Obesity and Self-Esteem Essay -- essays research papers fc

Today obesity is talked about as a major(ip) physical health problem. It can cause diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, immobilization, and many other problems. However many articles fail to mention what is one of the virtually important and most destructive problems. This is the effect of obesity on ones mental health and wellbeing. Being excessively overweight usually instills in its victims a sense of self worthlessness and gives them a very negative self-image. This can lead to an array of problems that affect the person in a way that is much more direct and difficult to deal with than physical problems. While the problem is known to affect men, it strikes women much more often.The models and celebrities in the media that strict the standard for what women should look akin are thinner than 90-95 percent of the American female population (Seid p.6). This is an unrealistic portrayal of what the human body should look like when compared to most womens genetic makeup. Wom ens self-image, their social and economic success, and even their survival can still be determined largely by their sweetie (Seid p.5). Men on the other hand seem to have it a little easier when it comes to looks. Their self-image is largely determined by what they accomplish in life and non by whether or not they meet the social standard for looks. Modern clothing and fashion require women to show off their bodies more in sloshed clothes and by showing more skin than in the past. According to Roberta Seid ...