While body positivity and acceptance are becoming more ubiquitous, our society admittedly has a long way to go. Not only do constant weight-biased messages of the ideal body permeate media and advertising but even healthcare providers and people in our own social circles can inadvertently discriminate against large bodies.
What Is Weight Stigma and How Does It Affect People?
According to the special report “Weight Loss Reframed,” published by Everyday Health in January 2024, which surveyed 3,144 people living in the United States about their experiences and perceptions on weight loss, one-quarter of all respondents said social media negatively impacted them, and it was not uncommon to call themselves “overweight” or “fat.” Additionally, one-third of participants had experienced shame for their weight from someone close to them. And most responded that weight affected their self-image, and reaching a goal or “normal” weight would increase their happiness.
“This discrimination stems from systemic fat phobia that severely, negatively impacts the quality of life for large-bodied people,” says Lisa N. Folden, a doctor of physical therapy, a National Academy of Sports Medicine–certified behavior change specialist, an antidiet health and body image coach, and the owner of Healthy Phit Physical Therapy and Wellness Consultants in Charlotte, North Carolina. Programs like the Health at Every Size (HAES) principles — a weight-inclusive healthcare model — may help deter this discrimination and stigma, Dr. Folden explains.
Finding Support for Health at Every Size
One way to access resources and connections with like-minded individuals is through support organizations, many of which abide by the HAES principles.
“Support organizations can assist in spreading the message of body positivity or neutrality and HAES by embracing body diversity,” says Folden. “This means centering the voices, opinions, and experiences of people in large and diverse bodies. This means improving representation so that [overweight] people aren’t an afterthought or continuously ignored or shamed. And it also means speaking out against body shaming, supporting antidiet platforms, and embracing fitness for its significant benefits (not body changes).”
Many support organizations working to increase awareness about healthy bodies at every size offer services, education, and other tools that individuals can access for better well-being. Such support is important for anyone, “but especially people who live in large bodies, women, girls, and anyone who lacks the resources and knowledge to fully embody body neutrality or positivity and true self-love,” says Folden.
Here are seven support organizations for health at every size to consider incorporating into your health and wellness journey.
1. Association for Size Diversity and Health
Founded in 2003, the Association for Size Diversity and Health (ASDAH) is a nonprofit organization and the steward of the HAES principles. Its mission is to educate and advocate for antidiscrimination against body weight. Not only does the ASDAH work to eliminate body shaming and discrimination, but it opposes the body mass index (BMI), a subjective tool based on body weight and height, as a measurement of health. Learn more about this movement through the organization’s Abolish the BMI Coalition.
2. National Eating Disorders Association
3. Obesity Action Coalition
4. The Body Positive
Since its founding in 1996, the Body Positive has worked to create a community of body positivity and to fight body-shaming messages. For the past two decades, the organization has founded multiple body positivity programs in schools, as well as in community and clinician settings.
5. National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance
6. Body Empowerment Project
Established in 2021 by two women who worked on eating disorder awareness at the University of Pennsylvania, the Body Empowerment Project is a nonprofit organization aimed at promoting body positivity and decreasing the risk of eating disorders as early in life as possible. The group works specifically with adolescents, who are often exposed to body shaming, diet culture, and messages of body “perfection” for the first time.
7. SeekHer Foundation
Everyday Health’s Weight Loss Reframed Survey queried 3,144 Americans nationwide ages 18 and older who had tried losing weight in the previous six months. The study was fielded between July 10 and August 18, 2023, across demographic groups, genders, and health conditions. Survey recruitment took place via an online portal, in app, and via email. The margin of error for the sample size of 3,144 is +/-1.7 percent at a 95 percent confidence level.
The Takeaway
- Many body positive organizations offer support, services, and tools for people of all sizes.
- For those seeking a like-minded community online, many of these organizations have social media channels that post positive messages around weight.
- If you feel overwhelmed by weight stigma or body image concerns, it’s crucial to involve a healthcare professional or support group to ensure physical and emotional safety, particularly as healthcare bias persists.