Why Such Rage at Obesity? Start With 'Self-Loathing'

Study suggests the desire to be skinny is internalized at a young age

(NEWSER) - The desire to be thin can implant itself in girls as young as 3, a new study shows. Fifty-five girls between the ages of 3 and 5 were shown three figures, identical except that one was thin, one average, and one fat. When asked to associate positive and negative adjectives with each figure, the girls assigned an average of 3.1 negative and 1.2 positive words to the fat figures, but only 1.2 negative and 2.7 positive words to the thin ones. More»

Internet uproar ensues over 'sizeist' blog post

(NEWSER) - Marie Claire should have seen this backlash coming: The Internet is not happy with Maura Kelly, the Marie Claire writer who authored “Should Fatties Get a Room? (Even on TV?),” a post about new sitcom Mike & Molly. Among the ill-advised comments Kelly made about the show, which follows a couple who met at Overeaters Anonymous: “I'd be grossed out if I had to watch two characters with rolls and rolls of fat kissing each other … I find it aesthetically displeasing to watch a very, very fat person simply walk across a room.” More»

New study shows we mimic habits of those whose bodies we aspire to

(NEWSER) - Existing research suggests those trying to control their food intake should avoid dining with hefty companions with heaping plates. Not quite, says a new study. While the "I'll have what she's having" effect was confirmed in this experiment with college-age women, it was much more pronounced if the person supersizing portions was skinny. “They're big trouble,” a co-author tells Time, referring to "beanpoles with big appetites" eating in view of others. More»

(NEWSER) - A few extra pounds can actually be good for you, the Globe and Mail reports. A recent long-term study of Canadian health records shows that people classified as overweight—with a Body Mass Index of 25 to 30—are 17% less likely to die than those with “normal” BMI, between 18.5 and 25. The study also found that extremely thin and obese people have a far higher mortality rate. More»

(NEWSER) - Being a touch on the heavy side could help you live an extra few years, Japanese researchers say. People who were a little overweight at 40 lived 6 to 7 years longer than those who were very thin at that age, AFP reports. The very thin had a life expectancy 5 years shorter than that of obese subjects. More»