Prince William and Kate Middleton leave City Hall in Belfast, Northern Ireland on Tuesday March 8, 2011. (AP Photo)

On Twitter, a handful of people posted comments about Kate Middleton's weight recently.  One said she shouldn't lose any more weight and should serve as a healthy role model to young girls.

WHAT?  Does that mean that we should only have role models for young girls who are appropriately heavy?  Who look like the rest of us?  I thought role models were people we aspire to either look like or act like.  Why is it wrong to have a role model who is thin

It seems as though we are acquiescing to political correctness for our health now.  My granddaughter told me that "fat" is a bad word and you shouldn't say it.  But, it seems to be alright to tell people they are too "skinny."  I guess everyone is afraid of sparking an eating disorder in a young girl by having thin role models.  Shouldn't we be more concerned with those role models who weigh more than they should and who influence our children to eat an unhealthy diet? 

Because of our high fat diets, young American girls are now having their first menstrual period (menarche) at an average age of eleven.  Whereas, the average age of a girl's first period in China is 17.  Because we are afraid of "skinny" role models we are causing our girls to be exposed to higher levels of blood hormones, such as estrogen for six more years.  Women with high levels of estrogen are four times more likely to develop breast cancer than women with lower levels of the hormone. 

Therefore, I would much rather we say to the aspiring role models who are not thin, "Don't gain any more weight as you need to serve as a healthy role model to our young girls."  

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