In our social media-driven culture, appearance sells. Influencers push products and lifestyles, all working toward gaining a following and building a brand.
Since around the mid-2010s, the so-called “body positivity” movement has flooded these spaces. The goal has been to push acceptance of all body types regardless of fitness level. There is nothing wrong with promoting the worth of every individual, no matter how they look. No one is worthless. But for too long, the body positivity movement has forced unhealthy behaviors, all while preaching that criticism is not allowed.
During the 1990s and early 2000s, the media landscape was awash with thin women who were presented as the ultimate body type. There was even a term associated with it: heroin chic. This was an unhealthy fad that preached the harmful idea that being thin matters most of all. The body positivity movement exists as the complete opposite of that. But the movement over-corrected. Suddenly, obesity was celebrated. And it was celebrated in a way that said encouraging healthier lifestyles is actually offensive.
Now, the body positivity movement as we’ve known it for the past few years seems to be losing steam. Most of this has to do with GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound. The drugs, originally created to help diabetics, are also used to treat obesity. As made evident by their popularity, people are getting incredible results from the medications aided by lifestyle changes. And Scientific American reported just this month that even stronger GLP-1 medications are on the horizon. Even the Trump administration is on the bandwagon, as it announced in November a plan to help reduce GLP-1 medication costs.
During the Super Bowl, tennis legend Serena Williams was even in a commercial promoting GLP-1 medications. In the ad, Williams says the medication helped her lose 34 pounds and “reduced her knee joint stress and stabilized her blood sugar levels.” Clearly, weight loss helps the body in many ways, whether you’re a former pro-athlete used to training hard or not. If anything, this new era filled with supposed “miracle” weight loss medication is proof that we were being manipulated all along.
In December 2020, Cosmopolitan ran a cover campaign called “This is healthy” with the subtitle “11 women on why wellness doesn’t have to be one-size-fits-all.” To be sure, there is nothing bad and everything good about celebrating biological diversity. We don’t all look the same or have the same abilities, and no one should be shamed for that. One of the women interviewed said, “I grew up with the misconception that fitness meant thinness. Now we understand that being thin can also be unhealthy.” She is, of course, correct. Thin can be unhealthy. But extra weight can also be unhealthy. And it’s not a slam on anyone to state either fact.
Now, we’re inundated with celebrities and even regular folk who are using Big Pharma to achieve their weight loss goals. And again, it’s as if feelings matter more than facts. The focus has shifted from anything is great to thin is (once again) in, no matter what it takes. It’s as though society is unable to find a reasonable middle ground on weight loss and body image. Honesty without cruelty should be the standard for any health issue, including weight loss and fitness levels. But this approach is rarer than it should be.
Who knows how long the GLP-1 fad will last? Maybe it’s here to stay. Perhaps these medications will continue to be refined and new ones developed in an effort to curb obesity. They may be around forever as the first pharmaceutical choice for those looking to lose weight. In 2022, the obesity rate in the U.S. was 39.9%. In 2025, the rate was at 37%. According to Gallup data from October 2025, the number of adults using GLP-1 medication for weight loss “increased to 12.4%, compared with 5.8% in February 2024 when Gallup first measured it.” That is quite the jump in less than two years.
THE RIGHT’S STEVE BANNON PROBLEM
It doesn’t matter what culture and the media are focused on when it comes to weight and appearance. The priority should be health, not feelings. We each get one body to carry us through this life, and taking care of it, across all shapes and sizes, should be the goal. Bending to popular pressure, whether it celebrates excess or demands thinness at any cost, is just trading one extreme for another. Trends will continue, as they always do. But health isn’t a fad, and it shouldn’t be treated like one.
