Skinny vs Curvy?

This is a debate that splits a lot of people. It comes down to what is aesthetically pleasing to the viewers eye. A curvy woman can be considered sexy, as can a skinny woman. There's a myriad of posters such as this that ask the same question.

I have been shown these images by some friends I love dearly, as a reason why they live their life the way they do { and subtly, gently,  disapproving  the choices I make :-) } 

But the question we all should be really asking is....

Are these women HEALTHY?

It has been reported thousands of times that a waist measurement over 94 cms for men and 80 cms for women makes a person more at risk of a wide variety of diseases that can be eased or 'cured' with losing weight and dropping the waist measurement.  It's an easy  layman's 'unhealthy' measurement guideline. Diabetes , heart disease, high blood pressure and difficulty in falling pregnant can all be reduced or eradicated with healthy food options and exercise.  So let's look at our gorgeous curvy women, according to their official fan club pages.

Bettie Page : Weight 128 lbs (58 kilos) Height 165 cms  36-23-35 inches or 91.4-58.4-88.9 cms

BMI: 21.3 = normal weight

Shirley Jones: Weight 143 lbs (65 kg)   Height 166 cms 34-21-35 inches or 86.4-53.3-88.9 cms

BMI: 23.6= normal weight

Elizabeth Taylor: Weight 116lbs (52.5kg)  Height 160 cms    36-21-36 inches or 91.4-53.3-91.4 cms

BMI:20.5= normal weight

Marilyn Monroe: Weight 118lbs (53.5 kg)  Height 166 cms 35-22-35 inches or 88.9-55.9-88.9 cms

BMI: 19.4= normal weight

Curvy?  Absolutely...and HEALTHY!

Hmm...and the skinny models?  Well measurements were hard to get!

Heidi Pratt/Montag  Weight 100 lbs (45 kg)  Height 165 cms   *no measurements available

 BMI: 16.5= underweight

Nicole Ritchie  Weight 95lbs (43 kg)         Height  152 cms    32-25-31 inches or 81.3-63.5-78.7cms

 BMI:18.6= normal weight ( I know I had to double check too! she just makes it)

Keira Kneightly  Weight 115 lbs  (52 kgs)  Height 170 cms   32-22-33 inches or 81.3-55.9-83.8 cms

 BMI: 18= under weight (but only just!)

Kristen Stewart  Weight 133lbs (60.5 kg)   Height 168 cm    33-23-34  inches or 83.8-58.4-86.4 cms

BMI: 21.4= normal weight

Surprising, isn't it that only 2 of the skinny versions were underweight, and one of those only just under by 0.5? So you could consider skinny as healthy too, just a different body shape.

I'm all for choice and everyone's circumstances are different so don't think I'm sitting in judgement here!  I am taking the opportunity to stop the spread of what could be considered misinformation and to be able to have right of reply to the many caring friends who have expressed concern for me, some even using the above example to prove their point.  Here's a poster I'd like to share, each of these women are at the peak of fitness for their sport, all different shapes, all looked after nutritionally so they are at optimum health:

 So the debate should REALLY look like THIS!

So where do you fit in?  Let's leave curvy or skinny out of it, I hope I've shown that what you see doesn't always mean healthy or unhealthy.

Are you healthy and fit or unhealthy and unfit?