In an article he wrote on the site Psychology todayAn American psychologist laments the valorization of thinness in our society and explains why it’s time to stop thinking that our weight is the only indicator of our physical condition.
Restrictive dieting, excessive exercise, following the latest trends on the networks… Some say they have “tried everything” to lose weight. But why fight at all costs to multiply the means of losing weight, convinced that losing a few kilograms will contribute to general well-being? Our mind has a hard time getting rid of the belief that thinness equals health. American psychologist Mary McNaughton-Cassill explains why they should be different in an article published on the website on May 12. Psychology today.
“Healthy weight”, a broad concept
“Many of us still think that only weight is about our physical condition,” notes the psychologist. However, “we don’t even know exactly what a healthy weight is for any given individual.” We could contrast this observation with the Body Mass Index (BMI), which should inform us of the “category” in which we are: underweight, normal, overweight, obese. However, the result is only indicative and Mary McNaughton-Cassil advises that it should be interpreted with caution. BMI “does not take into account body structure or age. “Professional athletes are sometimes classified as overweight, even though they have very little body fat,” he notes. The only certainty this figure supports is that “both extremes, hunger or obesity, have negative health consequences.” But when we are somewhere, the conclusion is much more difficult to draw.
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The expert claims that “there is even evidence to show that older people live longer when they fall into the ‘overweight category’ on BMI charts.” And that’s because gaining weight during growth can be especially useful to fight against possible diseases, the psychologist continues. In conclusion, “measures of health, including blood pressure, cholesterol levels, blood sugar, and physical activity, are more reliable markers of health than thinness alone.”
A positive view of weight loss
Losing weight is often viewed in a positive light and is a source of glowing compliments. Weight loss, especially involuntary, “often speaks of underlying physical problems,” the psychologist notes. The latter cites his own experience to substantiate this. “Many people have commented on how ‘great’ I looked after losing the weight. […]. Others have expressed their desire […]although in reality dealing with surgery and an uncooperative digestive system is anything but pleasant.
Our entertainment is saturated with images of people who are much thinner than most of us
Mary McNaughton-Cassil, psychologist
Weight is often seen as a measure of success, the psychologist then laments. And our environment does not help us get rid of this belief. “We are inundated with advertisements promoting weight loss, exercise programs and unsafe diets. “Our entertainment is saturated with images of people who are much thinner than most of us.”
However, diets can harm our health. Restricting daily calorie intake “can affect our mood, cause irritability and depression, and increase our obsession with food.” Without forgetting that our weight is not only determined by what we put on our plates, it is also determined by genetics, metabolism, brain and even gut microbiota. In conclusion, the psychologist explains: “The hypothalamus, a structure in the middle of the brain, is responsible for regulating thirst, appetite, satiety, body weight, temperature, sleep patterns, immune function, and reproductive cycles.
Source: Le Figaro
