Many traditional medical models, as well as conventional wisdom, suggest that only people who have a certain body size are capable of being healthy.

According to the nuances of this wisdom, everyone whose body is this size is assumed to be healthy, and everyone else is automatically presumed to be unhealthy, until they change to the one accepted size. This presumes that everyone is capable of changing to that size.)

The Health at Every Size philosophy says that everyone can participate in good health habits right now. The main idea is that being healthy is comprised of taking certain actions: eating well, moving one's body, and otherwise living well.

Health at Every Size

The basic tenets of Health at Every Size, founded by Linda Bacon, Ph.D., are as follows:

1. Good health is a state of physical, mental and social well-being.

2. Human beings come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

3. There is no ideal body size, shape, BMI or body composition.

4. Self-esteem and body image are strongly linked.

5. Each person is responsible for taking care of his/her own body.

6. Appearance stereotyping is wrong.

If you are interested in learning more about Health at Every Size movement, here are some places to start:

Health at Every Size: the New Peace Movement

   http://www.lindabacon.org/Bacon_HAESmanifesto.pdf

The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Health at Every Size

   http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/mar06/health0306.htm

Association for Size Diversity and Health

   http://www.sizediversityandhealth.org/

The F-Word.org

   http://the-f-word.org/blog/index.php/2008/09/29/answered-your-questions-about-health-at-every-size/

If you live in Baltimore or a surrounding area, and would like some information about local Health at Every Size events, you may wish to contact Deborah Kauffmann, a registered dietitian and a licensed dietitian/nutritionist in private practice in Baltimore. (There is an interview with Ms. Kauffmann at the F-Word.org link just above this paragraph.)

Deborah runs a FREE support group for adults of size, titled Largely Positive. For more information about Deborah, or to learn more about Largely Positive, click here. 

Deborah may be reached at (410) 982-9667, or at healthateverysize@comcast.net.