Health at Every Size

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Health at Every Size (HAES) is an approach to health that focuses on intuitive eating and pleasurable physical activity rather than dieting and weight loss.

Contents

[edit] Overview

The major components of HAES, as described by Jon Robison, are:

  1. Self-Acceptance: Affirmation and reinforcement of human beauty and worth irrespective of differences in weight, physical size and shape.
  2. Physical Activity: Support for increasing social, pleasure-based movement for enjoyment and enhanced quality of life.
  3. Normalized Eating: Support for discarding externally-imposed rules and regimens for eating and attaining a more peaceful relationship with food by relearning to eat in response to physiological hunger and fullness cues.[1]

An increasing number of health professionals are adopting a HAES perspective[2]. HAES advocates generally do not believe that the same narrow weight range (or BMI range) is maximally healthy for every individual. Rather, the HAES approach is that as individuals include physical activity in their lives, and eat in response to physical cues rather than emotional cues, they will settle towards their own, personal ideal weights. These weights, however, can be higher or lower than those described by standard medical guidelines.

[edit] Research

The reasoning of Health at Every Size proponents is based on research data suggesting that explicitly trying to achieve a weight in the standard recommended weight (or BMI) range, generally through dieting, is not a desirable or realistic goal for individuals wishing to improve their health.[3] Such research provides supporting evidence for the use of lifestyle changes to achieve health improvements:

  • A study conducted at the University of California, Davis found that white, obese, female chronic dieters aged 30-45 were more likely to maintain long-term behavior change and health improvements after participating in a HAES program as compared to a control group that participated in a traditional diet program.[4][5]
  • Several studies show that exercise can improve health indicators for people of all sizes. Exercise does not necessarily result in major weight loss for obese people.[6][7]

[edit] HAES and the Fat Acceptance Movement

HAES is promoted within the fat acceptance movement as an alternative to weight-loss dieting.[8][9]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Jon Robison (2005). "Health at Every Size: Toward a New Paradigm of Weight and Health". Medscape General Medicine 7 (3): 13. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/506299. 
  2. ^ W. Wayt Gibbs (2005). "Obesity: An Overblown Epidemic?". Scientific American 292 (6): 70–76. http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=obesity-an-overblown-epid. 
  3. ^ Glenn Gaesser (2002). Big Fat Lies: The Truth about Your Weight and Your Health. http://www.amazon.com/Big-Fat-Lies-Weight-Health/dp/0936077425. 
  4. ^ L. Bacon et al. (2005). "Size acceptance and intuitive eating improve health for obese, female chronic dieters" (abstract page). Journal of the American Dietetic Association 105 (6): 929–936. doi:10.1016/j.jada.2005.03.011. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?itool=abstractplus&db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=abstractplus&list_uids=15942543. 
  5. ^ United States Department of Agriculture (2006). "Health At Every Size: New Hope for Obese Americans?". http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/mar06/health0306.htm. 
  6. ^ M.Krotkiewski et al. (1979). "Effects of long-term physical training on body fat, metabolism, and blood pressure in obesity". Metabolism 28 (6): 650–658. doi:10.1016/0026-0495(79)90018-0. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=449704&dopt=Abstract. 
  7. ^ S.N.Blair et al. (1989). "Physical fitness and all-cause mortality. A prospective study of healthy men and women" (abstract page). Journal of the American Medical Association 262 (17): 2395–2401. doi:10.1001/jama.262.17.2395. http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/262/17/2395. 
  8. ^ National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance. "NAAFA Policy Recommendations". http://www.naafaonline.com/dev2/education/index.html. 
  9. ^ "Activists see diet industry as drain on money, self-esteem". USA Today. 8/2/2004. http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2004-08-02-overwight-protest_x.htm. 

[edit] Further reading

  • Campos, P. (2004). The Obesity Myth: Why America's Obsession with Weight is Hazardous to Your Health. New York: Gotham Books.
  • Campos, Paul, Abigail Saguy, Paul Ernsberger, Eric Oliver, and Glen Gaesser. 2006. “The Epidemiology of Overweight and Obesity: Public Health Crisis or Moral Panic?” International Journal of Epidemiology. 35:1. pp. 55-60.
  • Ernsberger, P. & Haskew, P. (1987). Health implications of obesity: An alternative view. Journal of Obesity and Weight Regulation, 6, 55-137.
  • Gaesser, G. (2006). "Fatness, Fitness & Health: A Closer Look At The Evidence" (pdf). Absolute Advantage 5 (3): 18–21. http://www.welcoa.org/freeresources/pdf/aa_5.3_feb06.pdf. 
  • Garner, D. M., & Wooley, S. C. (1991). Confronting the failure of behavioral and dietary treatments for obesity. Clinical Psychology Review, 11, 729-780.
  • Robison, J. (2006). "Health At Every Size" (pdf). Absolute Advantage 5 (3): 8–13. http://www.jonrobison.net/WELCOA%20-%20Health%20At%20Every%20Size%20-%2006.pdf. 
  • Saguy, Abigail C. and Kevin W. Riley. 2005. “Weighing Both Sides: Morality, Mortality and Framing Contests over Obesity.” Journal of Health Politics, Policy, and Law. 30:5, pp. 869-921.[1]
  • Steven, MD and Linda Konner. 1997. Just the weigh you are: how to be fit and healthy whatever your size.

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_at_Every_Size"