Hitch Fit Living Magazine Volume 1 July/August 2015 | Page 34

It has been a wide-spread topic of debate: is having a “dad bod” really ok? Dad bods have become
socially acceptable for several reasons. The now trendy term originated from a college student
from Clemson University Mackenzie Pearson wrote a 500 word article about a new perspective
that people should have in this new generation. Fueled by social media and societal acceptance, the
idea of a man who is softer around the middle, eats and drinks as he pleases, and therefore
(theoretically) is less intimidating to women because they have less room to judge women as
harshly seems like a win for both sexes. But there are underlying consequences of the dad bod
below the surface that we are failing to acknowledge.
The ultimate threat that the dad bod poses is that it could lead to a variety of lasting health issues.
According to Center for Disease Control, a body mass index for men of 25-29 is considered
unhealthy.
The exact characteristic that is the dad bod, a fatty waist, is the worst place to harbor extra body fat
and can cause conditions such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease often result from elevated
BMI levels associated with this body trend. Interesting enough, according to Washington Post, "it
is estimated that the dad bod zone falls within a BMI of 25 – 29”, the exact amount the CDC
considers unhealthy. A healthy male BMI should fall between 18.5 -24.9.