This wouldn’t be particularly exciting, since she seems to be on Fox News constantly, except that this time, she said that Jordin Sparks should not be named the American Idol because she’s overweight and, thus, a poor role model for children in America.

Yeah, I know.

Here’s the video clip (feed readers click here):

Jordin’s already taller than your average teenage girl (she’s 6 feet and wears a size 11 shoe, according to Yahoo Answers), which I’m sure has made her self-conscious in the past if it doesn’t now (despite the fact that she’s stunning, and it’s no surprise that she’s done some modeling), and now there’s a skinny blonde chick from a national anti-obesity calling her a big fatty on TV on the same day that she’s about to have all of her dreams come true. Uh, thanks for the buzzkill, MeMe.

Yes, it’s true that previous American Idol winners have slimmed down after snagging the title. Kelly Clarkson did it, Carrie Underwood did it, Katherine McPhee did it (even though she didn’t win), we get it. But I suspect that they would have lost weight anyway, because they all came into the spotlight at the same time that teenage girls lose the baby fat or the awkward angles and start to look like real women. They also had to handle grueling tour schedules and endless travel for months afterward, which would take it out of anyone. Do you think maybe there’s a connection between those factors and their weight loss?

It’s not right to paint Jordin as an eating disorder waiting to happen (my words, not MeMe’s) just because previous female idols lost weight after winning. And despite the fact that people are also calling Kelly Clarkson fat these days (Is bashing American Idol winners fashionable all of a sudden? Why did no one tell me?) now that she’s back to looking like a woman (you know, with boobs and, heaven forbid, a butt), this is just not cool, even if it’s apparently quite trendy.

Saying that Jordin needs to lose 40 lbs. to have a lasting career is unfair, unkind, and flatly inaccurate. I think Diet Blog hit the nail on the head: “It appears Roth has confused a singing show with America’s Next Top Model.”

Thoughts?

Contents © Copyright 2007 Kristen King

Post from: Blisstree

Is Winner Jordin Sparks Too Fat to Be the American Idol? NAAO Says Yes!

Reports WebMD,

The girls who had most often read magazine articles about dieting and weight loss five years earlier were the most likely to report unhealthy or extreme dieting practices in the follow-up survey.

These girls were twice as likely to engage in unhealthy weight-control behaviors — including fasting, skipping meals, and smoking more cigarettes — as girls who never read such articles.

Extreme weight-control behaviors — including vomiting and using laxatives — were three times as common in the girls who reported frequently reading magazine articles about dieting and weight loss, compared with those who never read such articles.

No such patterns were seen in boys.

So what does this mean? Although reading such magazines doesn’t directly cause unhealthy dieting practices, there’s a strong link. Keep an eye on what you and your daughters are reading, and emphasize healthy behaviors such as regular exercise, healthy snacking, and good portion control.

Contents © Copyright 2007 Kristen King

Post from: Blisstree

Magazines Associated with Unhealthy Dieting in Teen Girls