[Sportschosun] Reporter Jang Jong-ho A slim, sharply defined waistline is a dream for many women. But extreme waist reduction can cause serious health side effects.
Against that backdrop, a woman in her 50s in the United States has drawn attention after it was reported that she spends most of the day wearing a corset in an effort to set a record for the world's smallest waist.
According to SWNS, the New York Post and other foreign media outlets, Sarah Bell, 50, who lives in Portland, Oregon, is currently aiming to reduce her waist to 15 inches, or about 38.1 cm. That matches the record set by former Guinness World Records holder Kacie Jung, who died last year.
Sarah first came across corsets in 2012 as a way to correct her posture after spending long hours sitting in a hunched position at work.
She bought and wore a steel-boned corset at the time, and said that after experiencing improved posture, she gradually became deeply immersed in corset culture and tight-lacing.
Since then, Sarah has reportedly spent most of her time wearing a corset.
She even wears one while sleeping, and says she also uses a relatively loose corset when jogging or running.
Her waist measured about 27 inches, or 68.6 cm, when she started, but it has reportedly shrunk to about 23 inches, or 58.4 cm, even in its natural state.
Sarah now also runs a business that designs and sells corsets. Most of the corsets she uses are handmade by her.
Some have pointed out that excessive waist reduction could encourage unrealistic beauty standards.
Sarah, however, stressed that her goal has nothing to do with appearance-related insecurities.
She said, "I was already satisfied with my original body," adding, "I see the human body as a work of art, and a corset is like a sculptural object that sits somewhere between clothing, sculpture and art."
At first, she also experienced pain from off-the-shelf corsets.
Later, as she learned production techniques and began making custom corsets tailored to her body, the discomfort reportedly decreased significantly.
However, while her waist size has steadily decreased, her weight has changed very little.
Sarah is also training for a marathon. She explained that she does not wear a corset during long-distance training, but can manage short runs of about 2 to 3 miles, or roughly 3 to 5 km, while wearing one.
Her ultimate goal is to officially record a fully tightened waist measurement of 15 inches.
The smallest waist in history is believed to belong to Ethel Granger of the United Kingdom. She is said to have reduced her original 22-inch waist to 13 inches, or about 33 cm, through continuous corset wearing from 1929 to 1939.
Meanwhile, extreme waist reduction through prolonged corset use can trigger a range of health problems.
Medical experts have pointed out that pressure on the lungs can make breathing shallow, and that long-term wear can reduce oxygen supply and cause digestive problems.
They also warned that the liver, kidneys, stomach and intestines can be pushed into abnormal positions, affecting organ function, while the ribs and spine may also become deformed.
Reporter Jang Jong-ho bellho@sportschosun.com
