Get Fatter, Look Younger

From Ryan, an American blogger:

"I've been reading a bit about common cultural disconnects for Americans in Cambodia. I found several quite funny.

Imagine a total stranger telling you the following -

"You're really fat!" "You have a huge nose!" "You're really white!"

He goes on to say in Cambodia, being fat means you're rich, you can afford to eat, so it's a compliment. That was what I was told, too, that being called fat is a compliment in Cambodia. But while the older generation may think like that, the 20 somethings I've met all say it's not a compliment. They like their boyfriend/girlfriend slim and think it's not sexy to be fat. No doubt they, like youth everywhere, have bought into the images portrayed in their media.

Anyway, I was thinking about this after coming across this trueslant.com article. Maybe the Khmers are on to something: besides looking rich, fatter people also look young:

...more fat in your diet could mean a more youthful appearance (as long as you aren’t a pack-a-day smoker). A few more tidbits...:

-Deprivation of essential fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, K, E) has been linked to dry, scaly skin, skin wrinkling, and hair loss. Eat your avocado, and you’ll be more likely to have smooth skin and a full head of hair into your golden years.

-A 2009 study out of Britain compared 186 pairs of identical twins, and found that women over 40 who dropped a dress size “aged” by four years when compared to their fatter sibling. The same study found that overweight women under 40 looked older with weight gain, so so young ladies should hold off on the Twinkie-fests.

-Last year, researchers published a report on fat faces in Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. They determined that more facial fat prevented skin sagging and hollowing as one ages. In fact, injections of fatty deposits into the face are becoming increasingly popular among pin-thin women who want to plump away their wrinkles.