HER FIGURE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17159, 1 October 1923, Page 4

HER FIGURE.

Premature stoutness is seriously perturbing many of the younger women of the present day. While there was perhaps never a time when more freedom was allowed in matters of dress than the present, it is equally true that this has led to development which does not always add to the appearance. The critical age appears to bo the late twenties and the early thirties.

Girls and women frequently become alarmed by the signs of approaching corpulence, and in their eagerness to regain the slim, girlish figure of earlier

years are ready to resort to all man ner of quack nostrums.

During the war women on the whole were more active in their habits than they are to-day, and the fact that food was restricted to a certain extent was not altogether a bad thing. With regard to diet, a visit to any of the restaurants in the shopping centres will convince an observer that woman's diet is much more substantial now than formerly. The unfortunate thing is that the food is badly chosen.

Women in general eat too much fatty, sweet, and starchy food. In other words, their meal is not a- wellbalanced one. And they pay the penalty for this laxitv by becoming stout long before they should do so. Were it not for the healthy design of the modern corset I am convinced that tlxo evil I have indicated would be much more prevalent. For whatever may lie said in favour of the instruments of torture once popular with women to ensure a wasp waist, nobody who has anv knowledge of physiology can dispute that the freedom allowed by the modern corset is much more healthy.

In these days tho best type of corset supports the figure without disturbing it. The indiscriminate use of

so-called fat-reducing agencies cannot bo too strongly condemned. X)n no account should these be used except on the recommendation or by the consent of a medical man, for there is grave danger of inflicting irrevocable injury on tho heart and other important organs.

Tho woman who wishes to reduce her figure can do so by being moderate in her diet, taking systematic exercise. preferably in the open air, and avoiding excess in the consumption of fats, starches and sweets.

The ideal figure, of course, is the mean between the two extremes and can be attained by any woman who will use common sense and exercise a little care in the choice of food.