A big challenge for people of this body type is to overcome physical inertia and overeating. They need to set limits on consumption and find ways to activate their "start button." There is a healthy model for people who are primarily endomorphic-fitness in a larger body. But it doesn't look anything like our culture's idealization of thinness or gym-toned muscles which tends to polarize people and discourage endomorphic types from making the effort. It's important to note here that a blend of endomorphy and mesomorphy can create enormous physical strength. The world's strongest men and women are not the toned and sculpted body builders, but those with big muscles inside a larger, fleshier frame. The sub-type word for Self Preservation Nine is appetite, and this basic instinctual drive can be both the strength and the downfall of people who are endomorphic (whether or not they are Nines). This body type has a good appetite and a well developed digestive system. They can pack away a lot of food at one sitting (of great survival value in days gone by) but should limit the number of meals in a day. Endomorphs are the body type closest to nature. Where ectomorphs tend to be alienated from nature and the mesomorphs want to conquer it, endomorphs function well as the stewards and custodians of the natural world. Peasants of all cultures exemplify the endomorphic capacity. This does not mean that endomorphs can't also be brilliant thinkers and strategists. There are many examples of the "big brain" endomorphs in the worlds of science, computers, politics, etc. People who have this body type tend to be more easily caring or nurturing toward others. There are always exceptions of course. The angry fat person is a familiar archetype as well as the jolly fat person. Endomorphs are generally quicker to express their feelings. They have more permeable boundaries, and like the description of the Enneagram Nines, they tend to merge or blend with the people around them. Their difficulty is in setting limits and creating personal autonomy. Endomorphs are said to have problems with being overly dependent on others, of getting stuck in what De Ropp calls indiscriminate amiability. But of course this is all relative. The cultural ethic of American society is that everyone should strive to be an autonomous and independent individual, which devalues the importance of cooperation. In other cultures and societies around the world, people are more community oriented, more interdependent. But whether they are found in traditional agricultural cultures, or in our modern towns and cities, endomorphs are typically the leaders in building cooperative community.