Is Jessica Simpson too fat?
Here's Liz Atwood with today's Tween Tuesday:
What does it tell you when three of the five most read stories this week on people.com have to do with Jessica Simpson’s weight? Seems like everyone is weighing in (pun intended) on whether the star has put on a few too many pounds. I’m always amazed at how in the United States we have a serious obesity problem, and yet our ideal body type is extremely thin. This sends confusing messages to our tweens, whose struggles with body image sometimes lead to eating disorders.
This confusion hit home the other day when my 12-year-old announced that he had written an essay about someone he admires. I was flattered when he told me he had written about me until I asked him to read what he had written. He began by describing me as “average looking” and said I was “a bit overweight.” I admit I’d like to lose the 5 pounds I put on during the holidays, but my weight is still well within the normal range.
I shared this story with my hairdresser and she said her teen son had commented that he thought the actresses on Desperate Housewives were “fat.” Meanwhile, when I asked my son to name girls and women who he thought were attractive, the people he mentioned seemed to me to be extremely — even unhealthily — thin.
What’s your tween think? Does your tween have a distorted view of what body type is attractive and desirable?
Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images
Baltimoresun.com's 
Comments
I think it's hard for tweens NOT to have a distorted view of "normal" bodies sometimes and it's interesting to me to hear what the boys are saying. I spend a lot of time talking with my tween daughter about what a healthy body looks like, but not as much time talking to my son about it (although, in my defense, he's younger and not really paying attention yet). Still, there are a few sites out there that do an excellent job of showing how digital retouching is used in photographs -- my daughter has seen them, but perhaps it's time for my son to see them, too.
The key is to keep talking to them about this stuff.
Great post!
Posted by: Dara Chadwick | February 3, 2009 8:09 AM
The focus on Jessica Simpson's weight is very unfortunate, and highlights the overemphasis on body shape, weight, and appearance in our "modern" society. As a culture, we have embraced diversity in so many important ways and we have come so very far....but NOT when it comes to acceptance and tolerance about variance in body size. Many individuals are teased, criticized, and discriminated against. Why do we tolerate this behavior? Weight is in large part genetically determined. Unfortunately, the unfair lack of acceptance of size diversity and the focus on the importance of extreme thinness to be considered attractive is one factor in the proliferation of serious, life-threatening eating disorders.
Harry A. Brandt, M.D.
Director
Center for Eating Disorders at Sheppard Pratt
Posted by: Harry A. Brandt, M.D. | February 3, 2009 1:45 PM
No.
Posted by: Bucky | February 3, 2009 2:14 PM
I agree that the messages being sent our young people are very unfortunate and confusing--but on the other hand, many celebrities are famous just because of their good looks, not for any outstanding talent, achievement or attribute. Live by the sword, die by the sword.
Posted by: Dahlink | February 3, 2009 2:52 PM
Who cares what others think. As long as Jessica is happy with herself, that is all that matters. The media is always trying to find something negative to say about anyone to stir something up and make some money. I think Jessica has always been a beautiful woman and she will remain beautiful as long as she wants.
Posted by: Dave | February 3, 2009 8:16 PM
Jessica didn't seem to mind being a pawn in society's overemphasis on body shape, weight, and appearance when she was prancing around half naked in her Dukes of Hazzard days.
She didn't seem to care about the message she was sending to America's tweens then.
The lesson our tweens should learn from the hysteria over Jessica Simpson's weight gain is never encourage people to focus on you for superficial reasons...they just may take you up on your offer and you'll have nobody to blame but yourself.
Posted by: thom | February 4, 2009 6:25 PM
Kids are having eating disorders because of the poor education taught in the US. To look hot you must go to the gym 5 times a week, bust in on the cardio machine and eat correctly to look beautiful. Starving yourself will get you nowhere! That's what parents should be teaching kids. "go out and work out not play video games or internet!!!!"
Also I don't believe anybody deserves millions of dollars and not have to work for it. If your a Jessica I want to see you busting your ass and working hard! Not eating whatever you want and put on weight and still think you deserve millions of dollars while the rest of us "normal" ppl have to do to make a living.
And Yes the leaner and toned you are, the better you look and more attractive you are. That's human nature and cannot be changed!
Posted by: TheProfessor | February 5, 2009 2:42 PM
okay, to all you people who think jessica simpson is fat, need to SHUT UP! she is not fat, or a cow, or whatever you want to call her, she is pretty, in some ways i look up to her, so do other kids, so do you think it is fair for children/fans to be hearing this about their idol? i think not. even if she was "fat" which she is not! she would still have the same perfect voice she has always had and the same personality, weight doesnt matter. i was watching the E!news show a couple of days ago and someone said she looks like a cow. i was FLIPPING out because she looked so unhealthy her self come on! 100 pounds at forty? shes got some weight issues her self and doesnt need to be talking about my home girl like that, so please except this comment, its very true, and jessica i doubt you will read this but if you do i love you.
Posted by: Olive* | February 8, 2009 9:19 PM