Throughout evolution, humans have looked for traits that would grant them a better chance at survival and reproduction. Larger women signified health, the ability to bear children, money, and food therefore, a better chance at survival and continuing on your lineage.

The traits that evolution deemed desirable still linger for us subconsciously, but act alongside many other factors, such as the mass influence of cultural standards of beauty.

In various cultures, whatever is in vogue, people have tried to manipulate their bodies to look that way, Cristen Harris, associate teaching professor of epidemiology, said. Whether it be the tiny waist, so the Victorian era, or even back in the 40s and 50s. In this country, in the middle of [the] Marilyn Monroe days, there were ads for dietary supplements for weight gainers for women to be voluptuous.

As time has gone on and moved past the cultural phase of idealizing bodies like Marilyn Monroes, we have seen an increase in idealizing a body type that, for most women, is unattainable.

The general public and media tell us that we should (ideally) have all of the following: big boobs and a big butt (but not too big that it looks fake; it has to look natural), flat stomach, toned (but not muscular cause thats too masculine), petite and short frame, no hair (except for on your head), and skinny but not too skinny (dont wanna look sickly).

It should be noted that although Im focusing on young women's struggles, cultural standards of beauty affect people of all ages, races, and genders.

We do see evidence that 3-to-5-year-olds express concern about not getting too fat, Harris said. Then we see that persist throughout adolescence, throughout college years or young adulthood, [and] we're seeing eating disorders and body image concerns continue through to older age, people in their 70s and older that are still concerned about dieting, to lose weight to fit into that mold.

Young women, especially college-age women, are under a microscope to fit within this mold, with the popular notion that we are in our prime or peak as far as looks go.

According to a 2021 study by The Emily Program, any college student, whether male, female, or nonbinary, has an increased risk of developing some kind of eating disorder. However, women and gender minorities are almost four times more likely to show symptoms of an eating disorder than cisgender men.

On top of this, college women are going through the phase of their lives where they are under the most pressure to appeal to the male gaze.

Hookup culture at any college is without shame and very obvious. There are many opportunities on a weekly basis for people to hook up, and if you are not actively doing this, it can be hard not to question if there is something you need to change about yourself.

There is a concept in the Greek system called gads (grab-a-date), where you can only get invited to a party if a boy asks you. As much as we all want to not be seen as pick me girls, its almost impossible not to question yourself when youre not picked.

Some might say, as a solution to these insecurities, If you arent happy with the way you look or your body, just fix it by working out and dieting.

This fix it mentality simplifies an extremely complicated issue. It is incredibly harmful and not realistic whatsoever. For some people, health-wise, nothing needs to be fixed.

I think part of the issue is that people seem to draw a straight line between body size and health, Harris said. There are numerous factors that determine whether a person is healthy or not, and how do we really even define that? Is it the absence of disease? What about a person who has had cancer and they're in remission?

The health benefits, both physically and mentally, of moving your body should not be ignored. However, given the health repercussions of neglecting your body, our understanding of health has become incredibly skewed.

Research shows that about a third of people who are in a normal body size according to BMI are metabolically unhealthy, and about a third of people who are in overweight or obese body size according to BMI are metabolically healthy, Harris said.

All bodies metabolize differently. While one inactive woman could eat, let's say, five full meals per day and stay at 115 pounds, another woman could be working out constantly, consistently gaining weight, and only eating one or two meals a day because of factors such as stress, genetics, or medications.

Many people are not aware of the negative effects of dieting, and how the very act of relentlessly trying to fit into the desired mold of beauty and health actually makes you more unhealthy.

Studies show that the consequences of eating disorders and disordered eating are incredibly consequential to a woman's long-term health reproductive, physical, and mental.

The other thing about body positivity is it kind of puts the onus on the person to do their own inner work, to try to cultivate some kind of love for their body, Harris said. Really, the onus is on culture and society to get with the program, let everybody be who they are.

Speaking from personal experience as a sorority member at UW, I have found this to be the hardest environment to be in with regard to keeping a positive body image.

While I have experienced the body image issues that every other human has, I have the privilege of never having seriously struggled with an eating disorder. Still, I have found it incredibly hard not to neglect my body.

I can feel the panic that goes through some of my closest girlfriends when they walk into our kitchen and are faced with the daunting task of choosing and eating a meal.

We still need to do a much better job as college women. It is long overdue that we give ourselves, and each other, a break when it comes to our bodies that do so much for us.

Reach writer Mary Murphy at opinion@dailyuw.com. Twitter: @marymurphy301

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