SUPERSIZED SELF-IMAGE. Americans need to take responsibility for their health
I’ve wondered for a long time why, when we complain about people with an unhealthy body shape, we talk about the beanpoles rather than the muffin tops. We are unhappy with the fact that models and singers are size zeroes, and men are made to believe they should have the body density of Channing Tatum. Is the unrealistic build of celebrities ruining the self-image of the average American? Or is it that our own mirror ruins our self-image more than the television?
The truth is that celebrities don’t have that many devout followers in terms of body size. Around 30 percent of Americans are obese. Yes, a small portion of the population suffers from eating disorders, but almost one-third of our nation is suffering from a disease that results in a cruelly painful and shortened life. People literally eat themselves to death and then blame the media for their poor self-image. Am I the only one who sees the irony in this?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, during the past 20 years there has been an enormous increase in obesity in the United States. Trivia question: What sinks faster, the economy or the couch? Let’s crunch numbers.
Cartoon by Abby Gross
According to Census.gov, there are more than 314 million people living in the United States. Since 30 percent of these people suffer from obesity, this means there are approximately 94.2 million obese Americans. CDC.gov reports that each obese American averages an additional health cost of $1,429. Instead of the government paying for one in three Americans to get their stomach stapled shut or their knees cut into just so they can hold up their own weight, maybe we could have more bike lanes, parks and money for health education.
Some people like to blame food industries. After all, a couple McDoubles or a package of hot dogs is cheaper than trying to buy that expensive healthy stuff right? Wrong. Rice and beans are two of the cheapest possible foods. But how often are they on a dinner table? Perhaps it’s because when some assembly is required, people turn and run. It’s understandable, though. After a long, tiring day at work, don’t you just want to crash and complain about those awful skinny people on TV while you eat yourself out of house and home?
Food is only part of the problem. The second part of the issue is fitness. Statisticsbrain.com, a resource for CNN, ABC news and the New York Times, says that 67 percent of people who own gym memberships never use them.
A large number of Americans exercise just as rarely as they skip the junk food for healthier options. People may argue that life moves too fast, and there isn’t any time. Maybe those people tend to forget that 30 minutes of exercise a day could add years to their lives. Kids play video games instead of actual games. People take elevators one story up. Others ride on motorized scooters instead of walking with their grocery carts.
Still, no one wants to accept responsibility for his or her unhealthy actions. After all, poor self-image resulting from obesity is the fault of the media, right? They make people irresponsible and lazy. It’s their fault Americans replaced their inner drill sergeant with a vat of Ben & Jerry’s. It’s their fault we love food and hate exercise. Or is it?
Maybe the media just go to extremes to cover up the growing epidemic of obesity. American popular culture is often represented by the ultra-thin woman or the guy with the 24-pack who never ate a carb. After all, the media give us what we want to see. Not many people want to see fat rolls on prime-time television or a glossy magazine cover. If we represent our culture with skin-and-bones models, then maybe people will forget America is dominating the world in pant size.
My point is this: It’s time Americans stop blaming the media and avoiding the mirror and start taking responsibility for themselves. Then, maybe the media can celebrate the average American. And we won’t have to worry as much about healthcare because people will actually care about their health. The past 20 years have seen dramatic advances in technology, communication, education, business and many other areas. We top the charts in so many positive categories, but somewhere along the way, self-discipline ceased to be one of them. Congratulations to us, the American juggernaut continues to move forward with an earth-shaking step.
