In the United States, we value slim, athletic builds and consider people with these body types to be healthier than people with more fleshy builds. But in Dakar, Senegal, people tend to value body types that in the United States would be considered clinically overweight. Senegalese women, in particular, associate these body types with both health and wealth: slimmer women actually want to gain weight in order to attain the "desirable," "healthy," "well-fed" build. What does this example suggest contributes to our ideal of a healthy body?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The example suggests that our idea of a healthy body is influenced by social factors and culture, as different societies and cultures have different norms and values surrounding body size and shape. Biology and genetics may play a role in determining an individual's natural body type, but societal standards and cultural beliefs ultimately shape our ideals of what a healthy body looks like. Epidemiology is the study of patterns, causes, and effects of health and disease in populations, but does not directly relate to this example.

In the United States, We Value Slim, Athletic Builds and Consider