NEW YORK, Jan. 12 (UPI) -- Social acceptance of obese people in the United States has more than doubled in the past 20 years, a survey published Thursday found.
Harry Balzer, president of New York-based NPD Group, a consumer-research company that has tracked the nation's eating habits for 25 years, said the tolerance level has soared.
In 1985, NPD's survey of 1,900 adults found that 55 percent of respondents agreed that "a person who is not overweight is a lot more attractive." In 2005, that number had dropped to 24 percent.
"Perhaps Americans have found that the easiest way to deal with their weight is to change their attitude, and buy bigger clothes," Balzer said.
New York psychologist Bonnie Bernell, author of "Bountiful Women: Large Women's Secrets for the Living the Life They Desire," said the study results are encouraging, as "full" is not a four-letter word.
"When plus-size women wear clothes that are just right for their bodies, they strut and walk with confidence," she told The Washington Times.
