In recent times, the conversation about our physique and appearance has revolved around a new series of medications that allow us to lose considerable weight. The one that has been most popular has been Ozempic, the commercial brand under which semaglutide is sold. It is a drug that can treat diabetes, but also obesity, since its ability to regulate the sensation of appetite has been discovered.
For people affected by overweight, it can be a great help to lose those kilos that are almost impossible to reduce with traditional methods, such as diet or sports; But this ‘superpower’ to lose weight has attracted all types of people, not just those who have health problems caused by obesity. There is no better example than the world of international fame: characters who previously showed off their kilos with pride, such as the actress Barbie Ferreira or the singer Lizzo, have begun to lose weight considerably, and others such as the celebrity Kim Kardashian or the singer Lady Gaga raises suspicions for having reduced her already narrow waists even further. Even billionaire Elon Musk has surrendered to the “charms” of the drug and, by the way, he is one of the few who has admitted to having used the drug. The rest usually refer to a change in diet, doing more exercise…
This triumph for Ozempic has once again put on the table the collective obsession that we suffer due to thinness, both our own and that of others. It happens coincidentally at a time when we thought that ‘body positive’ had taken hold, that school of thought that advocates accepting our body as it is, without falling into self-punishment or inflicted harm to achieve a canonical physique. And this fever for the drug has made us realize that, in reality, thinness is still an obsession for many people. However, have we really asked ourselves why this happens to us, why we always long to have as few kilos as possible? When did the idea of looking at the scale and seeing a high number start to bother us so much, or that there are people who are ‘comfortable’ with extra kilos, able to live with them without being bitter?
In this first chapter of the podcast ‘The dilemma of (im)perfect bodies’ we will discover the origins of this excessive interest in thinness with the help of cultural historian and CSIC researcher Javier Moscoso. We will also chat with the renowned nutritionist Pablo Ojeda about this new trend for Ozempic, the reasons why extra kilos make us so nervous and those concepts around thinness that we do not fully understand. And finally we will listen to the psychologist Lara Ferreiro, who will tell us about how fat is still frowned upon, even in the 21st century, and how it can affect us in our coexistence with others.
‘The dilemma of imperfect bodies’ is an ABC podcast. Every week, a new episode on ABC.es and on all audio platforms: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Ivoox, We could and Amazon Music. Also available in YouTube.
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