They reshape and sculpt their bodies and adorn them with paint, cosmetics, clothing, and jewelry. These customs, however, are diverse and particular to a culture at a specific time. The diversity of body costumes has led anthropologists (e.g., Douglas 1970; Strathern 1996) to conclude that a body is both a physical and a symbolic artifact, forged by nature and by culture at a particular moment in history (Sullivan, 2000).Social institutions, ideology, values, beliefs, and technology transform a physical body into a social body. Bodies, therefore, provide important clues to the mechanics of society …show more content…
Fat has been seen as a statement of well-being and has been frequently produced artificially through fattening processes (Roybal,2002) In a rite of passage, some Nigerian girls spend months gaining weight in what is known as “the fattening room”. In this culture, a woman’s rotundity is a sign of good health, prosperity and charm. “Beauty is in the weight”, says a defender of the practice, “To be called a slim princess is an abuse” (Angeloni, 2001)
In modern Western society "thin is in" and sometimes artificial means such as liposuction are used to lessen the appearance of hips, buttocks, and fat in general (Sullivan, 2002). In the United States, most people hold negative attitudes toward body fat. According to surveys, people attribute increased body weight to being poor or having poor health. Obese women, more than men, are rated negatively by peers (Levy and Shiraev,