The FastDay Forum

So, there's been a huge fuss around here lately about a high school (American) football player who is 6'5" tall and weighs 400 lbs. I guess he plays pretty well but the attention is centered around how wonderful it is that he's so big. From photos it's obvious that he's carrying a very unhealthy amount of fat. It really rankles me that society actually pushes boys to put on so much weight. Coaches are pushing boys to reach 300 lbs! How many of those guys will never go anywhere in football and just end up with weight they're never able to lose? And people praise them for it?

On the flip side, I cannot imagine a universe in which a girl is lauded for reaching his BMI of 47. It's sad how much girls and women struggle with self image and the harsh messages society sends girls who are the least bit overweight (even normal range can seem "fat" in the media).

It's too bad we haven't figured out how to help kids to maintain a healthy weight without sending all these crazy messages that wrap up their whole identity in it. Ya know?

I agree, my 3year old granddaughter who is only slightly chumbly was told by the teacher of a dance class she went to for fun to loose weight. Needless to say her mum did not let her go back to that class.

Ya, my daughter enjoyed dance until they made us buy the outrageously expensive outfits that only the thin girls looked good in. Seriously ticked me off that an activity that should have made her more comfortable in her body ended up making her feel worse

My best friends daughter has just turned nine. She is chunky because it's pretty obvious that she is going to take after both sets of parents who are extremely tall. Her mum is Amazonian like and beautiful.

It's the kids at school that tell her she is 'fat'. As she towers above them all but is not a bean pole. What a terrible thing to be told at the age of nine by your so called friends. She is distraught and her mum is terrified she will end up with an eating disorder.

Poor thing @rawkaren, how distressing for your best friend and her daughter. Alot of girls around that age carry a bit of extra wright a few years before they start their periods. Then they just grow into it, that happened to my daughter and some of her friends.
Xxx julianna