Nancy N. Chen: The inaccurate link between body ideals and health, TED

Global obesity rates are on the rise, but body shaming campaigns are doing more harm than good, says medical anthropologist Nancy N. Chen. Reflecting on how the cultural histories of body ideals have changed over time, she offers a new way to view ourselves and our health by enhancing body diversity to close the gap between what s ideal and what s real. Visit to get our entire library of TED Talks, transcripts, translations, personalized talk recommendations and more. The TED Talks channel features the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world s leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes (or less). Look for talks on Technology, Entertainment and Design plus science, business, global issues, the arts and more. You re welcome to link to or embed these videos, forward them to others and share these ideas with people you know.