March is “National Nutrition Month,” so we at LIFT have asked our resident dietitian and certified eating disorder nutritionist to contribute her expertise. Below, she weighs in on the HAES (Health At Every Size) movement.
Diet culture in the United States continues to run rampant and has negatively impacted how we view our bodies and food. Chances are, even if you have never tried a specific diet, the messages that our bodies need “fixing” or that specific foods are the culprit of obesity, are everywhere. For example, a study conducted on body image disturbance in 2015 showed that 50% of 13-year-old girls are dissatisfied with their bodies, and that percent increases to 80% by the time they are 17. And this doesn’t just apply to females- about 50% of men are dissatisfied with how their bodies look. Unrealistic cultural standards for body types as well as the extreme focus on dieting/weight loss leaves a disproportionate number of people unhappy with their bodies. When people are unhappy with their bodies, we go to great lengths to lose weight or change our natural shape. The diet industry makes $60 billion per year, capitalizing on the very insecurities that they often promote!
Luckily in recent years, people have begun to take note of the toxic effects the current body/diet culture has on our lives. You may have seen an increased variety of body types in clothing advertisements like Target. You may have noticed some brands, such as Aerie, hire non-models to wear their apparel or prevent advertising images to be photoshopped. Maybe you started following body positivity promoters, such as Tess Holiday or Lizzo on social media. And if you have ever received treatment for disordered eating, an eating disorder, body image disturbance, body dysmorphic disorder, etc, you have likely heard about “Health at Every Size®” (HAES®). For those of you who haven’t, it is a new paradigm of how to achieve increased body/weight positivity and inclusivity. Here is more information about HAES® to help you combat diet culture and jump on the body positive bandwagon:
Health at Every Size® focuses on how healthy habits and behaviors are more important than a number on the scale.
According to the Association for Size Diversity and Health, the HAES® model includes five major principles:
1. Weight Inclusivity: Accept and respect the inherent diversity of body shapes and sizes and reject the idealizing or pathologizing of specific weights.
2. Health Enhancement: Support health policies that improve and equalize access to information and services, and personal practices that improve human well-being, including attention to individual physical, economic, social, spiritual, emotional, and other needs.
3. Respectful Care: Acknowledge our biases, and work to end weight discrimination, weight stigma, and weight bias. Provide information and services from an understanding that socio-economic status, race, gender, sexual orientation, age, and other identities impact weight stigma, and support environments that address these inequities.
4. Eating for Well-being: Promote flexible, individualized eating based on hunger, satiety, nutritional needs, and pleasure, rather than any externally regulated eating plan focused on weight control.
5. Life-Enhancing Movement: Support physical activities that allow people of all sizes, abilities, and interests to engage in enjoyable movement, to the degree that they choose.
Sometimes, people feel resistant to the idea that your weight does not have to be the deciding factor to determine if you are healthy or not. When encompassing and living with the principles above, being healthy takes on a whole new meaning. The focus is no longer on finding a quick fix to drop weight fast. It takes a gentle approach to honor your body shape and your body’s needs while promoting appropriate behaviors that encompasses all areas of health. I don’t know about you, but respectful care including eating and moving for my well-being to enhance my entire life sounds so much better than any crash diet out there!
If you want to learn more and become part of the movement, signing the HAES® pledge is a great first step. You can also follow the #haes and #healthateverysize Instagram hashtags to see awesome HAES® content. If you want to dive deeper into these principles and learn about the research to back up the movement, check out the book Health at Every Size by Linda Bacon. I encourage you to join the movement, you will not be disappointed!
This article was contributed by Nicole Ferri, RD, CD-N, CEDRD, owner of Inspire Nutrition Counseling, a partner of LIFT Wellness Group.
