I'm Katy, a Certified Eating Disorders Registered Dietitian (CEDRD) with a master’s degree in dietetics and nutrition. My passion is helping you find peace with food - and within yourself.
SEARCH:
Body Image
eating disorders
exercise
intuitive eating
recovery
health
DIET CULTURE
July 27, 2018
It’s nearly impossible to understand eating disorders without talking about the backdrop in which they occur. I’m referring to WEIGHT STIGMA and the fat phobic culture we live in.
Sometimes also referred to as “weight bias,” it is the prejudice and stereotypes that we have against people in larger bodies.
Now, we [usually] don’t say it to them that bluntly, but there are many ways in which this message is conveyed to children:
There are tons of other examples, but these paint a picture of how widespread this messaging is for our children. These children grow into fat-phobic adults.
Studies have shown that half of girls age 3-6 are scared of being fat. There’s something wrong with this. Something seriously wrong. Why are preschoolers and kindergarteners worrying about such a thing?!
Consider the stereotypes that exist about fat people (and please know that I say fat people in a completely non-derogatory way, while I am aware that it has negative connotations due to the very issue we are talking about). Tons of studies have demonstrated the following assumptions that are made about fat people:
If we are making these assumptions about fat people, of course nobody wants to be considered fat! What an awful experience to be judged this way, not only by others, but by ourselves too. When you think to yourself I feel fat, you are subconsciously also telling yourself that you are these things listed above.
Body shame is rooted in what we call “internalized weight bias” - which is when we experience the judgment against ourselves about being or feeling fat. When we are in a state of body shame we feel deeply inadequate and flawed.
And that’s why it’s key that we are talking about weight stigma when we are treating eating disorders, because how is a person supposed to find peace within their body if they can’t see the fear mongering that is all around?
We must recognize that weight stigma, fat phobia and fear mongering are contributing to the negative body image that coincides with eating disorders.
This intersection of weight stigma and eating disorders is a public health crisis. Yet, all you’ll ever hear about is the “health crisis” of obesity. All people with eating disorders are impacted by weight stigma in our society, and those individuals with eating disorders who are living in larger bodies are impacted the most because they are living in a body that the rest of us are told to fear. They are used as a cautionary tale for the rest of us living in the privilege of thinness.
My hope is that talking about this will help build your resilience when it comes to healing your body shame. When you can put it in the context of cultural weight stigma, you can start to see that there is nothing wrong with your body, and that the fear of being fat is something that you were taught and that has been reinforced around every corner.
I'm a Certified Eating Disorders Registered Dietitian (CEDRD) with a master’s degree in dietetics and nutrition. My passion is helping you find peace with food - and within yourself.
We help you tidy up your home so you can move from overwhelmed to overjoyed. Different methods and Pinterest hacks have been tried but it’s still not sticking. You are not alone, and we are here to help!
find it fast:
body image
eating disorders
exercise
fear
intuitive eating
recovery
health
food & drink
science
Be the first to comment