Americans Find Being Fat Not Unattractive

Yahoo/AP ^ | 01/11/06 | CANDICE CHOI, Associated Press Writer

[misterrob]

Thin is still in, but apparently fat is nowhere near as out as it used to be.

A survey finds America's attitudes toward overweight people are shifting from rejection toward acceptance. Over a 20-year period, the percentage of Americans who said they find overweight people less attractive steadily dropped from 55 percent to 24 percent, the market research firm NPD Group found.

With about two-thirds of U.S. adults overweight, Americans seem more accepting of heavier body types, researchers say. The NPD survey of 1,900 people representative of the U.S. population also found other more relaxed attitudes about weight and diet.

While body image remains a constant obsession, the national preoccupation with being thin has waned since the late 1980s and early 1990s, said the NPD's Harry Balzer.

Those were the days when fast food chains rushed to install salad bars. In 1989, salads as a main course peaked at 10 percent of all restaurant meals. Today, those salad bars have all but vanished and salads account for just 5 1/2 percent of main dishes.

"It turns out health is a wonderful topic to talk about," Balzer said. "But to live that way is a real effort."

Fewer people said they're trying to "avoid snacking entirely" — just 26 percent in 2005, down from 45 percent in 1985 — while 75 percent said they had low-fat, no-fat or reduced fat products in the last two weeks, down from 86 percent in 1999, according to the survey.

At 5-feet-6 and 230 pounds, Lara Frater likes her body just fine and turns up her nose at trendy diets.

[misterrob]

Chicks who like bread are the ones more likely to have food issues.

Carbs are a woman's best friend!!

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Very true. I think Kirstie Alley is looking reeeeeeal fine these days.

[R. Scott]

I like curves.

[Tax-chick]

Awwwww! Beautiful baby!

[cjshapi]

One ho-ho at a time!

Seriously, kudos to you for your hard work. Bet you're looking buff these days! I've lost 20 but wanna go a few more.

[Lazamataz]

Seriously, kudos to you for your hard work.

Grassy a&&.

Bet you're looking buff these days!

Some girl told me she wanted to see me looking buff.

I stripped.

I've lost 20 but wanna go a few more.

I'm just the guy to go a few more with. ;^)

[Lazamataz]

I've gained all the weight you lost, you bastid.

Wanna work it off together, you sonnavabeach?

[Lazamataz]

Just do what makes you feel good about yourself.

I'm all about feelin' good. Here, let me do it right now.

Squeaky Squeaky Squeaky Squeaky Squeaky Squeaky Squeaky Squeaky Squeaky Squeaky
Squeaky Squeaky Squeaky Squeaky Squeaky Squeaky Squeaky Squeaky Squeaky Squeaky
Squeaky Squeaky Squeaky Squeaky Squeaky Squeaky Squeaky Squeaky Squeaky Squeaky
Squeaky Squeaky Squeaky Squeaky Squeaky Squeaky Squeaky Squeaky Squeaky Squeaky

[cjshapi]

You're so easy!

[Jersey Republican Biker Chick]

Oh Laz, you know how I love it when you talk dirty.

[Lazamataz]

You're so easy!

When people used to talk about the Big Easy, I thought they meant me.

[cjshapi]

You said Big......

[MikeD]

Not me -- that's about minimum weight in my book.

[Trajan88]

I find it unappealing that my health insurance rates keep going up in order to compensate for those that worship the Twinkie god.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

...those that worship the Twinkie god.

I hear he's a "Brokeback Mountain" fan.