Towards HAESA Personal Journey

Sharon Curtis

Dieting fails to achieve weight-loss:– The weight comes back – Not enough willpower

A vicious circle of compulsive overeating:

want comfort!feel BAD from being too fat

feel BAD from eating too much

eat too much

Steps to HAES1. Dieting doesn't produce lasting weight loss. In general, a

significant body size change is close to impossible to achieve safely in the long term, for the vast majority.

2. Making people feel bad about their bodies is not only unethical but does not help further health.

3. Restriction of food increases desirability of food and encourages disordered eating.

A common way to try and break the cycle:

want comfort!feel BAD from being too fat

feel BAD from eating too much

eat too much

Instead:

1. observe reasons for eating and change2. legalise food3. fat acceptance

want comfort!feel BAD from being too fat

feel BAD from eating too much

eat too much

Steps to HAES1. Dieting doesn't produce lasting weight loss. In general, a

significant body size change is close to impossible to achieve safely in the long term, for the vast majority.

2. Making people feel bad about their bodies is not only wrong but does not help further health.

3. Restriction of food increases desirability of food and encourages disordered eating.

4. Food freedom can lead to a stable body weight.5. Body (particularly fat) acceptance is important for

happiness and mental health. 6. Information about body size and health is wildly distorted,

exaggerated and misreported.

Sorlie et al (1980) Body Build and Mortality: The Framingham Study. JAMA Vol. 243, No. 18, 1828-1831

Drenick et al. (1980) Excessive Mortality and Causes of Death in Morbidly Obese Men. JAMA Vol.243, No.5, pp 443-445

Garner & Wooley (1991) Confronting the failure of behavioral and dietary treatments for obesity Clinical Psychology ReviewVolume 11, Issue 6, 1991, Pages 729-780

Steps to HAES1. Dieting doesn't produce lasting weight loss. More

generally, significant safe long-term body size change is close to impossible for the vast majority.

2. Making people feel bad about their bodies is not only wrong but does not help further health.

3. Restriction of food increases desirability of food and encourages disordered eating.

4. Food freedom can lead to a stable body weight.5. Body (particularly fat) acceptance is important for

happiness and mental health. 6. Information about body size and health is wildly distorted,

exaggerated and misreported.7. It does not make sense to make size a goal, but it can be

a useful piece of information (amongst many others) to take into account in an approach to health.