Size 16 mannequins make being fat 'normal'

Large mannequins in shops are “normalising” being overweight and making increasing numbers of people feel that obesity is acceptable, the Chief Medical Officer has warned.

            Retailers recently began using size 16 models in shop windows in an effort to reflect the shape of “real women” in Britain. But in her annual report, Dame Sally Davies said the use of larger mannequins, combined with “size inflation” in many shops - meaning clothes with the same label have become larger - have normalised being overweight, blinding people to the health risks of obesity.

            Dame Sally said: "I have long been concerned that being underweight is often portrayed as the ideal weight, particularly in the fashion industry. “Yet I am increasingly concerned that society may be normalising being overweight. “Larger mannequins are being introduced into clothes shops, 'size inflation' means that clothes with the same size label have become larger in recent decades, and news stories about weight often feature pictures of severely obese people, which are unrepresentative of the majority of overweight people.”

            In December Debenhams became the first department store to display size 16 mannequins in its 179 stores, and urged rival high street shops to follow its lead.

            Earlier in the year equalities minister Jo Swinson called for fashion stores to promote a more diverse range of women, saying it was “as if there’s only one way of being beautiful”.

Nearly all clothes shops in Britain use size 10 or size 8 mannequins although the average British woman is a size 16.

Question 1 (2 points) Indicate whether the following statements are true or false and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.

a. People are not so concerned about being obese.

b. Size 16 is not very common in Britain.

c. The only store that shows size 16 mannequins is Debenhams.

d. Jo Swinson wanted to show women that size doesn’t make beauty.

Question 2 (2 points) Answer the following questions in your own words.

a. How are fashion stores affecting the idea of being overweight?

b. What is Dame Sally’s main worry?

Question 3 (1.5 points) Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.

a. fat (par.1)                          b. sellers (par.2)                               c. danger (par.2)

d. described (par.3)             e. press, push (par.4)

Question 4 (1.5 points) Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.

a. Large mannequins in shops are normalizing being overweight.

    Being overweight ………………………………………………..

b. "I have long been concerned that being underweight is often portrayed as the ideal   weight, particularly in the fashion industry.”

     Dame Sally said that …………………………………………..

c. People are normalising being overweight so they are not aware of the risks of obesity.

      If people ………………………………………………………..

Question 5 (3 points) Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:

            What influence has the fashion industry had in your country?