How Has The Obesity Epidemic Disrupted Romance?

 

The health impacts of the obesity epidemic are well-documented.

Less studied are its ramifications for romance.

In her new book, “XL Love: How Obesity is Complicating America’s Love Life,” journalist Sarah Varney explores how being overweight can affect sex and love lives, from puberty to marriage.

Varney tells Here & Now’s Jeremy Hobson that obesity in children has resulted in the early onset of puberty in girls, leading obese girls who are sexually active to engage in risky sexual behavior.

At the same time, adolescents who are obese are half as likely to begin dating as healthy weight adolescents.

“Not only is obesity disrupting how and when the stages of life are marked,” Varney said, “It also seems to be really changing the romantic prospects for obese and overweight girls and boys.”

In the book, Varney follow a number of couples, some of whom are in “mixed-weight marriages” where one partner is a healthy weight and the other is overweight or obese.

Varney says mixed-weight marriages tend to have much more friction.

“The types of arguments are much more personal, they are much more vicious,” Varney said.

Body image also becomes a major friction point in the marriage.

“There’s a lot of work that every couple has to do, of course,” Varney said. “But when you throw weight into it, and you throw the level of self-hatred and body image issues, it becomes a lot to deal with.”…

more…

http://hereandnow.wbur.org/2014/09/17/obesity-romance-varney