Coming of Age in Films: Book Review

Published April 1, 2019.

I love a book that gazes at objects from popular culture through the viewpoint of higher education. 

Garrett delivers a powerful mix of "high" and "low" culture. 

He not only gathers an impressive array of films about aging; he discusses with insight these films--individually and in various groups. 

(See the TOC below.) 

If you watch films and if you are aging (hint: we are all aging), this book will give you a broader perspective and a deeper understanding on how narratives and images on film create scripts that people often follow without question. 

Garrett convinced me to overtly ask this question about my film viewing: 

Are the depictions of aging in the film I'm watching helpful or harmful? 

BMI: Biomarker for Longevity and Health

Photo by St. Murse

Body Mass Index, also called BMI, appears to be a simple tool for determining a healthy ratio between height and weight.

Not so.

Most people will agree to the truism that a person should not be too underweight or too overweight.

People should be just the right weight.

This post is part of a series on 18 biomarkers.

Note: The function of this post is only to raise awareness. It is not offering medical advice. If you have concerns about your BMI, please see a licensed medical professional. 

The BMI categories as published by the CDC are as follows:

Underweight = <18.5
Normal weight = 18.5 - 24.9
Overweight = 25 - 29.9
Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater
  
But the borders between these four categories are hotly debated as is the more general idea of "ideal weight."