Question

What is ideal body weight? Why do some (ok most) people associate ideal weight with how they look? Why are we so fixated with looking thin?

Answer 1

Ideal body weight is the optimal body weight in relation to their height. It is usually calculated by Body Mass Index ( BMI ).

Body mass index measures a person's weight in relation to their height and is the most common tool to measure the ideal body weight.

• BMI of less than 18.5 means the person is underweight.
• BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered ideal weight.
• BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight.
• BMI above 30 is considered obese.

BMI is calculated by the following formula :

BMI =  weight in pounds ×703

( height in inches)²

Many people associate the ideal weight with how they look . There could be many reasons. It is how the environment they grew up, in has inculcated this into them. People often generalise the weight with the looks. The person who has ideal body weight is considered beautiful rather than the person who is overweight. This general concept that they are exposed since childhood makes them associate the ideal body weight with how they look.

The misconception that being thin is healthy is one of the reason and the other is they look young being thin. Models who endorse fashion products are thin too. This society has put this concept of being thin is beautiful . This all has made people fixated with looking thin.

I would like to end it is how healthy you are matters and not being thin. It is ideal to maintain a healthy lifestyle and diet and not being fixated on being thin.

Thank you.