Is Plus Size Furniture a Sign of the Future?

by: Michael O'Brien

Without a doubt, statistics indicated that on a whole, Americans have gotten larger. Though the target for ideal body weight ratios has been somewhat of a moving target, society has settled on some stereotypical images. This begs the question about the term plus size. One interesting question might be plus what? Where is the starting point when society talks about plus size? Is plus size furniture a sign of the future?

The American Obesity Association has released estimates showing that 127 million Americans 20 years or older are potentially overweight. The same estimates put the number of Americans considered obese at more than 60 million. The AOA also estimates that approximately 9 million children and teens between the ages of 6 and 19 are considered overweight. So are Americans really getting bigger? A look at professional sports might provide some interesting insights.

Anyone who followed professional football has noticed something undeniable. Professional football players have gotten noticeably bigger. Over the last two decades, the weight of the average professional player has gone from 223 pounds to 248 pounds, a ten percent increase. Decades ago a professional lineman may have weighed between 240 and 280 pounds. Today, even the nimblest of quarterbacks and fastest running backs may average over 220 pounds, which brings us back to football linemen. During the last two decades, the size of a professional football lineman has grown from an average weight of 280 pounds to an astonishing 318 pounds, an increase of twelve percent.

There seems to be a not so subtle discrimination against plus size folks in places where one might least expect it. The commercial airline industry has been under criticism for several years about the incredible shrinking seat. Under pressure to stuff more passengers on each flight, seat and leg room has been dramatically reduced. In a move the raised the hackles of many people some airline companies sought to force plus size passengers to pay extra. The matter of who qualified as plus size and who did not was often left to airline personnel at the airport counter. Given the subjective nature of the screening procedure, many folks who did not think of themselves as plus size found themselves paying for two seats. Needless to say, passenger rights advocates and plus size folks, were not very happy.

The question of why Americans are getting larger is open to endless debate. The simple fact remains that many Americans are caught in a conundrum of being big and wanting to be small. As society and mass media continue to push a message that big is bad and thin is in, many people are naturally conflicted. In spite of this conflict in imagery, the trend is undeniable.

Among the many industries which have responded to the trend, furniture manufacturers have been quick to address the issue. In a move quite different from that of the airline industry, furniture makers took the opposite tack. The industry has begun to market furniture that is built to provide comfort and durability to people of all sizes and shapes. Plus size furniture can, in some cases, be more expensive, but the extra expense may prove to be worth it.

A great example of just how furniture makers have adapted to market demand is the big man or plus size recliner. More plush and larger than many standard size recliners, the big man recliner can provide superior comfort to folks large and small. Big man recliners feature larger seating surfaces, as large as two square feet. Combined with heavy steel frame boxes and mechanisms, big man and plus size recliners could very well be the recliners of the future.

About the Author

Michael O'Brien is the Staff Writer for FineWebStores.com