We live in the proverbial Dark Ages when it comes to thinking about the control and maintenance of weight in humans. At some future date, when the real biology of metabolism and growth is understood, we will look back on the “war on obesity” the way we look back on slavery and ask how we could have been so ignorant? The war on obesity has become the war on fat people and the amount of everyday prejudice towards fat people is staggering.

And as we have learned from our shameful legacy of racial prejudice, we don’t just hurt those against whom we are prejudiced, prejudice hurts us all.

In a conversation about an obese patient on a professional listserv to which I subscribe, Dr Deb Burgard referred readers to NAAFA’s guidelines for therapists in contact with fat clients. As the report makes clear, “it is imperative that therapists recognize and clear out misinformation and bias in order to be most supportive and effective with their clients.” In my professional experience, such guidelines would be very useful for doctors (!), teachers, coaches and parents. The report concludes, “research consistently shows that most people, including most healthcare professionals and even those who work closely with fat people, hold negative beliefs about fat people. Please investigate your own associations with weight and bodies of different sizes, including your own body, as essential preparation for working with fat people.“

To this I would add my own plea: please take a look a this report. Spend some time thinking about it and discussing it with others, whether or not you are fat, thin or normal. 

Prejudice affects and disgraces us all.