A recent survey by the Chinese Academy of Sciences found that 72.8 percent of female university students and 46.2 percent of male university students want to be slimmer, while only 12.6 percent of the former and 13.5 percent of the latter are satisfied with their body shape.

An analysis of their height and weight, however, found that only 10.58 percent of them are obese. In other words, most university students want to be slim even though they are not fat.

Why is that so? It all stems from a distorted aesthetic sense that values a slim figure over everything else. On television, video clips, and in posters, slim actors and/or models convey, in various ways, that "slim is beautiful". Yet the fact remains that many of them are too thin to meet health standards and nobody should copy them.

Some of those who think they are overweight often tend to take extreme correction measures, such as skipping meals, which do more harm than good. When people stay hungry too long, the brain craves high-energy food, making them give in to their craving. That is why those who are on diet often look slim for some time only to gain weight again.

Worse, some of those who are desperate to lose weight take drugs that induce vomiting or curb their appetite－and that too without consulting a doctor. Some others have meals that accelerate their metabolism, which could harm the neurological and other systems.

Many of the people who are desperately trying to slim give a lot of importance to what others think about them. They are just desperate for attention and praise.

So people should realize that beauty lies in one's own confidence, not in worrying about how others see them.

If you have a specific expertise, or would like to share your thought about our stories, then send us your writings at opinion@chinadaily.com.cn, and comment@chinadaily.com.cn.