Looks like the days of 'eating for two' are well and truly over. Obesity during pregnancy is public enemy #1 in the eyes of biomedicine.
In Chicago (where I currently am blogging), Northwestern University's School of Medicine is opening a centre focusing exclusively on 'treating' and researching obesity, especially in pregnancy.
According to recent statistics, in 2007, almost half of the women who gave birth at Northwestern Memorial's Prentice Women's Hospital (where I was born!) were categorized as overweight, meaning they had a body-mass index between 25 and 29.9 before pregnancy. An additional 12 percent had a BMI of 30 or greater, the definition of obesity.
In Melbourne, it is suggested that more than 30 obese women are presenting at hospitals every month which is a huge increase over the last five years. At least 35% of pregnant patients are now considered to be obese. Doctors are saying that overweight pregnant women are "posing serious challenges" as it becomes increasingly difficult to monitor foetuses on ultrasound machines and monitor their heart rates. On a more practical level, medical staff complain that the hospital does not even have appropriate trolleys to transport pregnant women who weigh more than 150kg. As a result of the reportedly 'huge' rise in overweight mothers, Australian obstetricians are suggesting that obese women should have their weight vigiliantly monitored throughout pregnancy.
Unsurprisingly, overweight women are now being encouraged to seek out gastric band surgery prior to falling pregnant as a means of avoiding the 'risks' associated with obesity during pregnancy.
So rather than providing services for overweight women to learn about sensible weight loss, they are being encouraged to look to a surgical solution. This comes from the same band of obstetricians who continually lament the high rates of caesarean sections throughout the developed world (many of which are attributed to obesity in pregnancy). Surely, there has to be a better way to lower high rates of surgical birth associated with obesity other than asking obese women to have surgery to lose weight.
Sources:http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/health/chi-obesity-centernov28,0,3499140.story
http://www.theage.com.au/national/huge-rise-in-obese-mumstobe-20081115-67p0.html
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE4AH8TR20081118
Showing posts with label fatness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fatness. Show all posts
29 November 2008
21 May 2008
Gwyneth Paltrow: happy to erase all traces of motherhood
In a new interview with V magazine, Gwyn Paltrow describes how much she hated her post-pregnant body. After gaining 3 stone with Moses, she says:
"I didn't mind the big boobs. But I hated the stomach roll, the back fat and the post-pregnant butt. And it was so hard to get rid of. Especially the final 20lb."
I find this sort of commentary really confronting. Sure, I love the fact that Gwyn is being honest but I'm really getting sick of this complete disavowal of the post-baby body in the media. That somehow the photos above represent Gwyneth Paltrow better or are 'more beautiful' than the person she was immediately after having her babies. I'm troubled by the implication that the body in those photos is different to the body she had when she was pregnant or post-pregnancy.
What I find really interesting (and this is something I'm trying to sort out in my PhD work at the moment) is that there is this perception that the bodies that you have before, during and after pregnancy are actually different when in fact, it is the same body in different forms. What I mean is that surely Gwyn looks all raunchy and emo in the magazine cover shots but the truth is that is exactly the same body that she had just a few years ago, fat rolls and all, in a different form. You cannot get rid of fatness; it's always inside our bodies whether it is visible on the surface or not. The very ambiguity of fat (not a liquid that seeps, not inside or outside the body) means that it cannot be expelled physically or psychologically. It is through specific interactions and locations and in specific contexts that fatness becomes real for women and pregnancy is one such time. The constant emphasis on fatness and thinness, and more prominently the praise given to celebs who shed baby weight quickly is symptomatic of a culture that continually forces us to believe that fat is something that we can get rid of entirely. The truth is that for most women, there is no such thing as an 'ideal weight' because even when they reach their 'ideal' it is never enough. The fat is always there and to maintain anything resembling 'ideal' requires that women constantly monitor their diets and their bodies in order to stave off visible fat a little longer. In this way, fat never leaves. It is always in our bodies, constantly threatening to creep to the surface and Gwyn's 'hot mamma' post-baby photos are deceiving for exactly this reason. Paltrow knows that she will always have to maintain a specific diet and exercise regimen in order to keep her fat at bay.
I've spent the last three weeks thinking about fatness exclusively...can you tell? And by the way, apologies for the recent spate of short posts. My dissertation is due...very, very frighteningly soon.....
11 March 2008
Lisa Marie Presley: pregnant and pissed off
Finally, celebrities are fighting back against rumours of 'fat' and not pregnant. Lisa Marie Presley is suing Britain's Daily Mail for 'vicious' attacks on her 'growing physique'. The Daily Mail earlier this week was not very subtle in noticing her weight gain saying:
"Bloated Lisa Marie is now the double of dad Elvis"
Well, they've been served and Lisa Marie wrote on her MySpace blog:
"They couldn't wait to find out if my weight gain was because I was just overeating, in which case It would be open season and they can do the old following in her fathers sad and unfortunate demise story again or less interesting for them and probably much to their dismay, I could just be pregnant and therefore have a legitimate reason for weight gain at which point they should probably wipe the saliva off of their fangs and put them back in their mouths or they may expose the black little souls that they are".
I was amused to see Daily Mail's change of heart with this headline today:
Pregnant and proud: Lisa Marie Presley shows off her baby bump
The Brit's are clearly trying to appease before being forced to pay for their sins, going so far as to suggest that 'Lisa Marie looked radiant and every inch the happy mother-to-be' as she stepped out with her husband Michael Lockwood.
Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/showbiz/showbiznews.html?in_article_id=529148&in_page_id=1773
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/07/furious-lisa-marie-presle_n_90464.html
"Bloated Lisa Marie is now the double of dad Elvis"
Well, they've been served and Lisa Marie wrote on her MySpace blog:
"They couldn't wait to find out if my weight gain was because I was just overeating, in which case It would be open season and they can do the old following in her fathers sad and unfortunate demise story again or less interesting for them and probably much to their dismay, I could just be pregnant and therefore have a legitimate reason for weight gain at which point they should probably wipe the saliva off of their fangs and put them back in their mouths or they may expose the black little souls that they are".
I was amused to see Daily Mail's change of heart with this headline today:
Pregnant and proud: Lisa Marie Presley shows off her baby bump
The Brit's are clearly trying to appease before being forced to pay for their sins, going so far as to suggest that 'Lisa Marie looked radiant and every inch the happy mother-to-be' as she stepped out with her husband Michael Lockwood.
Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/showbiz/showbiznews.html?in_article_id=529148&in_page_id=1773
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/07/furious-lisa-marie-presle_n_90464.html
25 January 2008
Too 'fat' to give birth in hospital
Melbourne mother, Lisa Graves, has been told she is too 'fat' to give birth at her local hospital. At 100kg, Lisa will have to pay for private medical care and travel far from her home to receive the prenatal care she needs.
Why the shaming of 'fat' mothers is wrong
I've talked to dozens of women in Melbourne, all of whom are pregnant, and all of whom told me they feared if they gained ‘too much’ weight or failed to ‘bounce back’, they would no longer be valued as human beings.
The story of Berwick mother, Lisa Graves, proves that their fears are justified. How is it that the paradigm of obstetrics has changed into one in which Australian pregnant women must be legitimately afraid that they will be rejected for prenatal care if their body weight deviates from medical guidelines?
The shaming of fat people, fat women in particular, is a cottage industry in a culture that thrives on size zero and reality shows like The Biggest Loser. Magazines such as Slimming and Health, Good Medicine, and Oxygen are all designed for the ‘health minded consumer’ (mostly women) wanting to lose weight. Whereas fatness was once a sign of leisure, beauty, and status, in Australia, obesity signifies laziness and poor health. Fatness is no longer just a weight problem; it’s like a full-body cancer.
Thinness is admired and important especially for women, defining what is ‘normal’. A toned and contained stomach is unequivocally positioned culturally as the only pathway to happiness. In a culture bursting with ‘skinny’ pregnant celebrities, it is no surprise that pregnant women are no longer immune to the battle of the bulge. In fact, medical concern over ‘fatness’ in pregnancy began in the 1930s in America and is arguably at its height today as ‘fat’ pregnant women like Lisa Graves are told that they will be unable to give birth in a hospital if their body size is outside of ‘normal’.
It’s no wonder that pregnant women are confused by the definition of ‘normal’. In one respect, pregnant women are encouraged to eat big in order to have a healthy baby. ‘Dieting’ during pregnancy is tantamount to child abuse in some cultures. How many times have you mentioned to a pregnant friend that she should have another piece of cake or an extra biscuit simply because she’s ‘eating for two’? After all, pregnancy is quite possibly the only time in a woman’s life when being ‘fat’ is acceptable.
However, doctors also encourage women to vigilantly survey their eating and not gain too much weight. Recent research has shown obesity to be a legitimate medical concern in pregnancy. Babies born to overweight women are more likely to be overweight by the age of three. Obese women have a greater risk of developing gestational diabetes and are more likely to have complicated births.
However, this 'anti-fat' mindset and the moral panic surrounding ‘fat’ pregnant women is ironic considering thin women requesting elective caesareans are heralded as 'smart' for avoiding the agony of childbirth but ‘fat’ women who want to give birth in a hospital are accused of failing to recognise the ‘risks’ associated with their body size. It has become painfully clear, especially if you are ‘fat’; birth is no longer seen as a ‘normal’ life process. Rather, it is an accident waiting to happen.
I've talked to dozens of women in Melbourne, all of whom are pregnant, and all of whom told me they feared if they gained ‘too much’ weight or failed to ‘bounce back’, they would no longer be valued as human beings.
The story of Berwick mother, Lisa Graves, proves that their fears are justified. How is it that the paradigm of obstetrics has changed into one in which Australian pregnant women must be legitimately afraid that they will be rejected for prenatal care if their body weight deviates from medical guidelines?
The shaming of fat people, fat women in particular, is a cottage industry in a culture that thrives on size zero and reality shows like The Biggest Loser. Magazines such as Slimming and Health, Good Medicine, and Oxygen are all designed for the ‘health minded consumer’ (mostly women) wanting to lose weight. Whereas fatness was once a sign of leisure, beauty, and status, in Australia, obesity signifies laziness and poor health. Fatness is no longer just a weight problem; it’s like a full-body cancer.
Thinness is admired and important especially for women, defining what is ‘normal’. A toned and contained stomach is unequivocally positioned culturally as the only pathway to happiness. In a culture bursting with ‘skinny’ pregnant celebrities, it is no surprise that pregnant women are no longer immune to the battle of the bulge. In fact, medical concern over ‘fatness’ in pregnancy began in the 1930s in America and is arguably at its height today as ‘fat’ pregnant women like Lisa Graves are told that they will be unable to give birth in a hospital if their body size is outside of ‘normal’.
It’s no wonder that pregnant women are confused by the definition of ‘normal’. In one respect, pregnant women are encouraged to eat big in order to have a healthy baby. ‘Dieting’ during pregnancy is tantamount to child abuse in some cultures. How many times have you mentioned to a pregnant friend that she should have another piece of cake or an extra biscuit simply because she’s ‘eating for two’? After all, pregnancy is quite possibly the only time in a woman’s life when being ‘fat’ is acceptable.
However, doctors also encourage women to vigilantly survey their eating and not gain too much weight. Recent research has shown obesity to be a legitimate medical concern in pregnancy. Babies born to overweight women are more likely to be overweight by the age of three. Obese women have a greater risk of developing gestational diabetes and are more likely to have complicated births.
However, this 'anti-fat' mindset and the moral panic surrounding ‘fat’ pregnant women is ironic considering thin women requesting elective caesareans are heralded as 'smart' for avoiding the agony of childbirth but ‘fat’ women who want to give birth in a hospital are accused of failing to recognise the ‘risks’ associated with their body size. It has become painfully clear, especially if you are ‘fat’; birth is no longer seen as a ‘normal’ life process. Rather, it is an accident waiting to happen.
The arrogance that informs this contradiction is precisely why coming to the defense of 'fat' pregnant women is important and necessary. To turn pregnant women away from hospital and tell them to stop eating and lose weight or to just move on to another facility is as ridiculous as it is patronising. Reducing birth to a problem of body weight grossly oversimplifies a complicated physical process.
Now, it seems ‘fat’ women are worse than ‘teen mothers’ when it comes to winning the title for ‘most ill-equipped’ in managing their own pregnancies; it is these women who are seen as calculating, callous criminals who have little concern for the welfare of their unborn children simply by virtue of being ‘fat’. Lisa Graves should be applauded for being unashamed in her demand for the same compassionate treatment that thinner pregnant women are given. Is too much to ask that doctors stick to the Hippocratic Oath and accept that mothers in all shapes and sizes instead of continuing to demand perfection?
Now, it seems ‘fat’ women are worse than ‘teen mothers’ when it comes to winning the title for ‘most ill-equipped’ in managing their own pregnancies; it is these women who are seen as calculating, callous criminals who have little concern for the welfare of their unborn children simply by virtue of being ‘fat’. Lisa Graves should be applauded for being unashamed in her demand for the same compassionate treatment that thinner pregnant women are given. Is too much to ask that doctors stick to the Hippocratic Oath and accept that mothers in all shapes and sizes instead of continuing to demand perfection?
19 December 2007
J.Love: Fat or pregnant?
Is anyone else offended by this whole Jennifer Love Hewitt 'fat' or 'pregnant' saga? Hewitt was recently attacked in the tabloids for being 'plus-sized' after a few photos of her frolicking in a bikini surfaced. Highlighting her alleged 'cellulite' and a possible 'baby bump', Hewitt was forced to defend her size 2 figure on her official website:"What I should be doing is celebrating some of the best days of my life and my engagement to the man of my dreams, instead of having to deal with photographers taking invasive pictures of me from bad angles," she wrote. "I know what I look like, and so do my friends and family. And like all women out there should, I love my body."
In the last two days, rumours of 'fatness' have been attributed to pregnancy and representatives of the actress have been vehemently denying any hint of a bun in the oven. It's a pretty sad state of affairs when a little 'bloating', a few dimples or a particularly puffy face all lead to 'accusations' of pregnancy. The poor girl just got engaged. If she is indeed pregnant, let's let her tell us when she's ready. The guerilla tactics of American tabloid media outlets have turned pregnancy, once a happy and positive time, to a scenario in which female celebrities must 'defend' themselves against 'accusations' as if fertility (or fatness?) was a crime.
15 August 2007
Mums who eat junk food give birth to overeaters.
I love science. Seriously, since when did it become okay to test out theories on rats and then apply them to human beings? According to the Vancouver Sun:
"Children whose mothers eat junk food during pregnancy and breastfeeding are more likely to overeat, choose an unhealthy diet and grow obese later in life, according to research using rats published on Wednesday."
Right. Apparently the appetite mechanisms in rats and human beings are similar so this new research has shown that baby rats get a taste for unhealthy foods when they are born and therefore, fetuses should develop the same unhealthy taste for junk.
Why is it that women and their eating habits in pregnancy continue to be constant sources of moral panic and shaming. In my own research, I've found that pregnant women struggle with food in a way they've never had to before in terms of feeding themselves and feeding their fetuses almost as if they were competing interests. Compounded by all the 'rules' of eating in pregnancy, scaring pregnant women into thinking that if they have a few donuts somehow their babies are going to be overeaters for life makes me really angry.
My mum lived on Baby Ruth bars (it's an American thing) for 40 weeks and a sugar addict I am not.
Source: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=5fed1943-835b-4b84-97bf-c89b8134bb09&k=81306
Also thanks to Claire from Inside Beauty who so nicely linked to this blog to promote healthy fashion/body/beauty awareness. Check them out http://5resolutions.blogspot.com/
"Children whose mothers eat junk food during pregnancy and breastfeeding are more likely to overeat, choose an unhealthy diet and grow obese later in life, according to research using rats published on Wednesday."
Right. Apparently the appetite mechanisms in rats and human beings are similar so this new research has shown that baby rats get a taste for unhealthy foods when they are born and therefore, fetuses should develop the same unhealthy taste for junk.
Why is it that women and their eating habits in pregnancy continue to be constant sources of moral panic and shaming. In my own research, I've found that pregnant women struggle with food in a way they've never had to before in terms of feeding themselves and feeding their fetuses almost as if they were competing interests. Compounded by all the 'rules' of eating in pregnancy, scaring pregnant women into thinking that if they have a few donuts somehow their babies are going to be overeaters for life makes me really angry.
My mum lived on Baby Ruth bars (it's an American thing) for 40 weeks and a sugar addict I am not.
Source: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=5fed1943-835b-4b84-97bf-c89b8134bb09&k=81306
Also thanks to Claire from Inside Beauty who so nicely linked to this blog to promote healthy fashion/body/beauty awareness. Check them out http://5resolutions.blogspot.com/
20 July 2007
Jaime Pressly tells it like it is...pregnancy was 'a killer'
I've posted about My Name is Earl star, Jaime Pressly, a bit over the last few months and I found this article from The New Zealand Herald really interesting because Pressly gushed about how much she loved being pregnant in every article I read about her and this new one paints a completely different picture of how she felt about her body (assuming she actually said the things that have been quoted!). In fact, I am sceptical that she actually did say half of this stuff because most celebrities tend to censor what they say, especially with regard to pregnancy, so they appear as though they are the epitome of idyllic motherhood. It's like no matter how bad they feel about themselves, they all say gaining weight never bothers them, motherhood is amazing, blah blah blah. In this article, Jaime Pressly says she thought pregnancy 'sucked' and she 'hated being fat'. If that's not being candid, well, I don't know what is!
On her pregnancy:
'As a new mom I'm supposed to go on about how wonderful it was to be pregnant. Well, I don't buy into that. The truth is that I love my baby to bits, but the rest of it sucked. Pregnancy was the biggest killer for me. I hated it - I hated being fat'.
On mood swings:
'My hormones were all over the place and I acted like some lunatic, picking fights with my boyfriend over how he made my coffee'.
On her skin:
'On top of that I had this hideous 'pregnancy mask' skin discolouration which completely covered my face. You can normally use creams to disguise it, but not when you're pregnant, so I had to walk around looking like I was horribly disfigured. This may sound arrogant, but I'm used to looking hot. I just wanted to cry all the time'.
On motherhood:
'Nobody tells you this stuff when you talk about having a baby - it's all kept as one big secret. The only amazing thing is when your baby pops out and you have this little thing that is going to be part of your life forever'.
On losing weight:
'I'm having a party and then a holiday and I aim to be in a super-slutty outfit for the first and a swimsuit for the second. I love being a mother, but I want to be a super sexy mother with a better body than ever before. When I pull on my spray-on jeans for my party, I want to look in the mirror and like what I see'.
On her postbaby body:
'People may think it's mad but it makes me happier to see my body coming back'.
On celebs who adopt:
'Some women just skip having babies or adopt because they don't want to get fat or they haven't put in the time to find a partner. It's great to adopt, but a lot of adoptions are motivated by vanity and laziness'.
Source:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1501119/story.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=10452208
On her pregnancy:
'As a new mom I'm supposed to go on about how wonderful it was to be pregnant. Well, I don't buy into that. The truth is that I love my baby to bits, but the rest of it sucked. Pregnancy was the biggest killer for me. I hated it - I hated being fat'.
On mood swings:
'My hormones were all over the place and I acted like some lunatic, picking fights with my boyfriend over how he made my coffee'.
On her skin:
'On top of that I had this hideous 'pregnancy mask' skin discolouration which completely covered my face. You can normally use creams to disguise it, but not when you're pregnant, so I had to walk around looking like I was horribly disfigured. This may sound arrogant, but I'm used to looking hot. I just wanted to cry all the time'.
On motherhood:
'Nobody tells you this stuff when you talk about having a baby - it's all kept as one big secret. The only amazing thing is when your baby pops out and you have this little thing that is going to be part of your life forever'.
On losing weight:
'I'm having a party and then a holiday and I aim to be in a super-slutty outfit for the first and a swimsuit for the second. I love being a mother, but I want to be a super sexy mother with a better body than ever before. When I pull on my spray-on jeans for my party, I want to look in the mirror and like what I see'.
On her postbaby body:
'People may think it's mad but it makes me happier to see my body coming back'.
On celebs who adopt:
'Some women just skip having babies or adopt because they don't want to get fat or they haven't put in the time to find a partner. It's great to adopt, but a lot of adoptions are motivated by vanity and laziness'.
Source:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1501119/story.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=10452208
21 April 2007
response to fat mum/fat baby
I was 35 when I finally became pregnant with my first child and grew 14kg during the course of my pregnancy. I didn't find the weight too problematic at first until I was noticeably bigger in my mirror at home. Having always been a relatively slim person I found it quite hard to see myself that way but I knew it was not in my best interest to worry about it. I was aware that stress was much more harmful to my unborn child than any weight I might put on (unless that weight was really excessive, which it didn't appear to be). I think being older did help me to set my priorities better and consider the health of my baby as paramount. My Obstetrician was very helpful and refused to weigh me at all throughout my whole pregnancy. He was aware of how seriously women felt about their weight and knew there were other ways to see if there were complications rather than weighing his mums to be. Early in my pregnancy at 14 weeks, a friend commented that at that stage my weight gain of 4kg was more than she had put on during her whole pregnancy. I pointed out that it was very likely I would have a larger baby than her 3 with her largest baby being only 5 1/2 pounds. Wasn't I right about that prediction. I felt my weight began to be a real issue when my very insensitive co-workers started in with comments. This was right around the same time as my mirror image seemed to change dramatically so I had already started to find it difficult to view my new body. My first one was by a Human Resources Manager (who certainly should have known better, even being male) who came up with "I knew it was you because I heard the waddle". The same day I received another insensitive comment with "Please don't hurt me I'll get out of your way". This was by a female who had a child already. Needless to say I was feeling quite upset that day but I moved on and tried not to think about it. I was realistic about my weight and didn't get on the scales too often or obsess about my diet. I did what I have always done and stuck to predominantly healthy food with occasional not so healthy snacks when I felt inclined. No guilt, no stress and therefore no harm to my unborn child. After my delivery the midwives were shocked that such a large baby (10lb 9oz, 4.8kg) came from such a compact stomach. Clearly they were not concerned about my weight gain. I was lucky (or not) after my delivery to be so stressed with trying to breast feed that I lost the weight plus an extra 4kg within 4 weeks of my delivery. Not the way to do it. I carry a bit more weight around now that my son is 2 1/2 but nothing too serious. 68kg at 5'7" is not that bad. My Obstetrician advises that my second child is likely to be even bigger. No doubt my weight the second time around (if it ever comes) will be even more. I consider it is the price I have paid for taking on the most important job there is in becoming a parent and I don't regret any of it.
13 April 2007
look who's on TODAY!
Pretend this a conversation between the two of us:
Me: Hey! Guess what?
You: What?
Me: You'll never believe what I'm doing this Monday?
You: Tell me!
Me: I'm going to be on the Today show talking about The Baby Bump Project.
You: No way!
Me: Way!
You: What time?
Me: Around 8:10
You: What channel?
Me: Channel 9!
That was blatant self-promotion for my next Australian media appearance. For those of you who want to actually hear my voice, make sure to tune in on Monday for a segment about fatness and body image in pregnancy! I'll be sure to post it on YouTube for anyone that misses it!
Me: Hey! Guess what?
You: What?
Me: You'll never believe what I'm doing this Monday?
You: Tell me!
Me: I'm going to be on the Today show talking about The Baby Bump Project.
You: No way!
Me: Way!
You: What time?
Me: Around 8:10
You: What channel?
Me: Channel 9!
That was blatant self-promotion for my next Australian media appearance. For those of you who want to actually hear my voice, make sure to tune in on Monday for a segment about fatness and body image in pregnancy! I'll be sure to post it on YouTube for anyone that misses it!
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