Fat-Shaming—Why Not?

forsakenOn behalf of the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance, Joanne Ikeda made an unambiguous statement:

The whole ‘war on obesity’ has focused a whole lot of attention on fat people and the general impression of the public is they can be shamed or scared into getting thin…Which is absolutely ludicrous. If every fat person who has been shamed was motivated to somehow get thin, believe me they would be.

Coming from a diametrically opposite philosophical position, comedian Benji Aflalo recently said:

I like fat-shaming. What’s the problem? Doesn’t everybody?…I fat-shame myself all day–I can’t fat-shame anyone else?…I don’t fat-shame people to their face. I just do it behind closed doors, because it’s fun.

Not every case of alleged fat-shaming is so clear. Some controversies exist in a murky middle ground. Earlier this year, Facebook came in for a share of criticism because of its “I’m feeling fat” status option and emoticon. A group of fat acceptance activists charged the social media site with enabling its users to make fun of overweight people, including those with eating disorders, and even accused the emoji of promoting self-destructive thoughts. They started the “Fat is Not a Feeling” movement and created a petition at Change.org.

A few days later, the petition had gathered over 16,000 signatures, representing only a tiny fraction of Facebook’s billion and a half active monthly users. Still, the site discontinued the “I’m feeling fat” emoticon. The move stimulated plenty of discussion about whether it is healthy for such a widely-used social medium to bow to pressure from such a small percentage of its users.

Weight Bias Can Do Harm

One of the most knowledgeable people in this realm is Rebecca M. Puhl, PhD, of Yale University’s Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity. An entire report on weight bias that asks the question, “Are we fighting obesity or obese persons?” is available as a downloadable PDF.

It recommends that medical professionals should ask permission to get a patient’s weight, then use appropriate, sensitive weighing procedures in a private setting, recording the weight without comment or judgment.

Doctors, nurses, and anyone else who weighs people are urged be more aware of the reality and consequences of weight bias. A respectful demeanor is recommended, along with avoidance of shame or blame, and a focus on specific heath behaviors that need to be implemented.

Dr. Puhl explains that millions of people are affected by the stigma and prejudice that accompany weight bias, and the wrong approach can lead to serious psychological consequences as well as adverse effects on physical health. Many patients who have been fat-shamed have reacted by avoiding checkups and letting dangerous conditions develop, and this of course is detrimental to their health and quality of life. Professionals are also reminded to be conscious of the social and economic inequalities that impact the lives of the people for whose care they are responsible.

Your responses and feedback are welcome!

Source: “Overweight Women Tend To Earn Smaller Paychecks, Study Claims,” NBCNews.com, 10/22/14
Source: “Ice House Chronicles #119,” deathsquad.tv, 08/02/15
Source: “Fat Activists Demand Facebook Remove “I’m Feeling Fat” Emoticon,” Infowars.com, 03/09/15
Source: “Facebook drops ‘feeling fat’ emoticon,” ksl.com, 03/11/15
Source: “Weight Bias in the News Media and Public Health Campaigns: Are we Fighting Obesity or Obese Persons?,” YaleRuddCenter.org, 2013
Image by debaird™

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

FAQs and Media Requests: Click here…

Profiles: Kids Struggling with Weight

Profiles: Kids Struggling with Obesity top bottom

The Book

OVERWEIGHT: What Kids Say explores the obesity problem from the often-overlooked perspective of children struggling with being overweight.

About Dr. Robert A. Pretlow

Dr. Robert A. Pretlow is a pediatrician and childhood obesity specialist. He has been researching and spreading awareness on the childhood obesity epidemic in the US for more than a decade.
You can contact Dr. Pretlow at:

Presentations

Dr. Pretlow’s invited presentation at the American Society of Animal Science 2020 Conference
What’s Causing Obesity in Companion Animals and What Can We Do About It

Dr. Pretlow’s invited presentation at the World Obesity Federation 2019 Conference:
Food/Eating Addiction and the Displacement Mechanism

Dr. Pretlow’s Multi-Center Clinical Trial Kick-off Speech 2018:
Obesity: Tackling the Root Cause

Dr. Pretlow’s 2017 Workshop on
Treatment of Obesity Using the Addiction Model

Dr. Pretlow’s invited presentation for
TEC and UNC 2016

Dr. Pretlow’s invited presentation at the 2015 Obesity Summit in London, UK.

Dr. Pretlow’s invited keynote at the 2014 European Childhood Obesity Group Congress in Salzburg, Austria.

Dr. Pretlow’s presentation at the 2013 European Congress on Obesity in Liverpool, UK.

Dr. Pretlow’s presentation at the 2011 International Conference on Childhood Obesity in Lisbon, Portugal.

Dr. Pretlow’s presentation at the 2010 Uniting Against Childhood Obesity Conference in Houston, TX.

Food & Health Resources