Media and Research Roundup - September 2023
Image description: A photo of multimedia objects on a black background, including a red rotary dial phone, cameras, a book, a record, floppy disks, various tapes, a newspaper, and photos.
By Bill and Terri Weitze
CONTENT WARNING: Some articles featured in the Media & 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.
Pic is of Terri and Bill Weitze, a Caucasian couple, both wearing glasses
Terri and Bill Weitze have been active within NAAFA for years, and they currently coauthor the Media and Research Roundup in the NAAFA Newsletter. They both live and work in Michigan, and met through a fat-positive bulletin board system before the days of the World Wide Web.