[Lauren]

Yes, we are most certainly obsessed with it - to unhealthy limits. I am happy to put most of the blame firmly on the media/model agencies shoulders. The restrictions for models these days is horrendous - forcing models to be under a certain weight which can cause damage to their bodies. Young girls then feel that they are overweight (When they are, infact, normal). This can then lead to a dangerous path where no-one has self esteem and so they can get ED's.

Personally, the only time I will make a statement on someones weight is if they look too thin, and I have found myself saying to my friends "Oh my god, you can see her ribs!" - whereas if I saw someone that was overweight I wouldn't really pass judgment on them.

Weight problems usually start at a young age and so they develop as we go into adult life. It's a no win situation, however - because no matter how much weight we lose we see thinner models on the TV and strive to be like them (mainly for cosmetic reasons - because you're not good enough unless you're thin, is what the media is telling us).

I think men want women to be skinny, it's very rare a man would see an overweight woman on the TV and think she is attractive - although I'd probably say this is the way they are socialised - and thinner women are more socially acceptable to fancy.

Not only this, but I also think the diet plans that are out there just put onto this problem. All of those diets are telling people that they're constantly not good enough and they must further strive to lose weight by using their specific diets - this can cause further pressure. I think the only way to alleviate this problem is for the media to stop putting emphasis on weight, and glorifying super-slim celebs.

Most of my post was about women, but the same applies to men. Many men are pressurised into looking muscular, with a "v" shaped back and a six pack. In reality what kind of men look like this? It's not just muscles either cos in other occupations like if you want to become a Jockey - you have to be under a certain weight then as well - this has already proven to lead to anorexia.