Personally, I am kind of a fitness enthusiast, which probably explains my stance on the movement. I do not support the body positivity movement because I feel that in some cases the concept brings positivity to obesity, why support something that is so deadly and unhealthy? I promote a healthy lifestyle, and I think it is sad that I feel controversial saying that.

With that being said, healthy has different meanings for everyone. Some people have disabilities that enable them from living a typical ‘healthy’ lifestyle with things like dieting and working out, but that doesn’t mean they can’t find personal meanings for the word healthy. Naturally, everyone is born with different body types, so while 150 pounds may be ideal for some, it is clinically considered obese if you are 5’0 and under.

With the exponential problem of obesity in America, people have also neglected the unhealthiness of being underweight, another thing supported by the body positivity movement. Being underweight is just as unhealthy as being overweight. Being underweight can cause a compromised immune system, hormonal problems and nutritional deficiencies.

Obesity in America is a growing problem, and supporting people who feel comfortable contributing to the issue is not helping. No matter how comfortable and confident some are with being over weight, it does not erase the facts about the hazards of being obese. Obesity increases the chances of one getting Type 2 Diabetes, high blood pressure, different types of Cancer, and joint, bone and heart diseases, but if you’re content with bringing positivity to that, then that’s your call.

I don’t have a problem with fashion companies including plus sized models into their advertisement, I think representation is very important, and no matter how unhealthy obesity is, it will always be there. There will always be obese people so there is really no point in ignoring them and not bringing them proper representation, but that does not mean they have to condone the problem. And as more and more people begin supporting the movement that promotes finding confidence is being over/under weight, the definition of being healthy is being redefined, further increasing the obesity problem in America.

In America, 35% of women are considered seriously overweight, and I don’t think a movement geared towards supporting women should bring positivity to the alarming facts, if the movement wanted to potently support women, it should advocate healthy lifestyles.

With all opinions put aside, facts don’t lie. I think it is important for people to look at the facts about what they are supporting before blindly following, and in this case, they are supporting unhealthy lifestyles for the sake of social media attention. Body positivity was a clear rebuttal to “fat shaming,” but is calling out the potentially fatal effects of being obese really considered shaming? I am not “shaming” overweight people, but I am, however, shaming the negatives effects that being overweight can have, the effects that movements like body positivity often overlook.