Chubbies Need Not Apply

By Michelle Giametta on 07/27/2009

To be fat or not to be fat? That is the question... Or is it? Dr. Regina Benjamin has been under fire ever since President Obama named her as his pick for the next Surgeon General. According to ABC News, "critics and supporters across the blogsphere have commented on photos of Benjamin's round cheeks, saying she sends the wrong message as the public face of America's health initiatives."

Since obesity is a growing epidemic in the United States, is it appropriate to discount Dr. Benjamin as a credible Surgeon General because of her weight? Is it wise for Americans to place so much importance on Dr. Benjamin's physical appearance over her overall experience as a doctor?

Dr. Benjamin is a dedicated physician and her accomplishments are impressive. Not only did she become "the first black woman and the first doctor under age 40 elected to the American Medical Association's board of trustees, and in 2002 became the first black woman to head a state medical society," but she "has been known to buy her patients their medicine if they can't afford it." Dr. Benjamin seems to be determined to be a great Surgeon General stating, "I want to be sure that no one falls through the cracks as we improve our health care system."

In Dr. Benjamins defense, being overweight does not necessarily mean a person is unhealthy. In an article written for Air America, nutrition specialist Joanne Ikeda claims that with Dr. Benjamin as the new Surgeon General, "maybe now we will stop making the assumption that all fat people are unhealthy, particularly in light of new data coming from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey."

However, some of Benjamin's critics make a good argument as well. "James Anderson, a professor of medicine and clinical nutrition at the University of Kentucky Medical Center, told ABC news: "It is important to 'walk the walk and not just talk the talk'...We need role models who are attempting to be leaders for change in health and lifestyle to be role models."" Being overweight increases a person's risk of getting heart disease, diabetes, and many other serious illnesses. Is making an overweight woman a spokeswoman for the health and well-being of America sending the wrong message to the American public?

Yet, why can't an overweight woman be a role model? Americans are constantly being bombarded with advertisements, television shows, and movies that encourage an unhealthy body image. Anorexia and Bulimia are on the rise amongst the youth of America. Young woman and men are taking extreme measures to attain the "ideal" physic. Dr. Benjamin could be the encouragement many overweight and underweight Americans need to choose a healthier lifestyle- taking the stance, "if she can do it, so can I."

Let's be honest, we aren't talking about having an extremely obese person as our next Surgeon General. Dr. Benjamin is a full-figured woman that represents a large segment of the American population. Many people struggle with their weight throughout their lives and don't have the time to spend hours in a gym, raise a family and work. Dr. Benjamin is relatable and people just might pay more attention to someone like her than someone who looks picture-perfect, model thin.

So it comes down to this, is a surgeon general's physical appearance more important than his or her expertise? Is it necessary for America's Surgeon General to be thin and physically fit in order to educate the American public on how to improve their health and reduce the risk of illness and injury?

[Additional Photos: Robert Giroux/Getty Images, 2009; Getty Images, 2009]