Weight has a big impact on relationships and our own personal worth. Women tend to be harder on themselves then men. In this particular case, research shows that overweight women tend to view their “self worth” as lower based on their weight. Therefore they chose mates that we less then adequate. However, overweight men had a very different outlook on weight and their partners. This article could change your own perspective on weight in your relationship.
Fifty-seven couples were involved in the research (Keep in mind, this is a very small sample size. I don’t remember everything I learned in grad school biostatistics but I think I recall 200-500 being at the lower end of reliable when it comes to studies and sample sizes.) Looking at possible associations between body mass index (BMI) and relationship quality, researchers found that heavier women had lower quality relationships, which they themselves predicted were more likely to end. They tended to partner with “less desirable men and thought their partners would rate them as less warm/trustworthy.”
Continuing with the sad findings, the male partners of heavier women were reported to have judged their female counterparts’ bodies less positively and rated heavier women as “less ideal” in terms of attractiveness and vitality.
Not surprisingly, when the roles were reversed – that is, when the man was the heavy one in the relationship – the same did not hold true. Men’s BMIs were not associated with relationship functioning.
“Prejudice and discrimination are commonly directed at overweight individuals,” Latner said. “However, few previous studies have examined whether weight stigma occurs within established romantic relationships. Our results suggest it does (source).”
It’s a pretty well known fact that when anticipating a relationship, men tend to be visual, and think with their eyes. When you think with your eyes instead of your brain; you are more apt to get the wrong picture 99% of the time. For women reading this article; it should open their eyes to a different personal perspective on their body and their contributions to a relationship. Beauty is only skin deep. As Elanor Roosevelt once said, ” no one can make you feel inferior without your permission.”
Adria Ali
(CES, PES, CPT, BS)
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