Pixar’s Wall-E never disclosed what size jumpsuit the morbidly obese space humans were wearing. Turns out, it was probably a snug extra-small.
The scourge of so-called “vanity sizing” is “forcing petite women into kids’ clothes,” according to The Wall Street Journal. Vanity sizing refers to retailers labelling clothing as the same nominal size — S, M, L, XL — while expanding the garment’s actual size.
No matter what the scale says or the mirror shows, take comfort in knowing you can continue to purchase pants in a slender size two. Go ahead and supersize your Happy Meal on your way home from the mall, too.
The Wall Street Journal profiled numerous women who are too slender for modern offerings in the women’s section. They’re turning to the kids’ section to accommodate their unchanged frames. This strategy isn’t without peril.
RFK JR: “Over 70% of adults and a third of children are overweight or obese. Diabetes is 10 times more prevalent than it was during the 60s. Cancer among young people is rising by 1 or 2% a year. Autoimmune diseases, neurodevelopmental disorders, Alzheimer’s, asthma, ADHD,… pic.twitter.com/yeF0GDmqwZ
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) January 29, 2025
“Too many flowers and so much glitter,” one 130-pound, 5 foot 5 inch tall woman says of the designs. (RELATED: Legacy Media Cautions Women Against Accidentally Adopting MAGA Aesthetic)
If these sound petty concerns, consider vanity sizing the canary in the coal mine.
Between 1988 and 1994, nearly half of white women aged 20 and older maintained a normal Body Mass Index (BMI), according to age-adjusted data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Among the same demographic, the percentage of individuals with a normal BMI plummeted to just 33.8% between 2013 and 2016.
Women of other races have fared no better (except Asians, for whom data were not available before 2013). 29.8% of Mexican-origin females had a normal BMI in 1988-1994. That already slim margin dipped to just 15% between 2013-2016. Black women saw a similar decrease, with the percentage of 20+ women with a normal BMI falling from 29.2% to 17.6% in the same time period.
NEW IN PIRATE WIRES: On creating a Civilian Fitness Corps
Obesity costs us more than all cancer treatments combined, and 1 in 4 military recruits are rejected for being out of shape. Most Americans *want* to get healthy but don’t have the time or money.
We need a Manhattan… pic.twitter.com/OV0B4Qur3S
— Pirate Wires (@PirateWires) June 17, 2025
Many hands has been wrung over dwindling fertility rates. Over healthcare costs. Rising rates of depression diagnoses. (RELATED: EMMA POST: America Can’t Medicate Itself Out Of The Obesity Crisis)
No symptom of American decline can be understood absent obesity. It isn’t the ultimate cause of our troubles. But a less-fat America might be more inclined towards family formation — spending a lifetime with someone is a more appealing offer when that person is good-looking and healthy. A less-fat America means fewer obesity-related emergency room visits (metabolic syndrome is upstream of a host of severe conditions). A less-fat America means less depressed Americans.
The biggest beneficiaries of thin America may be those were never fat in the first place: Those women who might be able to buy normal clothing again; Those of us who want to live in a healthy, vital country.
Follow Natalie Sandoval on X: @NatalieIrene03
Read the full article here