What is Health, Really? A History of BMI Charts, Ideal Weights, & Healthy Eating

One of the biggest obstacles women who are battling body image face is the pressure from society to meet a standard of health that is evidenced by one’s appearance. Today, Heather takes a deep dive into all things “health.” This is part one of an hour-long talk available through the Body Image Freedom Framework Course or available to contributors to the Compared to Who? show. For more information on the course or to donate to Compared to Who? visit: www.improvebodyimage.com

Today Heather explores the history behind concepts that are commonplace to us. We sometimes forget that concepts like “health” (as we mean it today) and even “ideal weight” have only been around for a hundred years. People didn’t have scales in their homes until the 1920s. People didn’t know how much they were “supposed” to weigh until the 1940s and 1950s. The diet industry began to flourish shortly thereafter (in the 1970s and 80s), and since then we’ve been on a wild roller coaster chasing the “what’s healthy” food trends. (Remember, in 1988 you were healthy by eating Special K cereal. In 1992, you were healthy by avoiding fats. Then in 2022, you were healthy by eating Keto fat “bombs”).

**Listen to the second part of this hour long session that includes thoughts about exercise and the history of exercise, the social determinants of health, and how to apply scripture to our thinking around health.

Healthy Eating, BMI Charts, and Ideal Weights

Come on a journey through the history of health, BMI, weight standards and food rules as a reminder that the only real truth we have that never changes is God’s truth.

To hear the second part of this episode where we explore what scripture has to say about these topics, visit: www.improvebodyimage.com and support the show or sign up for the self-paced Body Image Freedom Framework course.