The hottest Weight Stigma Substack posts right now

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Top Health & Wellness Topics

The Myth of Kick-Starting Weight Loss - Part 2

Weight and Healthcare • 678 implied HN points • 08 May 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Weight Loss Nutrition Research Health Issues Weight Stigma
  1. Extreme food/caloric restrictions for short-term weight loss have no basis in evidence for long-term significant weight loss.
  2. Tips like using aluminum foil, rearranging food in the cupboards, or changing plate sizes have no substantial evidence backing their effectiveness for sustainable weight loss.
  3. Recycled weight loss tropes without scientific evidence can perpetuate harmful weight cycling and health issues, so it's crucial to ask for research on weight loss claims.

How to spot an effort to trick you into lobbying for Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly’s weight loss drugs

Weight and Healthcare • 698 implied HN points • 13 Mar 24
🏥 Health Politics Weight Stigma Informed consent Medical Industry
  1. Big pharmaceutical companies like Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly are trying to manipulate the healthcare industry to push insurance coverage for their weight loss drugs.
  2. These companies are using tactics like grassroots campaigns and lobbying efforts to pressure insurance companies and governments to cover their expensive drugs.
  3. To identify efforts to promote these drugs, watch out for claims that lack of access to weight loss medication is about fighting weight stigma, and be wary of campaigns that push for increased access to these drugs in the name of social justice.

Article Discusses How to End Weight Stigma in Eating Disorders Treatment

Weight and Healthcare • 778 implied HN points • 28 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Eating Disorders Weight Stigma Research
  1. Weight stigma is prevalent in the eating disorders community on various levels, and addressing this issue is crucial for treatment.
  2. Treatment approaches should shift from a weight-centric focus to one that is weight-inclusive, prioritizing health behaviors and client autonomy.
  3. Provider education and competency need to be improved to reduce weight bias and promote structural interventions, rather than focusing on personal bias elimination.

Reader Question: What to do if you experience medical weight stigma

Weight and Healthcare • 639 implied HN points • 06 Mar 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Weight Stigma Healthcare Resources Advocacy
  1. Weight stigma in healthcare is common and can have various forms, impacting patients differently depending on many factors.
  2. There are several ways to address and respond to weight stigma in healthcare, such as addressing it in the moment, submitting a complaint, or sharing experiences on review sites and social media.
  3. Taking action against weight stigma, like lodging complaints, can lead to changes in healthcare practices even if the outcomes are not always visible.

Case Study – Weight Stigma Impacts COVID-19 Vaccinations

Weight and Healthcare • 678 implied HN points • 02 Mar 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Weight Stigma Healthcare access Inclusivity
  1. Weight stigma affects access to proper care, such as longer needles needed for COVID-19 vaccinations, especially for higher-weight individuals.
  2. Facilities should ensure they have the correct needle sizes available for all patients, regardless of weight, to provide optimum vaccine efficacy.
  3. Advocacy and awareness are needed to address discriminatory healthcare practices and promote fair treatment for all patients, including those who are higher-weight.
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Things to Stop Saying and Doing in Front of Higher-Weight Patients

Weight and Healthcare • 798 implied HN points • 14 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Weight Stigma Body positivity Patient Advocacy
  1. Weight loss and food talk should not happen in healthcare settings without patient consent. It can be harmful and triggering, especially for patients recovering from eating disorders.
  2. Avoid any negative body talk in front of patients and do not label higher-weight patients as 'difficult' or 'challenging' based on their weight. Blaming the patient's body for healthcare failings is detrimental.
  3. Discuss sensitive topics like movement and repositioning out of earshot of the patient or involve them in the conversation. Healthcare should accommodate patients of all sizes without blaming the patient.

Reader Question - If my patient asks for weight loss, don't I have to offer it?

Weight and Healthcare • 878 implied HN points • 17 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Weight Loss Patient Care Weight Stigma Informed consent
  1. Patient-centered care should be grounded in ethical, evidence-based medicine.
  2. Intentional weight loss has a high failure rate and potential negative side effects.
  3. Providers in a patient-centered model should offer informed consent and evidence-based options for weight management interventions.

Physician Demonstrates Medical Weight Stigma and Bias

Weight and Healthcare • 958 implied HN points • 06 Dec 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Weight Stigma Fat Activism Body positivity
  1. Weight stigma and bias in healthcare can impact fat people, leading to unequal treatment and discrimination.
  2. Healthcare providers should focus on finding solutions to accommodate and care for fat patients instead of blaming and stigmatizing them.
  3. Fat people deserve equal rights, healthcare, and the right to celebrate their bodies regardless of their size or health conditions.

Reader Question – Top Three Phrases for Dealing with Medical Weight Stigma

Weight and Healthcare • 619 implied HN points • 09 Dec 23
🏥 Health Politics Weight Stigma Informed consent Body positivity
  1. Ask what treatment would be given to a thin person with the same issue to navigate weight stigma in healthcare.
  2. Assert your right to informed refusal to treatment when faced with weight-related recommendations or pressure.
  3. Redirect the focus of the conversation back to your healthcare needs and away from weight discussions using a phrase like 'I'd like to focus on...' to ensure patient-centered care.

Reader Question – Wegovy’s Side Effects - Part 1

Weight and Healthcare • 798 implied HN points • 01 Nov 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Medical treatment Informed consent Side Effects Weight Stigma
  1. Healthcare practitioners should provide informed consent without patients having to ask for it, and dismissing concerns about side effects violates medical ethics.
  2. Wegovy, a weight loss medication, has serious side effects including contraindications for certain medical conditions, fetal harm, and common side effects like nausea and abdominal pain.
  3. The FDA-approved documentation and research show significant adverse events associated with Wegovy, challenging the idea that the drug is safe and raising important questions about long-term use.

NYT Ethicist’s Weight Stigma Problem

Weight and Healthcare • 1597 implied HN points • 01 Jul 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Weight Stigma Body positivity Mental health Healthcare Self-care
  1. The columnist's response perpetuated weight stigma by disregarding boundaries and making assumptions about health based on weight.
  2. It's essential to respect others' boundaries, especially regarding personal matters like weight and health.
  3. Approaching conversations about weight and health should prioritize well-being, avoiding judgment, and listening to the individual.

Reader Question – Is Obesity an Addiction Like Alcohol or Gambling?

Weight and Healthcare • 758 implied HN points • 11 Oct 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Mental health Body positivity Weight Stigma Eating Disorders
  1. Obesity is not an addiction like alcohol or gambling; it is simply defined by a BMI of 30 or higher.
  2. Alcohol use disorder and gambling disorders have specific diagnostic criteria and shared behaviors, while obesity is not behavior-based.
  3. The concept of food addiction is controversial, and pathologizing higher weight bodies can be rooted in racism and anti-Blackness and perpetuated by the weight loss industry.

Heart Health Workshop Puts Weight Stigma and Poor Science on Display

Weight and Healthcare • 698 implied HN points • 18 Oct 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Weight Stigma Heart Health Workshop
  1. The workshop highlighted weight stigma issues in healthcare, emphasizing the harmful effects of reinforcing stereotypes based on body weight.
  2. The promotion of weight loss as a solution to health issues was criticized, raising questions about the effectiveness and ethics of focusing on weight reduction.
  3. The financial ties between speakers at the workshop and pharmaceutical companies were exposed, leading to concerns about potential conflicts of interest in the healthcare industry.

Weight Loss Industry Big Think - Expanding the Market -Part 2

Weight and Healthcare • 459 implied HN points • 02 Dec 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Weight Loss Weight Stigma Research Methods Insurance Coverage
  1. The weight loss industry strategically turns existing higher body weights into disease diagnoses to expand its market.
  2. They aim to exploit insurance coverage and exaggerate risks associated with higher weights to increase profits.
  3. The industry targets all age groups and sizes, pushing for wider definitions of overweight and obesity to sell interventions and expand its customer base.

Weight Loss and the Question Too Many Researchers Aren’t Asking

Weight and Healthcare • 1138 implied HN points • 09 Jul 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Weight Loss Nutrition Weight Stigma
  1. Many weight loss interventions are based on flawed models and fail long-term, leading to weight regain as the body adjusts to food restriction.
  2. The focus on weight loss often overlooks the importance of ensuring that individuals receive adequate nutrition during interventions, potentially putting their health at risk.
  3. Moving towards a weight-neutral paradigm in healthcare can prioritize supporting the health of individuals of all sizes instead of promoting unhealthy weight loss methods and stigma.

Article Shows How the Media Creates Weight Stigma, Even When It Isn’t There

Weight and Healthcare • 678 implied HN points • 20 Sep 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Weight Stigma Health Research Media influence Body positivity
  1. The study analyzed the impact of warning labels on sugary drinks but the media misrepresented the findings, leading to weight stigma.
  2. Existing research shows that interventions focusing on positive, weight-neutral health messages are most beneficial for people of all sizes.
  3. Media coverage often perpetuates weight stigma and misinformation, impacting public perception and potentially harming individuals.

Not Blaming Fat People For Failed Weight Loss Isn't Enough

Weight and Healthcare • 738 implied HN points • 23 Aug 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Weight Loss Healthcare Weight Stigma Fat Activism Body positivity
  1. Healthcare practitioners often blame and shame fat patients for failed intentional weight loss, creating barriers to compassionate care.
  2. The weight loss industry acknowledges the failure of behavioral weight loss interventions, but their push for risky methods like drugs and surgeries is dangerous.
  3. Instead of blaming fat people for weight loss failure, healthcare should focus on respecting and affirming their humanity while supporting their health.

The Problem With the AMA's New BMI Policy

Weight and Healthcare • 978 implied HN points • 17 Jun 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Body positivity Medical Practices Weight Stigma Healthcare Inequalities
  1. The AMA's new BMI policy acknowledges the historical harm, racist exclusion, and limitations of using BMI, suggesting it be used alongside other measures.
  2. The AMA's recognition of the limitations of BMI doesn't fully address the core issue of pathologizing bodies based on size, perpetuating weight stigma and inequalities in healthcare.
  3. The AMA's connection to the weight loss industry raises concerns about their motives behind the new policy, impacting healthcare decisions and patient care.

NYT Ethicist's Weight Stigma Hypocrisy Part 2

Weight and Healthcare • 918 implied HN points • 05 Jul 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Weight Stigma Ethics Healthcare Body positivity Mental health
  1. The column discusses weight stigma and hypocrisy in healthcare, pointing out discrimination based on body size.
  2. It highlights the importance of respecting boundaries and being cautious with compliments related to body size manipulation.
  3. The response from the Ethicist regarding concerns about weight loss drugs brings to light inconsistencies and potential ethical issues.

Study's Questionable Claims About Eating Disorders and Dieting

Weight and Healthcare • 399 implied HN points • 11 Nov 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Eating Disorders Dieting Weight Stigma Health Impacts
  1. Study utilizes questionable research to support the idea that weight loss interventions for children won't increase eating disorder risk.
  2. Authors of the study have conflicts of interest as they receive payments from or are associated with the weight loss industry.
  3. The study fails to provide concrete evidence that weight management leads to long-term weight loss or health benefits.

Comment on Harmful USPSTF Kids Weight Loss Recommendation - Part 2

Weight and Healthcare • 279 implied HN points • 20 Dec 23
🏥 Health Politics Recommendations Health Impacts Weight Stigma
  1. The US Preventive Services Task Force has put forth draft guidelines for higher-weight children, open for public comment until January 16, but the evidence does not support their conclusions.
  2. The recommendation for weight loss interventions for children 6 and older is based on short-term data and studies with significant flaws, posing the risk of harm without clear long-term benefits.
  3. Structural inequalities, financial insecurity, and weight bias play significant roles in influencing diet, physical activity, and access to healthcare, complicating the effectiveness and ethics of weight loss interventions.

The Problem with the Edmonton Obesity Staging System – Part 1

Weight and Healthcare • 539 implied HN points • 27 Sep 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Obesity Healthcare Weight Stigma Mental health
  1. The Edmonton Obesity Staging System focuses on categorizing fat people based on weight-related health issues, despite lacking evidence of the benefits of aggressive weight management.
  2. Critics argue that the system pathologizes bodies solely based on size and overlooks other factors like weight stigma, healthcare inequalities, and weight cycling.
  3. The system's stages imply that health issues are directly tied to obesity but fail to address the fact that these issues affect people of all sizes, suggesting a need for a shift in focus toward holistic health support.

Study Questions Supposed Link Between Being Higher-Weight and Cognitive Ability

Weight and Healthcare • 639 implied HN points • 26 Aug 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Weight Stigma BMI Research
  1. The concept of 'cognitive ability' has been historically used to promote discrimination against various groups.
  2. BMI and definitions of 'obesity' are shaky concepts without clear health implications.
  3. Research questioning the link between higher weight and cognitive ability often still operates under the assumption that weight is a preventable health issue.

Study Looks at Higher-Weight People and Nursing Practice

Weight and Healthcare • 499 implied HN points • 23 Sep 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Obesity Weight Stigma Patient Care
  1. The nursing care of higher-weight individuals (Class III ob*sity) lacks high-quality evidence and requires better equipment and education for improved outcomes.
  2. Healthcare facilities often lack proper equipment to accommodate higher-weight patients, leading to patient harm and blaming of the patients instead of acknowledging the lack of accommodation.
  3. There is a need for more research and evidence-based practices in wound management for higher-weight patients, without using weight stigma as an excuse to deny care.

Reducing Stigma by Ending the Pathologizing of Fatness - Part 1

Weight and Healthcare • 718 implied HN points • 12 Jul 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Weight Stigma Healthcare Research Interventions
  1. Pathologizing fatness contributes to weight stigma and can dehumanize fat individuals, perpetuating discrimination and exclusion.
  2. Traditional weight stigma reduction methods that shift blame or rely on empathy fail to address the root cause of pathologizing fatness and are ineffective in dismantling weight stigma.
  3. Efforts to eradicate weight stigma should focus on depathologizing fatness, creating interventions that challenge stigma's underlying foundations and embracing collaboration with stigmatized communities.

Letter To Med Students Doing a Weight-Stigma Capstone – Guest Post by Rachel Fox

Weight and Healthcare • 678 implied HN points • 03 Jun 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Weight Stigma Medical education Fat Activism Healthcare
  1. Medical students should re-evaluate weight-stigma projects to make a real impact.
  2. Addressing systemic fat oppression in healthcare requires tangible actions like reviewing curriculum and infrastructure.
  3. Med students possess a unique position to challenge anti-fat practices and bring about meaningful change.

The Problem With “Classes” of “Obesity"

Weight and Healthcare • 678 implied HN points • 10 May 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Obesity BMI Healthcare Weight Stigma
  1. The concept of 'obesity' based on BMI can be problematic and does not account for individual health variations.
  2. Classifications of obesity, especially in healthcare, can lead to biased treatment recommendations favoring weight loss over evidence-based, weight-neutral care.
  3. The arbitrary nature of BMI 'classes' for obesity can result in significant differences in treatment recommendations with just small changes in weight, perpetuating weight stigma and inequality in healthcare.

Fighting Weight Stigma by Ending Weight Pathologization - Part 2

Weight and Healthcare • 519 implied HN points • 15 Jul 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Weight Stigma Fat Activism Body positivity
  1. The study focused on using qualitative methods to understand weight stigma by involving medical students and fat community members in narrative workshops.
  2. Participants in the study recognized the complexities of weight stigma in healthcare, including the impact of assumptions, power dynamics, and lack of trust in fat patients' stories.
  3. The intervention helped create depathologizing and empathetic interactions, undermining the power dynamic in medical authority and emphasizing the importance of humanizing interactions to combat weight stigma.

A First Step to Solving Weight Stigma in Healthcare Interactions

Weight and Healthcare • 678 implied HN points • 05 Apr 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Weight Stigma
  1. Bias in healthcare can negatively impact higher-weight patients, including provider and structural biases.
  2. Healthcare providers often blame the patient's body for lack of accommodation, adding insult to injury.
  3. Addressing weight stigma in healthcare starts with providers acknowledging that patients are not the problem, and accessibility is essential for everyone.

Steps for Practitioners to Advocate for Higher-Weight Patients/Clients

Weight and Healthcare • 519 implied HN points • 28 Jun 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Advocacy Weight Stigma Healthcare access Body positivity
  1. Recognize that higher-weight individuals deserve respect and healthcare, regardless of their size.
  2. Shift to a weight-neutral paradigm to support patients in the bodies they have, focusing on health rather than weight loss.
  3. Identify gaps in caring for higher-weight patients, work towards a healthcare system accessible to people of all sizes, and advocate for systemic change.

What To Do When Weight Stigma Makes You Want To Avoid The Doctor

Weight and Healthcare • 519 implied HN points • 07 Jun 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Weight Stigma Healthcare Mental health Advocacy Self-care
  1. Weight stigma in healthcare can lead to higher-weight individuals avoiding going to the doctor altogether.
  2. It's important to advocate for yourself when facing weight stigma in medical settings and not let it deter you from seeking care.
  3. Bringing along an advocate and practicing how to deal with weight stigma in advance can help improve the healthcare experience.

The Harm of Weight Stigma

Weight and Healthcare • 678 implied HN points • 08 Mar 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Weight Stigma Physical health Mental health Research
  1. Weight stigma can have significant negative impacts on physical and mental health, including increased risk for conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, and poor health behaviors.
  2. Perceived weight discrimination is linked to psychiatric disorders, risk of suicidality, and even an increase in mortality risk, demonstrating the serious harm caused by weight stigma.
  3. Healthcare practitioners, including doctors and nurses, may exhibit weight bias which can lead to barriers in accessing healthcare and biased treatment, affecting the well-being of higher-weight individuals.

Why You Shouldn’t Put Your Kids On Diets – Full Interview

Weight and Healthcare • 539 implied HN points • 22 Apr 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Children's Health Dieting Body positivity Mental health Medical Ethics Weight Stigma
  1. Body Mass Index is not a reliable measure of health as people at the same weight can have vastly different health statuses.
  2. Factors like genetics, social determinants, and health-supporting behaviors matter more to overall health than weight.
  3. Research shows that diets are ineffective, especially for kids, and can lead to negative outcomes like eating disorders and weight gain.

A New HAES™ Friendly Disordered Eating, Exercise and Body Image Screening Tool

Weight and Healthcare • 659 implied HN points • 25 Feb 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Body Image Weight Stigma
  1. The screening tool aims to identify individuals struggling with disordered eating, body image issues, unhealthy exercise patterns, and weight stigma beyond traditional diagnostic tools.
  2. The tool underwent review by HAES-aligned providers to ensure inclusivity and effectiveness in identifying those in need of support.
  3. The challenge faced during development was maintaining conciseness while addressing the pervasive impact of weight stigma and diet culture on individuals' thoughts and behaviors.

Study Looks At Ways To Protect Ourselves from Weight Stigma

Weight and Healthcare • 619 implied HN points • 11 Mar 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Weight Stigma Health Impact Research Analysis Body positivity
  1. The study highlights the detrimental impact of internalizing weight stigma on physical and mental health.
  2. Factors like alignment with the group 'Fat' and beliefs about weight controllability can predict resistance to weight stigma.
  3. Recognizing and challenging weight stigma, reframing self-identity as a fat person, and fighting against stigma messages are crucial steps to protect against weight stigma.

Options to Deal With BMI-Based Healthcare Denials - Part 2

Weight and Healthcare • 639 implied HN points • 18 Feb 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Healthcare BMI Weight Stigma Fat Activism
  1. Understanding the reasons behind BMI-based healthcare denials is crucial to decide how to proceed.
  2. Options for dealing with BMI-based healthcare denials include finding different circumstances, fighting the denial, or trying to reach the BMI requirement.
  3. Fighting BMI-based healthcare denials may involve challenging the decision, seeking support, and exploring counterarguments to address the reasons given for denial.

Dubious Justifications Behind Request to WHO to Declare Diet Drugs "Essential" Part 2

Weight and Healthcare • 479 implied HN points • 12 Apr 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Weight Loss Weight Stigma Research Methods
  1. The request for WHO to declare diet drugs as essential is based on questionable justifications from studies with limited data and potential conflicts of interest.
  2. Global recommendations for diet drugs are primarily supported by research conducted on a predominantly white population, raising concerns about generalizability.
  3. Financial ties between pharmaceutical companies and organizations providing recommendations for diet drugs highlight potential biases and conflicts of interest in the decision-making process.