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Should plus size clothing come with a warning label?

Posted on Dec 18th 2006 9:09AM by Bethany Sanders

Filed Under: Diet & Weight Loss

Shoppers in the plus-sized section of United Kingdom department stores may find an extra tag on their clothing, if a team of experts writing in the British Medical Journal have their way. The tags -- which would have a weight loss helpline number printed on them -- would be placed in all clothing with a waist size larger than 40 inches for men, and in anything size 16 or above for women. I think this idea is absurd, as well as demoralizing and insulting to the intelligence of overweight shoppers.

However, the group did manage to come up with more reasonable ideas to help reverse the ever increasing trend of obesity in their country. Marketed mainly to children, and placed directly at their eye level, the group would like to see candy bars and sugary snacks removed from grocery store aisles and checkout lanes. Health screenings for children leaving primary and secondary schools, as well as only allowing new urban roads if they had adjacent bicycle lanes, also topped the list.

Believing that just advising people to exercise and eat right will not do enough to reverse the obesity epidemic, the group's aim was to give "help, advice, and sympathy" to those struggling with obesity. I think their hearts and minds were in the right place. But I still can't get past printing a help line number on plus-sized clothing. Shopping is hard enough, without your clothing telling you that you need help!

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6 Comment

Tags: marketing, plus size clothing, PlusSizeClothing, shopping, United Kingdom, UnitedKingdom, weight loss, WeightLoss

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Hattie 12-18-2006 @ 11:30AM

Having used to be a "plus size" young girl I can honestly say that has to be the worst idea yet. As "sympathetic" as they may have tried to be coming up with that idea, it comes off as condescending and criticizing. Yes, people who wear plus size clothes know they need to lose weight. I knew I needed to lose weight so eventually I did something about it by realizing that I had an eating disorder, changing my eating habits, getting educated and getting excercise. A label with a "1-800-DON'T BE FAT" number is not going to help.

MsBetty 12-18-2006 @ 12:17PM

LOL, Hattie. :)

GhaleonQ 12-19-2006 @ 7:14AM

Hysterical, but clearly infeasible.

gail 12-19-2006 @ 5:41PM

The last group of people who are still politically correct to insult are those who "SOME" people consider overweight. This is just the pinnacle of all insults. The whole idea is disgusting and insulting to the point of obscene. I think we should put labels on clothes that are a size zero. After all, if a woman wears a size zero she must be anorexic, or bulimic. Could she possibly be a normal healthy woman who just happens to wear a small size? I'm five feet tall, and I wear a size eight. My friend towers over me. She's nearly
six feet tall in her bare feet, and she's a size 16. Do you really think this beautiful healthy woman will gain anything in her life, except the desire to rip the article of clothing to shreds, by having to look at some moronic label on her clothes? No one has the right to tell anyone they are too fat, too thin, too tall, too short, too light, too dark. We could go on forever with this. The bottom line is, the whole idea is repulsive. I think a cure for AIDS and cancer should be high up there on the list of things to do instead. That sounds like a plan. Excuse me, but I've worked up quite an appetite writing this. I think I'll eat a few slices of pizza now, and I'll enjoy every single bite of it.

Chrystal 12-20-2006 @ 1:46AM

LAME! I think I know I need to lose weight, and others who are overweight also know the health risks of obesity. I agree with the other comments and your assessment. This is insulting, demeaning and unhelpful to those struggling with their weight. It also carries an assumption the size 16 actually needs to lose weight. What if they are fit physically but larger?

Jessica 12-24-2006 @ 4:12PM

After reading this article that my friend sent to me, I was very disturbed and offended. I know I’m over weight, and I’m sure the average over weight person is aware of it. If not being able to find “pretty cloths” in our size wasn’t an indicating factor, then maybe the names are a good hint… For me, I have the worst time trying to fit my body, I have large arms, I’m just about 6 foot and I fit into a size 24. Now, when trying to fit my arms I have to get at least 2 sizes to big. But, if I told you my weight first you would think I’m huge. When I am proportioned better. Or could be I have bigger bones, whatever it is. I know I’m still bigger than what this article calls for as normal.

Now, by applying the same logic… Shouldn’t we add labels to dress sizes 0-3… And give out a hotline number for Bulemia and anorexia? That’s just as much of an epidemic and just as dangerous. But for some reason, it just happens to be more socially accepted because the out come is different. Perhaps less threatening?