "look" is absolutely unattainable for the majority of women without compromising their health, that's why they are so dangerous. Just as the "soft and fluffy" look is not attainable without compromising your long term health. I'd love to see a world where the high fashion photos don't over do it in either direction. If you've got to put a size to it, perhaps and 8 or a 10?

 

[luvsJack]

Honestly imo, the best thing would not be a clothing size or a weight but what is healthy and looks good on that woman. And women of all shapes and sizes.

Dd went Saturday to find a prom dress. There were a crowd of girls in the store trying on dresses. Dd was in a dressing room and there were girls in the rooms next to her. All wore the same size-a 6. They were trading dresses around to try on. The three girls were very differently shaped. Dd is curvy, one was very thin with little curve and the other was more pudgy compared to dd and the other girl. Different dresses looked beautiful on each girl. Size really is just a number.

Ronda Rousey was one of the women in this SI issue. There is no doubt Ronda is in good shape. Her competing weight is 135. Her walking around weight is a as much as 20 lbs heavier. But its all muscle. Female wrestlers are the same way, some are as short as dd at 5'1", but weigh 15-20 lbs more. Again muscle. Weight, too, can be just a number.

A couple of years ago we had a girl in choir that fainted during competition. She had not eaten a bite all day. She was trying to lose weight. She was a tall and thin, beautiful girl, but she had been listening to other girls talk about weight and was embarrassed that she weighed more. These girls were a good 5 inches shorter but she was focused on that number not why. Another girl was upset about size, nevermind that she had hips and the girl she was comparing to had none. Again focusing on a number.

Those numbers shouldn't matter so much.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Ronda Rousey was one of the women in this SI issue. There is no doubt Ronda is in good shape. Her competing weight is 135. Her walking around weight is a as much as 20 lbs heavier. But its all muscle. Female wrestlers are the same way, some are as short as dd at 5'1", but weigh 15-20 lbs more. Again muscle. Weight, too, can be just a number.

Not to take this too far off track, but generally speaking a 5'1" wrestler who weighs 20 lbs more than another 5'1" wrestler is going to have a hard time because they'll be wrestling much taller competitors.

 

[luvsJack]

Not to take this too far off track, but generally speaking a 5'1" wrestler who weighs 20 lbs more than another 5'1" wrestler is going to have a hard time because they'll be wrestling much taller competitors.

I should have been clearer. Not talking about collegiate wrestlers. Pro wrestlers. They are in shape and some are all muscle but their height and weight doesn't really matter much in "competing". Its more about looking the part. Dd is a big fan and follows most of them closely. Some of her favorites are very close to her height.

 

[jrmasm]

To be fair, I don't think Cheryl Tiegs ever fit that description, at least not any of the times she was in SI.

I wasn't talking about Cheryl Tiegs. I was making a general statement about these types of discussions.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

I wasn't talking about Cheryl Tiegs. I was making a general statement about these types of discussions.

Fair enough, but Tiegs was the original topic & I don't think anyone who has pointed out the issue with "heroin chic" in the thread has qualified that by stating that didn't really apply to Tiegs. And I wanted to make that point.

 

[jiminyC_fan]

The judging of overweight people disgusts me......period. I think the cover photo was gorgeous. Good for her. I wish her a successful life of modeling.

 

[Dentam]

Another article just posted today on msn - regarding how BMI is not an accurate indicator of health.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/health/wei...health/ar-AAgweHr?li=BBnbfcL&ocid=mailsignout

 

[Christine]

Another article just posted today on msn - regarding how BMI is not an accurate indicator of health.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/health/wei...health/ar-AAgweHr?li=BBnbfcL&ocid=mailsignout

I think the general lay population (to include those on this thread) are in agreement that the BMI is not an indicator of health. Most people hate the BMI chart.

 

[Dentam]

I think the general lay population (to include those on this thread) are in agreement that the BMI is not an indicator of health. Most people hate the BMI chart.

I might have been confusing this thread with another one in which people were referring to the BMI chart quite a bit as the be all end all in health. There was one poster in particular who was shaming another poster based solely on her height and weight. If doctors offices are still using this and health insurance companies are, then I do believe most people are under the impression that it is an accurate measurement. I've seen plenty of people referring to it on Facebook as well.

Anyway, I saw this article while checking the news just now and immediately thought of the way people were talking about this beautiful model on the cover of SI.

 

[gwynne]

I think the general lay population (to include those on this thread) are in agreement that the BMI is not an indicator of health. Most people hate the BMI chart.

The article quoted an actual medical journal and a couple of physicians. It was an interesting read.

 

[Christine]

The article quoted an actual medical journal and a couple of physicians. It was an interesting read.

I agree. My point was: I thought we all really knew that. And, on this thread, nobody really did think the BMI charts made any sense.

 

[Dentam]

I agree. My point was: I thought we all really knew that. And, on this thread, nobody really did think the BMI charts made any sense.

My mistake. The other thread wasn't nearly so kind and many were judging the SI model based on her weight and height. As well as fellow posters.

 

[Christine]

My mistake. The other thread wasn't nearly so kind and many were judging the SI model based on her weight and height. As well as fellow posters.

Well, I judged her too. I just wasn't using BMI as any sort of basis for my judgment.

 

[Hikergirl]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, some people will find her beautiful regardless of her size or even because of it. I think she is gorgeous, and I am alot smaller than her but I would be happy looking like her (body and face). Don't worry Cheryl Tiegs I'm not planning on eating nothing but fast food and soda to do it though.

 

[Dentam]

Well, I judged her too. I just wasn't using BMI as any sort of basis for my judgment.

I read her response to that old former model's comments recently and she basically said that the only person who can really make a judgement about her health is her doctor. I thought she handled it really well.

 

[gwynne]

I read her response to that old former model's comments recently and she basically said that the only person who can really make a judgement about her health is her doctor. I thought she handled it really well.

ITA. Ashley gave accurate, true medical information. She's lovely inside and out. I have great respect for her attitude. Cheryl? I think she was annoyed and tried to grab the spotlight from a beautiful young woman. Gracious? I think not.

 

[mnrose]

I completely agree that the BMI charts are not terribly useful. However, that being said, I think we can also agree that being overweight OR underweight are not optimal conditions for our health. I've got no problem with saying the current BMI charts don't provide us "good" information on who is on each end of that spectrum, BUT, I don't want to see "BMI bashing "as a means of justifying being overweight or underweight as somehow being "healthy" conditions. There is much medical evidence that neither condition is good.

 

[Dentam]

I completely agree that the BMI charts are not terribly useful. However, that being said, I think we can also agree that being overweight OR underweight are not optimal conditions for our health. I've got no problem with saying the current BMI charts don't provide us "good" information on who is on each end of that spectrum, BUT, I don't want to see "BMI bashing "as a means of justifying being overweight or underweight as somehow being "healthy" conditions. There is much medical evidence that neither condition is good.

And how do you determine if someone is overweight or underweight? The article I posted refers to body fat percentage, which is not always obvious. For example, a "thin" person can have very little muscle mass and a high percentage of body fat. Those who like to judge others based on their looks would say that person is healthy when in fact they are not. And they might not be considered underweight either. Bottom line - let the doctors and the person themselves decide if they are healthy or not. Enough with the judgement.