Beth Ditto | Morbidly Obese
12/15/09 Update: After two years of inactivity, I returned to SC to find that this post has been one of my most popular for quite some time; I find that extremely embarrassing. This post is indicative of everything that was wrong with SC; it’s juvenile, impetuous, poorly researched, confrontational without good reason, and generally just awful. Even though I’d love nothing more than to delete this it, I’m not going to. No matter how much I’ve come to despise it, I still wrote it, and I’m not going to pretend it didn’t happen. It did, and there’s nothing I can do about it. So please know that I’m every bit as disgusted by what follows as you are.
After a shocking amount of backlash against my post concerning Beth Ditto and her weight, I decided to do a little research. Many of you seemed to think that Ditto was of an average, healthy weight. You thought the media had simply transformed our ideas of what people should weigh. I’ll admit, when I wrote that post, I didn’t know exactly what Beth Ditto weighed, or exactly what weight was considered obese. I looked around a bit, and Wikipedia to the rescue! According to them:
“In the clinical setting, obesity is typically evaluated by measuring BMI (body mass index) . . .”
“BMI, or Body Mass Index, is a simple and widely used method for estimating body fat. In epidemiology BMI alone is used as an indicator of prevalence and incidence.”
“BMI = kg / m2”
“The current definitions commonly in use establish the following values, agreed in 1997 and published in 2000:
- A BMI less than 18.5 is underweight
- A BMI of 18.5 – 24.9 is normal weight
- A BMI of 25.0 – 29.9 is overweight
- A BMI of 30.0 – 39.9 is obese
- A BMI of 40.0 or higher is severely (or morbidly) obese
- A BMI of 35.0 or higher in the presence of at least one other significant comorbidity is also classified by some bodies as morbid obesity.
Now, for some math. Using my own height and weight here’s an example of how to calculate BMI.
My height = 5’7″ = 67″
My weight = 140lbs
Converted to meters and kilograms:
My height = (67 x 0.02540) = 1.718m
My weight = (140 x 0.45359237) = 63.5029318kgs
BMI = 63.5029318 / 1.7182
=63.5029318 / 2.951524
=21.51530254
So, my BMI is about 21.5, and according to Wikipedia, that’s perfectly healthy. Now, for Ditto.
Beth Ditto’s Height and Weight
Height = 5’2″ = 62″
Weight = 220lbs
Converted
Height = 1.5748m
Weight = 99.7903214
BMI = 99.7903214 / 1.57482
BMI = 99.7903214 / 2.47999504
BMI = 40.2381133
Uh oh, looks like that’s considered severely overweight, or morbidly obese. That’s not my opinion, that’s a fact. Beth Ditto is damn far from a healthy weight. Here are some BMI’S of the “sexiest women alive”:
Scarlett Johansson – 18.0
Kiera Knightly – 17.2
Angelina Jolie – 18.8
Beyonce Knowles – 24.0
Jessica Alba – 20.2
Halle Berry – 19.3
Jennifer Aniston – 18.3
Eva Longoria – 19.8
Charleze Theron -19.6
What does that mean? Well first, that Kiera should probably gain a few pounds, and secondly, that none of them are even close to 15-point margin Ditto is. Most of them are well with a healthy weight! Now, if Ditto were content to simply eat herself to death without harming anyone else, that would be fine. But she’s not; she’s actively glorifying her gluttony. Believe it or not, some kids actually look up to her as a role mode; to them, she’s saying “it’s okay to be grossly overweight. I am, and I’m doing just fine”. That is why I have a problem with her. You wouldn’t put a naked anorexic on a magazine cover, right? That would be sending the wrong message to the youth. So why should it be okay to put a fat girl on there?
Shameless Complacency 
Peabody said,
May 31, 2007 at 3:20 pm
Well I wouldn’t kick her out of bed …. because it would be physically impossible.
Chubby said,
May 31, 2007 at 4:59 pm
Again, grow up. There are naked anorexic chicks on the covers of ALL magazines ALL the time. You’re supposed to listen to really good music with your ears, not your eyes anyway.
Zameer said,
May 31, 2007 at 6:39 pm
Well, it’s okay music, true that, but when you go nude for NME, you’re not about your music anymore, you’re about you’re popularity. It’s obvious she does her ” fat is cool ” act just to gain acceptance. I mean, she doesn’t have to embrace herself for us to like her, her voice is all we need.
Peabody said,
May 31, 2007 at 7:21 pm
Chubby this isn’t about music at all. You shouldn’t be okay with anorexic chicks on covers all the time glorifying thin and you shouldn’t be okay with fat people on covers glorifying gluttony.
On the other hand I don’t think Kyle is completely justified in that accusation. From what’s on the cover I don’t think she’s actively telling people to be fat like her. It looks more like a “it’s not a crime” sort of thing. If she’s morbidly obese and knows she could die early because of it and doesn’t care, that’s fine by me. It’s not our place to tell her to change.
Matt said,
May 31, 2007 at 8:29 pm
well done you proved that she’s fat. cos we all weren’t sure.
Rinjo Njori said,
May 31, 2007 at 9:06 pm
Fat Chicks Rock! no seriously– You either like them large or you don’t.I think she is a pig who can sing. Shell be irrellevant in two years. Lily Allen is pleasantly plump, but a fucking cashew. Then there is cashw number two, Lady Sovereign— nuff said. Allese chicks are just nuts fat, medium, or runty. Just like every other chick or guy.
Skinny said,
May 31, 2007 at 10:20 pm
After reading the original post, I noticed there weren’t any comments made about Ditto being of an “average, healthy weight” like you assumed. And the media has “transformed our ideas of what people should weigh.” To think otherwise is truly naive. It seemed like you were just upset they didn’t have the standard hot naked chick on the cover instead. But since you explained you were actually just concerned she was “glorifying gluttony” to the kids, then let me try to put you at ease. While NME has their one magazine cover of a woman who isn’t 100lbs, 99.9% of Hollywood, advertisement, media, etc, etc is doing the exact opposite. So rest assured, even though Ditto is saying “It’s okay to not have a figure like Jessica Alba,” the rest of the world is screaming “You’re disgusting and repulsive!!!” Which is exactly what you did with Ditto. And as a result, you unintentionally implied anyone similar is also “disgusting” and “repulsive.” Calling people disgusting and repulsive is not the best way to express your concerns for their body mass index and health. In other words, try to be more positive and encouraging and less negative and detrimental.
So in conclusion… cut the crap and just admit you came off as an asshole with that first entry and then validated it when you tried to justify insults with arithmetic. (But if by chance you were sincere, then consider this paragraph void and continue referring to the first.)
Just keep in mind that all kinds of people enjoy your site and that you’re not thesupercial.com.
Peabody – I don’t think Chubby was saying was she okay with anorexic chicks in magazines, just that it does, in fact, exist. She was probably responding this statement – “You wouldn’t put a naked anorexic on a magazine cover, right?” And I also agree with your thoughts on Ditto going for an “it’s not a crime” attitude.
Liz
Rou said,
July 8, 2010 at 5:09 am
Anyone that size IS disgusting and repulsive.
Anyone who has let themselves get that morbidly obese have significant PERSONALITY flaws, as well as physical ones. The “fat girl mentality” of letting yourself binge, is just as bad as it’s extreme opposite of not eating at all.
I couldn’t care less if she was the sweetest woman on the planet, or the best vocalist since Elvis. She’s a cow with no self control.
Anyone who relies too heavily on the media to tell them what they should look like is doomed to begin with. Get off your high horse.
Loanshub said,
June 1, 2007 at 5:27 am
Next to impossible if tried literally. So whats the use of all this statistics.
CD said,
June 1, 2007 at 10:40 am
Here I thought that by removing your previous post you had been chastened, in however a cowardly manner manifested. Goes to show what happens when you give people the benefit of the doubt.
The issue that comes to my mind when the “OMG, Beth Ditto is teh fat, grooossss!” thing comes up is how fat, ugly men in entertainment aren’t expected to apologize for their existence the way that overweight women are. Why is that, you think? Because no matter how hard a woman fights against it, she’s often still valued primarily on her appearance.
The NME picture seems like Ditto’s attempt to reclaim her body (much in the same way groups have attempted to reclaim terms like “queer” or what have you). If the media is going to talk about her weight before her music (which is how you framed your redacted post, btw) why *not*—if you’re the outspoken sort that Ditto seems to be—put it right smack on the cover, saying “You wanna talk about my fatness? Here it is, motherfuckers!” Why not challenge how women—women of all sizes and shapes—are presented in the media by turning the typical cheesy nude shot on its head? It’s kind of punk rock, if you think about it.
To paraphrase Roger Ebert: Beth Ditto can lose weight is she wants, but Kyle is stuck being a short, dumb asshole for life.
Frankie said,
June 1, 2007 at 12:40 pm
Dude, you run a music blog. No one wants to hear your misguided and prejudiced opinions about someone who’s a fuck of a lot more talented than you.
Christy said,
June 1, 2007 at 3:08 pm
I was curious. So I calculated.
I am 5’3″ and I weigh 119 lbs.
My BMI = 21.1
**self high five**
I’m normal weight. =o)
You know, I don’t think this post was necessary.
And yes, I am sure it is hurtful to the people who are indeed overweight.
Perhaps we can all get together and run.
Cheers!
Christy said,
June 1, 2007 at 3:12 pm
Oh and another thing.
For the people who are freaking harassing you..
Why don’t they throw some stones at Beth for her misguided and prejudiced remarks about gay men.
“Beth Ditto has said that gay men who work on the fashion industry are totally to blame for the pressure on women to be thin.
Ditto, lead singer of The Gossip, said that Kate Moss was totally not to blame and is very understanding of what it is like to be a bigger girl.
“If there’s anyone to blame for size zero, it’s not women. Blame gay men who work in the fashion industry and want these women as dolls,” Ditto told NME.”
Liz said,
June 1, 2007 at 4:00 pm
I think this is a pretty decent thread. We’re all just sharing our responses, opinions, and arguments. No harassment yet.
“Why don’t they throw some stones at Beth for her misguided and prejudiced remarks about gay men.”
It’s best to debate one issue at a time.
Any recommendations (other than Listen Up)?
nathan said,
June 1, 2007 at 5:20 pm
at least people are discussing this, which can’t be harmful whatsoever. i see no harm in any of these posts, if said sitting around the pub with a pint in hand, nothing would be thought of it, but the fact it was “published” makes it somewhat of an issue.
i think everyone has an opinion on the situation, none of which are wrong. i don’t think voicing an opinion is any reason to “stop reading”, just a reason to stop and think.
Peabody said,
June 1, 2007 at 5:51 pm
I agree that the majority of users here are discussing it in an intelligent way and that’s constructive.
“No one wants to hear your misguided and prejudiced opinions about someone who’s a fuck of a lot more talented than you” as Frankie says on the other hand is not constructive. He’s allowed to voice his opinions no matter how talented the subject is in comparison to him. Critiquing isn’t one way.
Chris said,
June 1, 2007 at 10:04 pm
Hahahah Ditto is a cunt for what she said about gay men. Blaming any certain group for unrealistic beauty standards is idiotic… good job, you cow!
Frankie said,
June 4, 2007 at 2:12 pm
@Peabody: I realise that what I said before wasn’t what would generally be considered ‘constructive’, but in a case like this, where I’m quite simply disgusted by the poster’s ridiculous, baseless, not to mention completely irrelevant comments, I decided simply voicing my own opinions in the simplest way possible would be a better idea than using lots of pretentious words to illustrate a point and ultimately going nowhere. ‘Constructive criticism’ is overrated, right?
To say what perhaps I should have said to begin with, I don’t think the owner of this site (Kyle?) has any right whatsoever to comment on something that he has no insight into whatsoever; that is, what Beth Ditto’s motives regarding her appearance on the cover of NME may or may not have been. I think it’s absolutely ludicrous, and somewhat sensationalistic, to say that she intended to tell others (‘some kids’, as you seem to be terming the band’s entire fanbase) that “it’s okay to be grossly overweight” and that she is “actively glorifying gluttony”.
Maya said,
June 4, 2007 at 7:29 pm
You wrote: “You wouldn’t put a naked anorexic on a magazine cover, right?”
Actually, that *is* what the fashion industry does, quite often — not exactly naked, but CERTAINLY anorexic. Clothes look better on (human) clothes hangers.
I posted some pictures of anorexic fashion models on my blog — check them out:
http://www.mayalibre.com/archives/2006/11/so_you_think_fa.php
I’m not saying Beth Ditto is healthy, I don’t think she is. But she *is* correct when she suggests there’s a problem with our cultural views of women’s beauty.
Mia said,
June 16, 2007 at 10:34 am
Maya most of those are photoshopped:
http://www.snopes.com/photos/people/models.asp
I agree completely with the post. I’m fed up of people saying “This is an acceptable size” and holding up someone like Fern Britten. The sad fact is that today 50% of our society is overweight and they’r elooking for reassurance. There shouldn’t be any. It’s not healthy to be that size and they will suffer serious health problems.
andrew tait said,
July 4, 2007 at 12:08 pm
Beth Ditto….I would..IF I could find the correct hole…i wouldn’t want to push it in the old brown plug hole instead of the old sqeeze box…but honestly..if she said she would swallow the old cock snot..then certainly i would…happy reading!
Charlie said,
July 9, 2007 at 11:30 pm
The stats you listed for BMI are on the VERY low end of healthy and that’s kind of scary. There are a lot of people who aren’t ever going to be small enough to be acceptable in your world. I think it’s more realistic for people to add an hour’s worth of physical activity into their daily lives and be mindful of the foods they eat. That is much more realistic than thinking people are going to just strave themselves down to a BMI of 18.
Redveg said,
July 20, 2007 at 4:10 pm
Human difference and variability are universal, and this includes weight/body size. What should be aimed at is a healthy diet and lifestyle (exercise, etc.). If you are eating healthily and exercising, then I cannot see why you are not as healthy as you can possibly be, regardless of weight. I admire Beth Ditto’s courage in being not only ‘out’ as a lesbian, but out as a fat woman, and a fat young woman at that – there is so much more pressure on women in their twenties, as she is, to be ‘slim, sexy and fertile’, whereas when a woman is postmenopausal, she is ‘invisible’ and an ‘ugly old boot’ so it is apparently OK for her to be fat. (Not just an old witch, but a fat old witch) I do not know if she is unhealthy, or if her size denotes morbidity – this is dependent on her diet and lifestyle, NOT her size, which I do not know.
A lot of obesity problems in those who are not predisposed to be large spring from agribusiness and the fast-food multinationals, so I do not condemn or pass judgement on people addicted to MacDonalds or Krispy Kreem doughnuts. It’s not their fault if they have a BMI hovering around 40. I do think that extreme obesity is more often than not caused by the issues mentioned above than by personal metabolism. However, although doubtless very rare, a BMI of over 40 can exist in an individual with a healthy diet and lifestyle, simply because that is the way they are.
Personally being both old and fat (aged 59 with a BMI of 32), I am pissed off to the back teeth with being told that my age and/or weight/size are not acceptable. My diet is both wholefood and vegan and I regularly walk over 12 miles per week (mostly at weekends when I walk in the countryside). If I were not at work I would do a lot more walking than I do now and as a result of this, I might or might not lose weight. I would probably become hungrier and take in more calories – my body telling me that it needs more ”fuel’ to power increased activity. This would leave me just as…..fat…..as before.
Oh, and I have nothing but contempt for the likes of Andrew Tait. I’m wondering if Mr. Tait might be double-jointed then he could stuff his ‘snotty’ phallus into his own anal orifice! What a sexist creep, and an idiot to boot! Beth Ditto is an out LESBIAN and could not give a flying fart for his poxy withered little appendage! If the world were full of Andrew Taits I would fundamentally question my own heterosexuality. Fortunately I can say that he is not fit to lick my man’s boots.
Redveg
Beth FATTO said,
August 29, 2007 at 2:39 pm
FATTEST.UGLIEST.OVERCONFIDENT.TROLLOP.EVER.
There, I said it. 90% of people would think it.
She offends my eyes…to be honesti’d like her more if she covered up and was more reserved.
It’s like someone with spots deliberately squeezing them all over the audience. Or someone with a BO problem rubbing their armpit in your face.
It’s gross and NOT WITH A 10 FOOT BARGE POLE.
To be honest, I dont mind overweight people. Most of my friends are ‘overweight’. WHAT REALLY PISSES ME OFF, is when people who are, how might we say, not very pleasing on the eye…try to make out that theyre good to watch/have their fat jiggle etc. Not everyone agrees and some people actually get offended or feel sick.
I think people like Beth have an image complex, in the sense that they think its ok to look any way, to be as sweaty as you like, to smell, to be repugnant to most of the opposite sex.
Why should that be ok?
It’s a shame that shes probably alienating many more people to not ‘being a fan’ as the gossip’s music is cool, but those in question would not attend a gig for fear of seeing the above….I know I wouldnt.
Beth, put ome clothes on and stop trying to blame portions of society for an enitre genders problem. You are the problem for many others.
Mind you on the plus side, think of all the anorexics shes going to cure by parading her fat ass about on television.
She could do some good yet.
ShamelessisIgnorant said,
October 4, 2007 at 5:06 am
You base your “facts” on the BMI? WTF? I guess you don’t keep up with your reading. BMI is an outdated and essentially flawed tool. BMI doesn’t take into account genetics, muscle mass, bone structure and daily activities and lifestyle. You know that Brad Pitt is fat? According to your trusty BMI he is. Obviously this flawed measurement failed to note that Pitt has a much higher ratio of muscle than fat and though muscle is heavy, it takes up fewer space than fat.
Anyway, get your science straight there angry boy. Obesity is not as black and white as you think it is. There is a lot of info out there on the complexities of body composition and even this week the latest research suggests that not all all excess body fat is created equal and not all of it is as bad as previously thought. Baby fat for example is blood rich fat (brown fat) that’s one of the best fats kids can have (it keeps them warm, helps them grow). Some adults preserve some of this good fat while many lose it after childhood.
Anyway…
I wouldn’t want to be Ditto’s size but I have no reason to criticize her size either. It’s her life, her body.
Body and fat fascism is for the uncouth and the retarded.
LW said,
November 7, 2007 at 8:32 pm
Ah BMI is pants; I’ve got a BMI of 25.8 which puts me in at overweight but I got a waist size of 29 inches (I’m generally a size 10 UK)…. so does that make me fat, scientifically?
I think she’s overweight in an unhealthy sense; you shouldn’t maintain weight by stuffing yourelf with ice cream and fried chicken like beth claims she does; science suggests that’s the best way to give yourself a coronary. That said, it’s a rarity to find someone who isn’t put down by all the media that reckons we should all be twiglets… I don’t like the way obesity is talked about in such a way that it’s made out to be a personality flaw; it brings people down, and who has the right to point out somebody elses flaws? If you call me fat, I call you judgemental and narrow minded… hurts all the same… Conversely, obesity isn’t something to aspire to…
What the hell’s wrong with exercising, eating right and being the size nature intended you to be?
Carrie said,
November 15, 2007 at 4:12 pm
Maybe Ditto considers her weight a radical move to jog us of our thin-obsessive culture? Maybe it takes really strong measures to combat the war on women’s bodies that currently dominates our dialogue on this topic.
joe said,
April 22, 2008 at 10:11 pm
yea you are supposed to listen to music with your ears and not your eyes but the thing is the music is shit. I could care less if she could not stand up. She sings for shit live.
liza said,
April 23, 2008 at 1:06 am
here’s the thing, i weigh just as much as her, and i am shorter than her but i look like i weigh one sixty and i have lots of muscle mass. so it just depends on how you carry it. unfortunately for miss ditto, she doesn’t carry it that great
k'lee said,
April 23, 2008 at 11:51 pm
who cares about beth ditto’s weight? haven’t you anything better to write about? global warming, politics, something important?
i can not honestly believe you would write an article like this.
Jamie said,
April 25, 2008 at 11:43 pm
I mean shit it’s okay to be 10-15 pounds overweight, which alot of us are, but this is ludicrous. This is promoting diabetes and heart disease to young kids who idolize this woman. She will probably drop dead of a heart attack. Being grossly thin is disgusting too. What happened to the 1950’s-attitude of being a size 8 or 10 and normal… not skeletal or gigantic? I’m lost for words with all of this.
And on a different note, the band isn’t that talented. Actually nothing on MTV is. Bands like Bad Religion and Nofx who have been making music for 25 years are way better then this bullshit music out nowadays. The end.
kally said,
May 22, 2008 at 12:38 am
but where are those bmi’s from. i am sorry there is no way that scarlet jo is 18.0 if that is less than angelina… angelina is after keira, but still super thin.
Milina said,
May 27, 2008 at 1:26 pm
granted that beth ditto is a performer and places herself in a position that is public, she must be aware of what messages she sends. her messages are her messages as yours are your own. this is why we have wars; class separation; republicans; conservatives; democrats; liberals; starvation; abuse; opression; racism etc… because there seems to be some need to eliminate that which does not fit into our own lifestyle or moral code/ethics. honestly, it seems horribly wasteful to post on here but i really feel the need to make a suggestion…employ your own politics, do not promote that which you do not like. i was doing a search for beth ditto for other reasons and came to your site, which lead me to be more curious about her and probably now that i have read everything listed above, i will end up liking her. so yeah, if you don’t like it, dont’ argue about it, don’t look at it and don’t promote it.
ali said,
May 27, 2008 at 1:31 pm
you know, if you are going to get mad over someone who is obese or whatever it is you want to say becuase you think she’s not a good role model then why not get just as mad at someone like kiera knightly – you mentioned (she should gain a few pounds) instead of going on a rant of how bad a role model kiera knightly is in the same breath. so you are bias and it’s out, you don’t like fat people. move on.
maybe you should start with the hundreds of actors and actresses who are killing themselves through addictions (drugs,alcohol etc), or starvation too.
plushusnati said,
June 26, 2008 at 3:01 pm
Read the Obesity Myth or at least the first half. Then come back and tell me that it’s all about BMI. My dear friend is a skinny model who never works out and eats like a pig. I have a BMI of 37 and I work out regularly and eat an abundant but healthy diet (no white sugar, no pork, no dairy, 50% raw food). My friend has a dozen health problems that are usually attributed to fatties. I on the other hand am running 2 miles and biking 40 on a whim…my doctor says I am overweight but quite healthy.
your obsession with weight is shameful and misguided and much more damaging to the impressionable public than Beth’s balls out unapologetic unabashed self love. I think the last time a society became rampantly overweight we were blessed with Socrates and Plato…oh yeah…I can see how your fear of morbid obesity is justified…it could really ruin a society…
Fat Pride said,
August 8, 2008 at 6:16 pm
First off, your an asshole. That BMI index is antiquated first computed in the 1830’s. The Flemish mathematician that developed the BMI wasn’t a physician. According to empirical research women have become developed larger bone and muscle structures in 200 years as is natural in evolution. Physician’s didn’t start using the BMI until the 1970’s after the Twiggy epidemic. Not only that the mathematician that invented this equation Quatelet tested it on Western European soldiers, not women.
Don’t you find it disturbing that you are basing your opinion on a system that is almost 200 years old and has little basis in the research of human health? If not, your a moron. Women are round, we are curvy. Some of us are lanky and tall, it doesn’t make one more desirable than the other and using celebrities who struggle with their weight for their work is irresponsible too. They have trainers, access and money for organic and high-end supplements to help detox their systems and probably personal chefs.
To talk shit about Beth Ditto is an arrogant and fucked up thing to do. Why do you care if fat women find some solace and self-esteem in an icon? Women starve themselves to look like Angelina Jolie and Keira Knightly-and Knightly has said herself she’d rather look like ditto than an aneroxic.
I suggest you associate yourself with some feminist texts and more research. You would rather have female icons that are dying-literally dying to be thin to be considered beautiful when we all know beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If you don’t like fat chicks fine, but don’t piss on everybody else because your a close-minded, mean spirited fuck-up.
There’s nothing wrong with having a variety of role models for women. I love Beth Ditto ! I am proud of her and I think she’s sexy and brave as all hell. Despite people like your dumb ass who give her shit for being herself.
Next time before you talk shit, get some info.
kelly said,
August 14, 2008 at 10:06 am
just a side comment: regardless of size, i don’t find it very classy for ANYONE to wear only bra and underwear while putting on a concert.
Jess said,
October 27, 2008 at 3:37 pm
i believe that beth’s image is her way of rebelling against our patriarchal society’s stereotypical, one-dimensional and unrealistic idea of what women should be like. i think it’s brilliant she’s got so many people reacting, it’s what she wants. chances are, if you’re offended by her appearance, you’re the kind of person she’s trying to reach. she wants women to think differently about themselves, and not feel pressured to be anything other than what is natural to them. perfect bodies come in every shape and size and she is wonderful. ever looked up her column in the guardian? amazing woman.
Frankie said,
November 1, 2008 at 11:53 am
I have mixed feelings about Beth Ditto. On one hand, it does make me happy to see someone fat wearing (usually) fun clothes, and being confident enough to show her body instead of going for the classic idea of draping everything in ‘slimming’ black. On the other hand, no matter how much fat activists will try and tell you otherwise, being obese isn’t healthy, it’s dangerous and increases the risk of an early death.
I suppose it can be justified in a way, because given the enormous amount of scantily clad skinny women we are exposed to on magazine covers (most of whom look completely bloody arsey and miserable anyway), it instinctively makes me laugh when I see a massively obese singer bouncing about in her knickers, not appearing to give too much of a shit. I don’t think she’s pretending it is healthy, maybe she’s just showing us that she feels confident enough in her own skin to have fun onstage. I don’t think that just because Beth Ditto gets her kit off and has a belly, a generation of teenagers are going to start force feeding themselves to try and become morbidly obese like their role-model. In general, I think her enviable traits would be her talent, fashion and general self-confidence, which can be no bad thing. I think I’ve convinced myself it’s ok now.
liam said,
February 15, 2009 at 6:09 am
i know she is severely overweight but my god av u seen dat sexy mound of flab she calls a belly. i so wanna lick her gut tits n thighs. she is my dream date n that wobble of fat is makin me hard. imagine her belly bounce as she rides….
i love beth fatto ditto
buhritknee said,
March 9, 2009 at 2:01 am
I think she is a brave and beautiful individual. I know that many say that she’s doing this for publicity, but I don’t think so. If all these celebrities can flaunt themselves on magazine covers, photots, etc., then what should stop Ms. Ditto from doing the same? Even if this is for publicity, she is doing a great job because I’m hearing about this everywhere. And that would make her beautiful, talented, and intelligent.
Katia said,
March 18, 2009 at 10:26 pm
Beth Ditto is disgusting in my opinion.
And to those who claim “anorexic” chicks are all over magazines, please remove your obviously skewed heads from your own asses and realise that not everyone who is thin is anorexic. Youre as uneducated and stupid as those who think all overweight people just sit and eat all day.
cillianfinnerty said,
March 20, 2009 at 12:45 pm
Maybe everyone should recognise that
1. There’s always going to be someone with different views to you.
2. You’re never going to convince everyone to your opinion.
There. That makes every debate pointless.
Thank you.
lindsey said,
March 30, 2009 at 10:12 pm
fuck all you people. beth ditto is the SHIT. she has more talent in her pinky toe than the majority of people out there making millions calling themselves ‘artists.’ she’s real. she doesn’t want your narrow minded bullshit. there is no fucking REASON it would be wrong to send a message to young girls to LOVE YOURSELF & don’t compare yourself to unrealistic standards & airbrushed photos to measure your worth. she’s not preaching to kids to abuse themselves. there are a countless number of diseases, medications & health problems not to mention genetics that can cause a person to be overweight, NOT simply what you shove in your mouth. what are you supposed to say to those kids? the way you’re put together, through NO fault of your own, makes you WRONG? that is so fucked up.
& by the way, the body mass index was in NO WAY meant to be used on a global basis, it was created in the NINETEENTH century by ONE scientist meant for ONE study & its application to the entire world is inaccurate & has taken it out of context. yeah, people also used to die at an average age of 37 back then, what the hell does that have to do with people as we are today.
skinny attitude said,
April 7, 2009 at 11:33 am
Why does fat people always feel the need to justify their weight by harassing skinny people? Oh my god, their bullshit and personal attacks never ends! And BMI does give a fair estimate of your health, unless you are a very trained athlete.
Beth Ditto is seriously overweight, there is no denying it. She is morbidly obese, and will probably not get very old.
And because of that, I think the message she is sending to other girls is horribly wrong. At her weight you will get health problems.
I’m not saying fat people are ugly. If that is what you hear, it is in your mind and not mine. But, they are unhealthy.
This Woman will die young, and her last years alive will most likely not be very good. And trying to convince others and yourself is just a lie.
PS : Most celebrities that people sometimes refer to as anorexic have an BMI of about 18-20 wich is neither unhealthy or an impossible
lindsey said,
April 9, 2009 at 4:39 pm
wah, wah, wah.
well, OH alright boney-ass, i had no idea that to have a valid opinion in your underdeveloped point of view, you would FIRST have to know that i’m neither overweight or morbidly obese… even though YOU’RE the one who cant even goddamn SPELL! how stupid of me! because otherwise i’d just be the fat girl harrassing the skinny girl, because in retrospect, THAT is how the world has always worked, right?
according to the BMI values up top, im 24.9; do i still have a right to debate even though im right on the edge??? probably not, you’d rather support my judgment based on whether or not i could play you a song with nothing but a couple mallets & my ribcage.
either way, fuck you very much.
let beth ditto do what she wants with the time she has here, she’s actively seeking out her dreams & out there living her life on a scale many of us will likely never experience. so let her have it, rather than try to act like she doesn’t deserve it because she cant fit into a size 5. & if any of you have seen her dance at any of her shows, you know that girl’s physically active; her body issues are clearly not a matter of sloth.
fin said,
April 25, 2009 at 12:05 pm
Following one of your links: http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/04/09/bmi-how-accurate-is-it
Really disproves your whole argument, especially if you are comparing her to woman who are at a “healthy” weight.
Now if anyone could figure our Ms. Ditto DXA then one could make a more accurate assumption of she is morbidly obese or not.
Nightrunner378 said,
May 12, 2009 at 3:02 am
Ditto is 220 pounds. “MORBIDLY” obese? If she was 420 pounds, that would be morbidly obese. Get a grip.
martini said,
May 16, 2009 at 1:46 am
Hm…I have to agree with what some of the past posters have said: i wouldnt consider he morbidly obese unless she was about a hundred pounds heavier. today’s national standards of overweight are completely different than that of the outdated BMI standard. if we’re going for the more scientific approach.
if we’re going on a personal approach…w/e leave her alone. we often times pressure females in the public eye on weather they are much too thin (keira knightley) or weather they are too fat (even kate winslet has been told she is and she obviously isnt)
people’s bodies are their own personal matter and if someone doesnt like it well thats too bad because for every one person who dislikes it there is one who does.
sit back shut up and listen to her music other wise turn it off and get it out of your damned minds.
Imms said,
May 20, 2009 at 4:47 pm
She’s not “Morbidly Obese.”
Just because your ideal chick is a toothpick doesn’t mean Ditto is a whale.
Doctors everywhere say that the BMI is an estimation, heck, I have a friend who is taller but slimmer than me and she’s apparently overweight. It’s pure unfiltered bullshit.
And even if it wasn’t Beth doesn’t look revolting, she’s just happy with who she is! A load of male comedians/singers are overweight but apparently this only matters if your a chick.
What a load.
Oh, and by the way, not ONE of the women you compared with Beth are normal girls, they’re all on constant diets, you walk down the street and tell me how many Jennifer Anistons you see.
Ditto’s message is be yourself. Not once has she said: BE FAT LIKE ME!
She’s a good singer and a real punk, she does what she wants and is happy in her own skin, so what if she’s overweight? You, sir, are just an example of society disrespecting people just because of how they look. News flash, she doesn’t have to be “One of the sexiest women alive” (you put it so beautifully) to be a great singer.
Kathinka said,
May 24, 2009 at 1:27 pm
1. she is sexy
2. she is a very well singer
3. who reconized this “woman” you discribe???
4. It is always the same: these who have no hobby,friends and self confident have to say anything bad about other people!I think you don`t have any own problms. What is wrong about you?Beth has so much i think you would have,too. If you don`t want to see her,look to another thing!
Very poor show,darling!
Xtiana said,
June 7, 2009 at 12:19 am
The way I look at this is well, Is can she walk to the store, can she function properly without anyone’s help, does she suffer from any illness relating from her weight? If no then she is alright, she doesn’t have to be near size 0 to grace a magazine cover if she can function properly then she is healthy. She’s good at what she does the and she’s comfortable in her own skin. Give the woman a break she doesn’t care about you and your obese comments why are you making it such a big deal?
Kiersten said,
June 11, 2009 at 4:50 pm
I would just like to say that the BMI’s you have up are only for America. The BMI’s, for the rest of the world, that are considered healthy and underweight vary depending on the country’s average. For Asia a healthy BMI is considerably lower because their population has thinner people. It also has a lot to do with were they are located in the globe and how many resources they have access to. America has access to pretty much anything they want or need… So… Yea… lol
Sazza said,
June 24, 2009 at 2:30 pm
I think your BMI is absolute pants. People who are very very tall generally tend to weigh more even if they are as thin as a bean pole. So BMI is not exactly always accurate.My freind is 6ft 5 and he weighs around 16stone but he is very very thin he has a six pack and is perfectly healthy.So does that make him obese??
But I think its Beth’s life and body and she should do watever she wants with it though i would appreicate her shaving her armpits and using deoderant if she wants to eradicate her clothing items during concerts.
Thank You
Laura said,
June 25, 2009 at 1:42 am
BMI is not perfect, but it’s a good rough guide when it comes to gauging a healthy weight. Yes, a muscular individual should make allowances. But an inactive person who eats junk food constantly and whose fat hangs off them in rolls can probably safely assume that their high BMI isn’t the result of having an athlete’s physique.
I realize that overweight people get tired of being mocked for their weight. But this does not make being obese healthy or normal. Staying dangerously overweight because you don’t want to seem to be agreeing with boors you call you fatso is a perfect example of biting off your nose to spite your face.
Hilda said,
July 15, 2009 at 10:15 am
So what you’re saying is that Beth’s weight is more unhealthy than Keira’s, because Beth weighs too much instead of too little?
Is it worse to eat oneself to death instead of non-eat oneself to death? Skinny people are okay, anorexia is not a problem, they just have to (how did you put it? Oh tight, I remember) “should probably gain a few pounds”. Nothing to worry about.
But fat people, oh they have HUGE problems. That’s not okay, lock them in without any food until they learn. And especially don’t let them show themselves in any kind of media, what a horrific situation if people started thinking that fat people are okay too.
Not really a resonable discussion.
And remember that if you’d said anything similar about for example blacks, you wopuld be a racist.
Think before you speak.
Mia said,
July 22, 2009 at 6:56 am
Disregarding the ‘validity of the BMI equation’ debate, by simply observing images of Beth it is obvious that she is by definition overweight. YES there are flaws inherent in the BMI system, as the universal adage states ‘for every rule there is an exception.’
However, by the same token it is evident that Beth’s physique is undoubtedly the product of an unhealthy lifestyle. Whilst it is indeed true that women do come in all shapes, sizes and heights and essentially, there is no ‘norm,’ the internal physical repercussions of maintaining an unhealthy lifestyle can be dire.
To all those harboring the idea that Beth is “glorifying gluttony” i to an extent agree. In some ways, Beth’s antics can be interpreted as a statement of, ‘It is okay to be overweight. It is okay to look like this.’
Lexie Di said,
July 25, 2009 at 3:36 am
Actually… BMI was created in the 1800’s and it wasn’t even created by a physician. It doesn’t take into account muscle mass or one structure. It’s a very flawed way of looking at things. It measures muscle the same as fat and muscle weighs more than fat. So if a person weighed 220 pounds in muscle and had only 5% body fat, at Ditto’s height, they’d still be considered “morbidly obese.”
Sorry, BMI doesn’t equate health. It’s a flawed system. Only doctors can tell you how healthy you are… I don’t think you’re a doctor. You lose.
FatGirl said,
July 26, 2009 at 11:42 pm
It has been proved again and again that BMI is stupid and not a logical way to show healthy weight. Get your facts straight and do some actual research instead of just blurting out whatever stupid thing comes to your mind.
big and tall stores said,
July 29, 2009 at 1:18 am
Beauty…is ….in the eyes of the Beholder…:-)
Ginny said,
August 2, 2009 at 4:40 am
You’re ridiculous. So many women in magazines are smaller than national average and completely unhealthy. Sure, being so large isn’t good for your health or heart, but neither is being underweight.
Shelby said,
August 2, 2009 at 2:15 pm
Okay, I normally wouldn’t post on something like this but it was interesting to read. Now there are a few problems with the post.
First, yes Beth Ditto is overweight and yes, she does happen to like it. Now, I’m not saying that that’s right by any means (being overweight myself, I know first hand that it’s unhealthy) but putting her down for that is like putting down people who chose to smoke. If she wants to be fat and she’s happy like that then let her be fat. I’ve seen plenty of people smoking on magazine covers, nobody goes after them for that.
Secondly, the BMI charts do not take a lot of things into consideration and even a lot of doctors agree that they are wrong. For instance, someone with high muscle concentration on their body will weigh more than someone with the same height and measurements who has none. Now you will ask me how does this relate to the post when there is a fat girl in question? That’s simple, it’s not toward Beth that the mistake was made, rather at the “most sexy women alive”. Now it is true that their BMI comes out normal on paper but most of them are way out of proportion and their measurements will tell you that they aren’t exactly healthy. Now, I agree with Beyonce, Halle, and Eva they are all nice examples of healthy women. However, even better examples would have been Jessica Simpson, Hillary Duff (before she went diet crazy), Kelly Clarkson, Jordin Sparks, and even though she’s dead Marilyn Monroe. Now they are all healthy and AVERAGE compared to the skinny girls you picked.
Justin said,
August 5, 2009 at 4:55 am
As a European, I can attest that Beth Ditto would be considered morbidly obese here. Somebody remarked that one does not see many jenifer anistons walking down the street; I could equally assure that one does not see many beth dittos here, either. At any rate, what yanks do with themselves is not my problem.
Nevertheless, I like her singing, and I could not care less how much she weights.
Laine said,
August 6, 2009 at 7:50 pm
The point is not whether she is fat or not fat, healthy or not healthy. The point is to accept yourself in this moment in time and not stress out over it.
People put fat people down all the time — fat people are PEOPLE. So maybe they are dieting, maybe they are trying, maybe they have medical issues that hold them back, you don’t know.
So yeah, point is — how would you feel to just be treated as ‘not alright the way you are’ every day? Sure, you can say it’s not healthy – but some fat people are healthier than thinner people. People who work out and are fit have heart attacks too. So maybe she’s healthy as an ox and very fit. You don’t know.
So the point is again – and her point – is to ACCEPT YOURSELF THE WAY YOU ARE – you might be gone tomorrow and you should be able to be who you want to be without other people trying to bring you down for who you are at the moment.
The stress of trying to lose weight actually causes a lot of weight gain because that is one way people who get overweight deal with stress. So adding stress to ‘conform’ – is not the way to help people who might want to be healthier get healthier.
Fat or slim, everyone can do more for themselves to feel better and be healthier. Just look at the thin person who smokes and drinks every day, or the regular sized person who stresses out while driving all the time, or the slightly pudgy person who rides their bike home — all of us, healthy or unhealthy at various sizes. ALL of us could probably be healthier.
So hopefully you are getting that you are objectivizing fat people. And you know, some people find heavier women very attractive. Just because you don’t, doesn’t mean that someone else doesn’t. And that is for any body type — there’s someone out there that likes your particular body type, and someone who finds mine attractive, and someone who finds Beth’s attractive, etc.
Kay said,
August 10, 2009 at 7:52 am
Well the one thing I am envious about her is the fact that she’s a very large lady (that’s totally upto her, I have nothing against that) and has NO stretch marks!!! But me, I gain 2 stone and I get covered in them! Argh!
Amanda said,
August 17, 2009 at 6:06 am
This is probably the touchiest subject in the world. Having once been obese myself but having lost 15% of my body weight so far I can attest to the fact that my quality of life is higher now, I havemore energy, I’m healthier and I feel much better, much less burdened.
But when it comes to someone doing their thing, just because you tell them it isn’t okay doesn’t mean they won’t just keep doing it. It’s no use totally dog-piling on anyone with a weight problem.
What about moderation, or even being medium-sized? No one ever talks about that. I suppose because it is not as interesting.
Blah-blah said,
August 18, 2009 at 8:19 am
BMI is one of the biggest scams out there. It is not related to health or reality in any way. It’s also being constantly revised downward, so that if you’re not fat today, you will be in a couple years. I consider myself really skinny, yet my BMI is “normal”. Skewed is the word for it.
Anita said,
August 21, 2009 at 10:51 pm
Any unhealthy images representing unhealthy lifestyle/eating should be banned.
I don’t agree with anorexic European models on fashion covers likewise I strongly against Beth Ditto’s ”I am me and I am happy, accept yourself for who you really are and you’ll be OK” image.
If my kids were obese like Beth I would strongly urge them dieting&exercising not because I don’t love them but exactly because I love them. Obesity is also genetic but researches have shown that obesity is caused mostly by unhealthy eating and unhealthy life style.
Already America and Britain (with emerging economies following) suffer high level of obesity-related illness. I am not sure if this is the kind of role model I’d want for kids nowadays.
Ripp von Shar said,
September 8, 2009 at 4:19 am
I don’t care what you call her , She’s hot! To you, Anita, if Beth was skinny, you wouldn’t want her as a role model for children.. My god you ditts you must not know anything about Beth Ditto. You know what though, not everything is about or for kids. They got there own crap, leave Beth alone she’s perfect just like she is.
Ripp von Shar
Shidonii said,
September 8, 2009 at 9:21 pm
Why cant the world just use average sized people on covers of magazines instead of bigger people, and skinny people.
If the world was a normal place, and started using normal people as role models, then that would send a good message to people.
Not, Hey its good to be fat, or Hey its sexy to be 10 pounds.
A woman is supposed to have shape, curves, some meat on them is sexy.
Not waves of fat and bones shouldnt be so visable.
Ripp von Shar said,
September 9, 2009 at 12:14 am
You know what, the bottom line is all you lifeless hacks can go diddle yourselfs, because from what I know of Beth Ditto I can tell you that she doesn’t care in the least what you think about her. She’s one of the, betters, someone with a spark of life. You guys as normal jack offs don’t even have a right to express an opinion about her. So run on back to your nothing kids and your nowhere lifes and mind your place.
So says the mighty, Ripp von Shar
Semper Medusa said,
September 12, 2009 at 12:04 pm
Yes, she’s fat. Yes, she’s ugly,but, you are wrong, because they HAVE put naked anorexics on the cover of magazines. What about Nicole Richie, Paris Hilton, and countless models all between 5’8 and 6′ with weights no higher than 110 lbs (and those who weigh 110 are considered “fat” in the fashion industry) What about them? Some of them having a bmi as low as 12 that are seen wearing no more than a string bikini? Is Beth Ditto portraying an unhealthy image? Absolutely, but so are the models. The difference is, that you don’t care about the models, they don’t disgust you, and actually, it’s kind of refreshing. I myself am larger, no where near as fat as she, but I have a BMI of about 27…which a few short months ago was 35. I’ve been “obese” my entire life, from the time I was about 4 years old. I grew up being treated like I was worthless from everyone outside of my immediate family, who refused to admit that there was anything wrong. Maybe if more people were as bold as Beth Ditto I could run without people giving me shit. I’ve had people come up to me, while I was running, and ask me why I was even bothering because they “knew” that I was just going to go home and eat 3 pies. And you know what? The specific person who said this, was fat! As fat as I was! So, as entitled as you are to an opinion, by posting this on the web, you are as bad as the people who give me shit for trying to get in shape. Perhaps you should look at your own faults before criticizing hers. Besides, you have no idea, it could very well be that she’s trying to get in shape and make herself healthier. It doesn’t happen overnight. And, I think that she’s portraying a good message that in order to be loved you don’t have to be a size 4. Of course she’s extreme, but at least she’s portraying that the amount of fat on a person’s body doesn’t determine their worth, which so many in this country would like you to believe.
unknowa said,
September 13, 2009 at 1:50 pm
i don’t find her ugly at all and congratulate her to all the confidence her rock’n’roll takes and gives! yay! screw everyone who is full of hate and the need to tell other people , they are some kind of lesser human as they are over- or underweight! give people the chance to love themselves enough to take care of their health….bullying doesn’t help for sure. i’d go off with beth anytime. she looks fun and like she enjoys her sexuality!
Max said,
September 19, 2009 at 6:11 am
Well aren’t you great for being a perfect BMI… it’s small-minded to discuss an issue such as weight in terms of good BMI/ bad BMI. There are too many factors that influence/ are influenced by a persons size.
In short… noone wants your opinion.
Mel said,
September 19, 2009 at 8:32 am
I completely agree with you. Regardless of all these comments.
There is a line between a healthy confidence that everyone can enjoy and the kind of exposure that makes me want to throw up.
I’m 17, and I have a friend who is very overweight for our age, and she idolises Beth Ditto in every way. This girl is really quite big. Pattern much?
People need to stop pretending that Beth Ditto was the first woman to ever push the issue of weight and act like she doesnt care. The fact that she wanders around with no clothing doesn’t show that she’s sassy and confident and doesn’t give a crap what others think, it shows that she has no self respect and that no one else has enough respect for her to genuinely say “Beth, stop, you’re making an idiot of yourself.” If I were to google my name and see those photos and think “That’s me”, I would just do myself a favor and die. I would be such a disappointment to myself.
As for anorexics on magazine covers, yes, those girls are thin, but if you actually knew the definition of anorexia, you would think twice before saying all models are too skinny. There is a line, but it’s not crossed very often.
You have to understand how sensitive the issue of weight is these days, particularly obesity. Beth Ditto would be a wonderful idol, kicking ass and singing with her amazing voice, if she kept her clothes on and remained sober. Unfortunately, thats a pretty big ask and as such, her name is pretty controversial. You cant blame people for dispising her simply because of her weight. Look at Lindsey Lohan, Paris Hilton, and heaps of others, they got media bashed for the same kind of behaviour, and theyre not annorexic, or obese, they are healthy weights.
It is her behaviour that encourages the idea that “Being Morbidly Obese is Okay”, and this is not a healthy thing. So, listen to her music, love her attitude but dont support her weight and her trashy behaviour. She could be so much more, but she lowers herself, so I have no respect for her.
zrink said,
October 1, 2009 at 2:33 am
i feel like beth ditto is just exploiting the public and their perceptions and issues with healthy weight and general acceptance of a healthy girl. beth ditto is not healthy, personally she strikes me as somewhat of an agro pig.
Kim said,
October 6, 2009 at 12:43 pm
Awesome voice, pretty face, and looks beautiful on the cover on NME.. which I think she was trying to show “Fuck you, I’m hot and I don’t care what you think”. I have always found big girls attractive. And if she’s happy and confident then why try to bring her down, all that matters if she feels good about herself. I don’t believe she’s encouraging anyone else to be obese, more like be happy, do what you want and fuck what everyone thinks. She would lose weight if she wanted to, obviously she doesn’t, and it’s no-one elses choice. The only real point is the music.
killerkiller said,
October 7, 2009 at 3:12 am
well, first of, FUCK what your statistics say as ‘morbidly obese’ any nutritionist can shove it up their ass cause its all a bunch of made up shit. I agree with liz THERE ARE UGLY ASS SKINYY BITCHES ALL OVER THE FUCKING MEDIA. so why the fuck is is not okay for this fat girl to be up there? because youre all fucking brain washed.
ODiLitA said,
October 16, 2009 at 5:34 pm
normally, being a little overweight isn’t particularly unhealthy, but she’s obese, and she isn’t a teenager anymore. so she should start worrying about her weight before it brings her serious health problems. this is not about fashion or looks, it’s about health. and obesity is not healthy.
ftrick said,
October 20, 2009 at 10:35 pm
I recently listened to a radio interview about body size and the ‘obesity epidemic’ with a panel of doctors.
After some questions from the interviewer, each one of the doctors admitted that thin people aren’t necessarily healthy and fat people aren’t necessarily unhealthy.
It is in fact true that just because someone is fat doesn’t mean they are unhealthy.
it takes some serious self-righteousness to look at someone and judge their personality (pig, cow, cunt etc) and character and even morality by the size and shape of their body.
Beth Ditto is fucking sexy.
And she doesn’t encourage people to get fatter. She’s not leading a mission to fatten people up.
What she is doing for girls is giving them the confidence to be themselves, letting them know that they don’t need to obsess over size and calories and exercise, which is the most pervasive message coming out of the media.
I don’t think that empowering girls of all sizes is at all the same as encouraging people to be fat and therefore making people unhealthy.
To respond to your numbers (if you can even call the BMI that), here are some numbers for the National Eating Disorder Information Centre. While you look at these, think about how much more destructive the quest for thin is compared to being comfortable with your body, and whether being fat is worse for your body than hating your body is for your mind and soul:
– The annual death rate associated with anorexia is more than 12 times higher than the annual death rate due to all other causes combined for females between 15 and 24 years old.
– Eating disorders are now the third most common chronic illness in adolescent girls.
– Among female athletes, the prevalence of eating disorders is reported to be between 15% and 62%
– 81% of 10-year-olds restrict eating (diet).
– A survey of parents found that one in 10 would abort a child if they knew it had a genetic tendency to be fat.
– 50% of girls with healthy weights in two Canadian high schools were dieting because they saw themselves as “overweight”.
– The fear of being fat is so overwhelming that young girls have indicated in surveys that they are more afraid of becoming fat than they are of cancer, nuclear war or losing their parents.
– 80%-90% of women dislike the size and shape of their bodies.
– Of women between the ages of 24 and 54 who diet, 76% diet for cosmetic rather than health reasons.
– In 1984 alone, 66% of active women surveyed ranked weight control as the most important motivator for exercising.
Feel free to check out the site for yourselves:
http://www.nedic.ca/knowthefacts/statistics.shtml
Andy said,
April 5, 2010 at 9:41 am
95% of statistics are made up on the spot.
Kelly said,
October 27, 2009 at 3:35 am
This is fucking ridiculous. So she eats food and could probably stand to put down the cheeseburger and eat a salad…
But she doesn’t fucking want to.
And why should she?
As long as she can still walk and do normal activities (Which she obviously can, have you seen her on stage?) why shouldn’t she have the right to be big?
She isn’t “glorifying her gluttony”, she just doesn’t care what anyone thinks of her.
What a great lady.
Mr.Random said,
October 31, 2009 at 8:02 pm
Okay.. I’m Mr random. (:
I’m sure some of you believe that each and every one of your posts are special in some way; unfortunately they aren’t.
They’re not changing the world for the better of man kind, they aren’t changing lives or making the world a better place.
If you think this isn’t true, really take the time to think about it. To bring information to some one’s attention is simple and but whatever information that may have been brought forth to better educate the naive will fall short of fuel for an argument.
but to bring to attention how senseless this article is very valuable and life changing.
25 years from now, will you look back on this article or a comment and think ‘ Wow I really accomplished something there, way to go me’ probably not.. for those of you still around and hopefully not spending time on the computer as much as you are now.
Just thought everyone should be reminded of what to really focus on; in life… Yourselves not Beth Ditto.. live a happy life because at the end you’re all you have.
These comments won’t be there for you in the time of now and the time of then..
I’m gonna go now and eat some mango slices then pet my uber soft husky puppy.
(:
dee said,
November 2, 2009 at 8:26 am
IMO, everyone should be somewhere between slightly underweight and slightly overweight.
Masha said,
November 6, 2009 at 8:42 am
People, are you all blind or wtf?! Beth Ditto is fat, obese, ugly and nasty dike.
She is morbidly obese, she looks like a barrel. I don`t support tah anorexic look, but Ditto is obese as hell and she is not easy to look at. That is why only feminsts, fat gay men and fat chicks like her. When I see her fat ass, I change the channel.
She is repulsive buldge of pig fat. If we had this conversation in a pub/bar/restaurant, 99% of people wold agree with me. Fat is not cool, just like being too thin.
And, yeah, gay fashion creators are to blame for anorexic girls becouse they don`t like woman, but small boys and want woman to resemble 10- year old boys.
CONCLUSION: Ditto is big nasty buldge of laird.
Andy said,
April 5, 2010 at 9:40 am
Seriously, I’m all for inciting rage too, but good lord work on spelling and punctuation. If you’re going to be an obnoxious twat, do it right; you’re setting a bad image for the rest of us.
Tina said,
November 9, 2009 at 10:16 pm
Masha: She is not obese or that fat at all.
She just has on a little weight.
To make a example of someone which everyone should know of: “Santa”
Santa is obese and only eats cookies and milk.
He is a wonderful person who kids love and mostly because he gives out gifts.
However he is still obese. I never see anyone around moaning about how fat and horrible he looks or why there can not be pictures around of a thin santa because the fat one will make people think that it is ok to be fat like him.
Santa is jolly all the time anyway and normally when he says “Ho ho ho” his belly moves around a bit.
However it seems that a women is different and is of course ugly as sin if they are fat.
Ever heard of BBW? The amount of people who like them?
Also that BMI is total crap because it factors in every little bit of weight in your body and this means muscle as well as fat.
This is why people who build up their muscles but also have some fat on them can be in the obese section, even if they have more muscle then fat.
Anyway, it seems by the information which I have seen that she is happy with how she looks.
Oh and do you know of sublimial brainwashing?
You do know that the power is out there right now to hide a hidden audio track in music or adverts…etc.
Just think what would happen if the message of “Everyone will love being obese and will grow more and more fat over time” would do to the world.
Sublimial messages go into your inner mind anyway where they can even be forced to stay if you say something like “This sublimial is a curse and will never leave your mind”
So one day soon you might be a fat person to or if such a thing was to happen the other way everything could go and everyone would be skin and bones.
Andy said,
April 5, 2010 at 9:36 am
Are you fucking serious? You just used a fictional character to justify someone eating themselves in to an early grave. And the BMI thing may be crap, which is why most people use taping as well to factor in muscle mass.
However, the biggest muscles on Beth’s body is her legs, which must strain to hold up all that weight.
Anna said,
November 29, 2009 at 2:26 pm
Wow, you’re a jerk.
So_what said,
December 31, 2009 at 9:42 am
I am not a skinny person, but I’m currently trying to lose weight.
But guesd what? I do not aspire to be a BMI of 17…
I want to be HEALTHIER but not lose my curves. Maybe think about it that instead of calling someone fat and gross think “maybe they are trying to change.” If they are indeed trying then people out there should be much kinder if not then they be more likely to gain weight.
Love others and you will be loved.
K said,
January 15, 2010 at 11:56 am
She DOES promote being overweight – she’s modelled for a plus-size clothes store (Evans).
I dislike the media’s portrayal of her as a heroine every bit as much as I despise their airbrushing models to make them look thinner, then leaking photos of said models to show that they have a little bit of fat on their thighs. In short, the media are a bunch of useless twats.
maggie roper said,
January 20, 2010 at 4:39 am
some great info here
i am adding this to my bookmarks…
Richard said,
February 14, 2010 at 4:04 pm
Why can’t people just be obese and enjoy fattening food? There is nothing wrong with being obese. I weigh 600 pounds and I am happy because I don’t bother watching my weight. I can barely even walk, but at least I’m happy and enjoying my life.
Suzanne said,
April 2, 2010 at 5:55 pm
Oh yeah, you are really fuckin sick.
The majority of “famous” women is definately underweight in an unhealthy way.
Beth Ditto is ONE woman who is obese. so what the fuck?!
All she does is showing that one can have self esteem and a good carreer even without starving oneself. Nothing more, nothing less!!!
There will NEVER be girls of any stature who are going to feed themselves until they look like ditto-
If you really believed that you are even more retarded than I thought.
Andy said,
April 5, 2010 at 9:33 am
@Suzanne
You mean there aren’t people out there aspiring to be not only the worlds fattest mother, but the worlds fattest woman? There are people who don’t want to be as fat as Ditto; they want to be bigger.
People are impressionable, and if you think that’s not the case you’re a fucking idiot. Yeah, she’s got that “I’m huge and I don’t care”, but the point made is that it’s reckless to say “it’s okay to be obese”, or were the rolls of fat in your eyelids keeping you from seeing that? Seriously. When she dies of a heart attacked and clogged arteries before she’s 50, the one thing you won’t be able to say is “she had a long life”
Nonamè said,
July 2, 2010 at 3:13 am
Hi, my name is nonamè,
answer my question. Justin bieber has made you pregnant what do you do? email me at Sweetasbro@live.com
Paula said,
September 21, 2010 at 10:22 am
@ Beth Fatto
“Mind you on the plus side, think of all the anorexics shes going to cure by parading her fat ass about on television.”
Anorexics also use pictures of overweight people to encourage themselves not to eat. To trigger a phobia of “looking like that” They call it reverse thinspiration.
Trust me, I used to have anorexia and pics of Beth Ditto would have only encouraged me further.
That said, if she wants to parade in her undies, the world goes mad, wheras if an untalented stick like Kate Moss does it then its fine…. I say more strength to Ditto, down with the double standards!
Richard Rees-Williams said,
December 22, 2010 at 6:07 pm
Is this the ugly shit that passes for entertainment these days? That fat bitch looks like a train wreck and a pile of cowshit rolled up in one, what mug pays their well-scrounged (no doubt) money to hear the farty belch-bellows erupting from that thing’s flab choked orifices. How the world has changed. She doesn’t even resemble a fucking human being, there’s a reason why one refers to this type of monstrosity as a “whale”. Yeah it’s true we’re not allowed to put so called “anorexic” models on mags, but most of those are in fact natually slim and can eat what they want without gaining a pound, as can I. Yet such people as us will always be healthy, with low blood pressure, low cholesterol, and I know what mine are. This stupid backlash has gone too far the other way no, let’s worship obesity, and pretend it’s “normal” and “average” and hell let’s even go and glorify it. Crap, what utter crap, these obese lard-asses will soon be dying off before their parents, and good riddance, no doubt that will also help to reverse global warming and allow starving kids on the other side of the world to get their fair share. Go eat your sugar, you high fructose corn syrup, your starches, fats and trans-fats and grin at your bulging, sweaty rolls of fat bursting through your stinky clothes as you contemplate the cost of the next size up ya lard ass toss-face fagass fatties. Pretend you love it, pretend it’s sexy, but never forget that little insecure feeling in the back of your mind that you know you’re a hypocrite, you so wish you could be slim and healthy but lack the willpower to do anything about it. FATTIES.
Richard Rees-Williams said,
December 22, 2010 at 6:12 pm
“She’s not “Morbidly Obese.”
Just because your ideal chick is a toothpick doesn’t mean Ditto is a whale.
Doctors everywhere say that the BMI is an estimation, heck, I have a friend who is taller but slimmer than me and she’s apparently overweight. It’s pure unfiltered bullshit.
And even if it wasn’t Beth doesn’t look revolting, she’s just happy with who she is! A load of male comedians/singers are overweight but apparently this only matters if your a chick.
What a load.
Oh, and by the way, not ONE of the women you compared with Beth are normal girls, they’re all on constant diets, you walk down the street and tell me how many Jennifer Anistons you see.
Ditto’s message is be yourself. Not once has she said: BE FAT LIKE ME!
She’s a good singer and a real punk, she does what she wants and is happy in her own skin, so what if she’s overweight? You, sir, are just an example of society disrespecting people just because of how they look. News flash, she doesn’t have to be “One of the sexiest women alive” (you put it so beautifully) to be a great singer.”
Hey Imms you fat-ass fag-face, just looking at that wreck it’s obvious that she’s got about the equivalent of another half-person worth of blubber, and don’t try to imagine that is healthy for anybody. Whatever the fuck her BMI is. She’s grossly unhealthy.
This ain’t an issue about “how people look”, people naturally and rightfully feel a contempt towards those who have no regard or self respect for their own health and choose the disgusting over-indulgent lifestyle.
Fuck you said,
October 5, 2011 at 11:37 pm
Who the fuck cares? You’re a fucking idiot. We don’t know she has a “gluttony” issue, you fucking asshole. Pay more attention to your own life, you dumb fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck yourself because you’re probably the only person who would do it willingly. FUCK YOU!
Fuck you said,
October 5, 2011 at 11:38 pm
Ps. This comment was intended for the person who created this stupid, fucking peace of shit “article.”
holly said,
April 17, 2013 at 7:20 am
All of the magazines I have seen feature and honor an unrealistic body image that is either anorexic or photoshopped or, most likely, both. It is refreshing to see someone like Beth Ditto featured. She is more realistic than the plastic “flawless” photos that plague magazines, advertisements, videos, and TV. Plus, the BMI is set by INSURANCE COMPANIES for PROFIT and could give one f*uck less about health. If you think skinny/thin has anything to do with health, you are a media sheep, who no doubt contributes tons of money into the very system that oppresses!