Ideal Body Image Around the World

              If you asked someone in the United States about the ideal body type for women, they would likely answer by saying either tall or skinny. The answer for men would most likely be big and muscular. Living in America with a prominent media force it is easy to forget that not all countries see this as a desirable body type. 

 

Many European countries do seek a similar body image to what is promoted in America however there are several countries who do not share this view. A perfect example of this is seen in the country of Tonga. Over 90% of this small country’s population is overweight, however there is little to no negative stigma surrounding this. Being fat in Tonga is seen as a status symbol. Similar attitudes towards body image can be seen in other countries as well. In Jamaica, it is considered desirable for women to have a larger butt compared to the size of the rest of their body. In order to achieve this look, a growing number of women have been consuming very dangerous “chicken pills.” These are the same hormone infused pills that farmers have been giving chickens in order for them to gain weight. The Jamaican women are taking these in hopes of it having the same effect on them. Despite the fact that these contain poison including arsenic, the desire for this specific body type is currently outweighing the countless risks associated with this dangerous action. Countries such as South Africa, Fiji, Nigeria and Mauritania all share a similar ideal of heavier body types also. 

What is interesting to note though is a pattern that has been seen across the world. The more a country becomes influenced by Western culture, the more that country starts to shift their “desired” body type towards a tall and skinny frame. 

             There are, in fact, a few positive sides to these ideals. A skinnier frame often implies that the person is physically fit and in other societies a bigger body shape shows that the person is eating and not starving.  However the problem is that body type should be an irrelevant trait of a person and it greatly affects how we treat people. What all of these countries have in common is that they are using it as a form of a status symbol. Unfortunately, this means that people will go to extreme measures to attain the traits of the body type most valued in their country. This can have devastating impacts on people’s self esteem and even their quality of life as a whole. It is important that we remember that we are all perfect just he way we are, regardless of what you look like or how much you weigh.

-Krista Holtzman