As we discussed the psychological effects of the BoPo movement, we are now moving on to consider the physical outcomes, which have tangible evidences and sometimes may lead to irreversible consequences. The BoPo movement offers a different standpoint about the concept of beauty, approaching new criteria of self-esteem and self-acceptance (The Body Positive, n. d. ) which have even resulted in obesity celebration. Unfortunately, this is leading United States to embrace and assimilate in their culture new beauty models that are no longer the reflection of a physically healthy body (Chadwick, 2016).
Since the BoPo movement was born, the rates of obese and overweight people have risen in the United States. The National Center of Health Statistics (NCHS) of U.S. defines as obese adults and youngster with a BMI greater than or equal to 30. According to a survey conducted by the NCHS, between 1988-1994, in United States, only 24.9% (Tab.1) of the female population was obese . First and foremost, less than 10% of women aged 20-29 (Tab.2,3,4) were obese (Flegal, Carroll, Kuczmarski & Johnson, 1998). Ten years after the foundation of the BoPo movement and its new values spreading, the NCHS of United States has observed an outstanding growth of numbers of obese among women, hitting the 41.1% in 2015-2016 (tab. 5), almost the double compared to 1994 (Hales, Carroll, Fryar & Ogden, 2017).
An ambitious target has been set by Healthy People 2020 project to reduce obesity of 14.5% among youth and 30.5% among adults before 2020 (Hales et al., 2017). However, the policies adopted by the U.S. Government, such as the obligation for restaurants and fast food chains to affix the calories count on their menus ( Elbel, Kersh, Brescol & Dixon, 2009) or taxing sugary drinks of 20% more (Fletcher, Frisvold & Tefft, 2009), in opposition to the strong message fostered by the BoPo movement of beauty in every shape, seem to be ineffective.
The BoPo movement can in same cases encourage models of beauty that do not respect the health of women’s body, proposing acceptance of illnesses such as obesity that brings along other complications which are even more worrying and dangerous. Obesity is in fact recognized as a risk factor for cancers, cardiovascular disease and diabetes (Kahn, Hull & Utzschneider, 2006), not to mention that it increases the risk of all-cause mortality in women (Carmichael, 2006).
If diagnosed in time, breast cancer is nowadays a curable illness. On the contrary, obese women have an elevated risk not only to have an adverse or poor prognosis of breast cancer, but they are also more likely to die because of it (Carmichael, 2006). The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition has proven that having a BMI higher than 30 increases the risk of breast cancer among women by 31% (Carmichael, 2006) . This is due to high levels of tumour promoting hormones, such as estrogen and estradiol whose production is stimulated by many factors among which the excessive intake of saturated fat and other poor dietary habits (Verreault, Brisson, Deschenes, Naud, Meyer & Belanger, 1988). In the first place, the presence of excess adipose tissues in obese women may interfere on self-examination of breast, resulting in a late medical diagnosis and delayed consequent medical treatment (Verreault, Brisson, Deschenes & Naud, 1989). Moreover, breast cancers are commonly bigger in obese patients (Maehle, Tretli, Skjaerven & Thorsen, 2001) and even chemotherapy can be less efficient for obese woman (Madarnas, Sawka, Franssen & Bjarnason, 2001). To conclude, further complication such as infections are more likely to occur after surgery in people with a BMI > 30. (Carmichael, 2006)
The evidence that obesity affects women’s health is undeniable. This is also confirmed by several studies which have brought to light the influence of excessive weight over the incidence of cardiovascular disease. High BMI is considered as a decisive factor in the development of cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension, insulin resistance and diabetes that in the long run may lead to cardiovascular disease (CVD) such as coronary heart disease and ischemic stroke, in which blood flow to the brain is blocked (Poirier, Giles, Bray, et al., 2006).
A study called Overview of Epidemiology and contribution of Obesity to Cardiovascular Disease conducted in Canada explains that the accumulation of excess body fat around vital organs such as heart, liver and generally around the abdominals area leads to an increase of blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose level which will eventually evolve in diabetes and overall inflammation. The occurrence of all these factors, added to the accumulation of fat in the arteries are the main cause of cardiovascular disease (Bastien, Poirier, Lemieux & Després, 2014). Statistics shows that 1 in 3 US adults has at least one of these conditions and about 90% of all strokes are ischemic strokes (Adult Obesity Facts, 2018). In a large-scale study over U.S adults the lower death rates were found among women with a BMI of 22.0 to 23.4 (Calle, Thun, Petrelli, Rodriguez & Heath, 1999), while deaths from cardiovascular disease were substantially elevated among women with higher BMI (Bastien et al., 2014).
As the prevalence of obesity among women doubled over the last few decades reaching epidemic proportions, it represents a primary concern for the United States (Bastien et al., 2014). In fact, if obesity keeps growing at this rates, the United States will have to prepare to face a potential decline in life expectancy by the end of the 21st century (Olshansky, Passaro, Hershow, Layden, Carnes, Brody, Hayflick, Butler, Allison, & Ludwig, 2005). Although Social Security Administration and other major statistics on life expectancy for future generations suggest a continuous increase in the average age index, they fail to consider the health status of people currently alive (Olshansky, Carnes & Désesquelles, 2001). A life shortening effects of 13 years is estimated to affect people suffering from diabetes as a consequence of obesity (Manuel & Schultz, 2004). Over and above that, a considerable negative impact on longevity has been attributed to obesity itself, accountable of an estimated reduction of life-length of 5 to 20 years (Fontaine, Redden, Wang, Westfall & Allison, 2003) and approximately 300.000 deaths per year in United States (Allison, Fontaine, Manson, Stevens & Vanitallie, 1999).
listed in this paragraph, the overall negative outcome of obesity in the United States is a progressive reduction of one third to three fourths of a year and of two to five years in the coming decades (Tab.6), of life expectancy (Olshansky et al., 2005).
The BoPo Movement does promote a positive ethic in terms of self-acceptance and self-love but this message it has been soon misconceived, leading to the normalization of new beauty models that do not reflect a satisfactory grade of greeting (Chadwick, 2016). Obesity is a serious disease that should not be, in any way, underestimated or accepted as new beauty model, but must continue to be recognized as illness.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the intention of this investigation was neither to demonize nor to exalt the Body Positive Movement. The BoPo has several valuable qualities, such as promoting self-acceptance and self-love, challenging the ultrathin body type proposed by fashion industry since decades and embracing the idea of evaluating women for their uniqueness. Nevertheless, reforming deeply rooted beauty standards in the American society is a war that should not be fought only by Mass Media, that for ages offered a contrasting image of skinny and deprived woman, causing insecurities, self-doubt and body dissatisfaction.
Instead, it is by competent experts that crucial changes like these should be ruled because of the unexpected negative outcomes that may occur, such as eating disorders, a worsening of obesity rates and its acceptance as a non-illness-related issue. Furthermore, in other cases where self-esteem lacks, positive messages could be misunderstood worsening self-esteem and body image-related issues.
