Media and Research Roundup: September 2023
CONTENT WARNING: Some articles featured in the Media and Research Roundup may refer to stigmatizing events or use stigmatizing language.
July 2023: As reported by MSN, the American Medical Association has (finally) acknowledged that doctors should no longer use body mass index (BMI) exclusively to assess wellness because there are other measures that provide more accurate information.
August 7, 2023: A new study shows that using incorrect cuff size for blood pressure results in “strikingly inaccurate” blood pressure readings. Researchers recommend a renewed emphasis on individualized blood pressure cuff selection.
August 15, 2023: Writer and textile artist Elizabeth Endicott talks about how her struggle to find a prom dress that would fit led her to a lifetime of designing and sewing her own clothes, joining a community of fat women who eschew the standard retail offerings for fat women. The second link are comments to Endicott’s essay.
August 22, 2023: An interview with Ivy Snitzer, who was Gwyneth Paltrow’s fat body double in the movie Shallow Hal, talks about how the movie affected her life and how eating disorders and weight loss surgery almost killed her.
September 2023: Rachel Hughes always wanted to be a fashion designer but had no sewing skills; however, she could crochet, and she has taken her crocheted fashion of varying sizes to New York Fashion Week.
September 5, 2023: A survey of physicians finds that, despite evidence to the contrary, most doctors believe that being overweight (not obese) shortens lifespan. This is concerning because their beliefs impact the way they treat their patients.
September 7, 2023: Following up on its algorithm for skin tone ranges, Pinterest worked closely with NAAFA and updated their algorithm to deliver greater body diversity in its searches.
