People say whatever they want

Because people say whatever they want, regardless of how hurtful it is. 







There are many assumptions about a person based on their weight. Weight does not always equal health. Of course there are people who have weight-related health issues. But studies (citation below) have shown that obesity has been medicalized and stigmatized by the medical community and the multi-billion dollar diet industry.

We have created a fat shaming society where women's bodies are public property. People say hurtful things about other people's bodies all the time. Sometimes it's an uninvited suggestion or a piece of advice. The reason this is not helpful, is that that suggestion or advice reinforces the idea that being fat is the worst thing you can be. Unless someone ASKS you for diet or nutrition advice, it really isn't your business.

You can be concerned. You can care. In the end it boils down to the fact that IT IS NOT YOUR BODY.

Today your challenge is to say something to someone you consider obese, that has absolutely nothing to do with bodies, food, eating, diets, or appearance. That might sound easy. But with all the well-intentioned advice I receive, I imagine it is more difficult that it sounds.

References:

Bombak, A. E. (2014). The contribution of applied social sciences to obesity stigma-related public health approaches. Journal of Obesity, 2014, 1–9. doi:10.1155/2014/267286

Brown, I., & McClimens, A. (2012). Ambivalence and obesity stigma in decisions about weight management: A qualitative study. Health, 04(12), 1562–1569. doi:10.4236/health.2012.412a224

Burmeister, J. M., Taylor, M. B., Rossi, J., Kiefner-Burmeister, A., Borushok, J., & Carels, R. A. (2016). Reducing obesity stigma via a brief documentary film: A Randomized trial. Stigma and Health. doi:10.1037/sah0000040

Hann, A., Frawley, A., & Spedding, G. (2016). Not very NICE: Deviance, stigma and nutritional guidelines related to healthy weight and obesity. The International Journal of Health Planning and Management. doi:10.1002/hpm.2350
Hopkins, P. (2011). Everyday politics of fat. Antipode, 44(4), 1227–1246. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8330.2011.00962.x

Hoyt, C. L., Burnette, J. L., Auster-Gussman, L., Blodorn, A., & Major, B. (2016). The obesity stigma asymmetry model: The indirect and divergent effects of blame and Changeability beliefs on Antifat prejudice. Stigma and Health. doi:10.1037/sah0000026

Link, B., & Hatzenbuehler, M. (2016). Stigma as an unrecognized determinant of population health: Research and policy implications. Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law. doi:10.1215/03616878-3620869

MacLean, L., Edwards, N., Garrard, M., Sims-Jones, N., Clinton, K., & Ashley, L. (2008a). Obesity, stigma and public health planning. Health Promotion International, 24(1), 88–93. doi:10.1093/heapro/dan041

Malterud, K., & Ulriksen, K. (2011). Obesity, stigma, and responsibility in health care: A synthesis of qualitative studies. International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-Being, 6(4), . doi:10.3402/qhw.v6i4.8404

Addressing obesity stigma in health care. MD Conference Express, 14(47), 6–7. doi:10.1177/155989771447002

Muennig, P. (2008b). The body politic: The relationship between stigma and obesity-associated disease. BMC Public Health, 8(1), 128. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-8-128

Pearl, R. L., & Lebowitz, M. S. (2014). Beyond personal responsibility: Effects of causal attributions for overweight and obesity on weight-related beliefs, stigma, and policy support. Psychology & Health, 29(10), 1176–1191. doi:10.1080/08870446.2014.916807

Puhl, R. M., & Heuer, C. A. (2010b). Obesity stigma: Important considerations for public health. American Journal of Public Health, 100(6), 1019–1028. doi:10.2105/ajph.2009.159491

Schorb, F. (2013). Fat politics in Europe: Theorizing on the premises and outcomes of European Anti-‘Obesity-Epidemic’ policies. Fat Studies, 2(1), 3–16. doi:10.1080/21604851.2012.654722

Sikorski, C., Luppa, M., Kaiser, M., Glaesmer, H., Schomerus, G., König, H.-H., & Riedel-Heller, S. G. (2011). The stigma of obesity in the general public and its implications for public health - a systematic review. BMC Public Health, 11(1), 661. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-11-661

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