1. Fat-shaming contributes to poor mental health. Weight-based stigma was associated with increased scores of depression in individuals with obesity [1]. Unsurprisingly, weight stigma has also been associated with increased body dissatisfaction, and decreased self-esteem [2].
2. Fat-shaming works against weight loss on a metabolic level, and may contribute to chronic disease. Exposure to weight-based stigma and fat-shaming statements has been shown to increase cortisol levels. Cortisol is a stress hormone, and has been shown to inhibit weight loss. It also works against insulin, thereby increasing blood sugar levels. [3, 4]
3. Fat-shaming makes people exercise less. Research has shown that the more weight-based stigma people experience, the more they avoid exercising [2, 5]. There is no evidence that shaming people for their weight motivates them to exercise, and in fact, it seems to do the opposite.
4. Fat-shaming makes people eat more. Exposure to weight-based stigma leads to increased caloric consumption [6, 7]. This directly challenges the notion that shaming individuals to lose weight will have any sort of positive or motivating effect.
5. Do you really need a reason to be kind? Fat-shaming has been associated with a myriad of negative effects on mental and physical health, and has never been shown to have a positive, motivating effect on individuals. Most importantly, though, all people are worthy of respect and should not be judged, shamed, or pressured to act differently due to their weight or appearance.
The next time you’re thinking of making a comment about someone’s weight out of a desire to ‘motivate them’, or supposed concern about their health, consider the points above. You’re only doing harm to people’s mental and physical health when you engage in fat-shaming behaviour.
References are included below the break, and I’m happy to chat about any of the above in more detail on request.
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Israel launched 200 rockets against Gaza in under 10 minutes. 200 rockets. It is the middle of the night, and it is the night after Eid. Palestinian civilians do not have bomb shelters and sophisticated missile defense systems to protect themselves, they are left without protection as their world is blown up around them. Israel has also deployed ground forces into Gaza. We are watching genocide unfold. And I do not ever use that word lightly. This is genocide against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.
A final for one of my classes, my profesor said i should post this somewhere :)
words belong to Alanis Obomsawin,
an American-Canadian of Abenaki descent, a documentary filmmaker, though this is not where I first heard them.
When the Last Tree Is Cut Down,
The Last Fish Ate
The Last Stream Poisoned.
You Will Realize That You Cannot Eat Money.
Native American saying, first written in 1972. Still relevant when more than half a century old, and we can see how it manifests itself in real time. I personally came across a version of it in Aurora's song "The Seed," originally titled "Eat Money." Quoting her "It's about human history, about how we've co-existed in the world and how we've forgotten how to live with nature and the power we have."
❗️Do not upload / repost my art anywhere.❗️
nct: limitless members, limitless units, limitless handshakes
#the definition of lovestruck