Here’s the deal — we actually have evidence on the results produced by fat shaming, and we have evidence on the results produced by positive, action based, behavioral weight loss programs.
The Results that Fat Shaming Produces
Research indicates that fat shaming results in:
- Reduced exercise
- Reduced diet compliance
- Increased binge eating
- Decreased use of health professional’s services
Wow — that’s pretty much the opposite of everything we want. Good job fat shamers, we know that what you’re doing is making the problem worse.
There’s a great paper by Rebecca Puhl, PhD and Christopher Wharton, PhD:
Weight Bias: A Primer for the Fitness Industry
In fact, Rebecca Puhl has done a ton of amazing research on the effects of weight bias (which is the clinical term for fat shaming) and is the worldwide respected expert on the subject. It’s worth going to PubMed and reading through a few of her studies. The primer above should be mandatory reading for all personal trainers who want to make a difference for clients with fat loss goals.
There’s a really cool randomized controlled trial:
First off, in general, behavioral weight loss programs produce an 8-9% reduction in weight over six months. What that means is that group programs that just focus on habits are already proven effective.
Here’s that awesome randomized controlled trail. And for those that don’t research, a randomized controlled trial is considered the gold standard:
A randomized trial comparing two approaches to weight loss: Differences in weight loss maintenance
It compares two behavior modification programs for weight loss. What’s cool is that they’re actually both effective during the intervention — clients lost weight on both of them.
One of them, the clients continued to lose weight, even after the trial. Lets take a look at the methods used in that program (Transform Your Life):
- Developing and maintaining healthy habits
- Disrupting unhealthy habits
- Creating a food environment that increases exposure to healthy eating
- Creating an exercise environment that increases exposure to physical activity
In both programs in the study, the participants lost 14.6 pounds in 12 weeks. Which is pretty awesome. In the one that was habit/environment based, they also lost another 4.8 pounds in the six months after working with the program.
We have actual research, with amazingly effective programs that are all based on similar principles, and none of them include fat shaming.
Fat Shaming vs. Habits
Ok, lets compare the evidence:
Fat shaming results:
- Reduced exercise
- Reduced diet compliance
- Increased binge eating
- Decreased use of health professional’s services
Habits/environment group program results:
- Increased exercise
- Increased diet compliance
- Significant weight loss results
- Maintain/increase results even after program
Positive, Action Based Programs Work
It should be super obvious at this point, shaming people is stupid and ignorant. Besides the fact that it also reduces my faith in humanity, lets get to brass tacks — fat shaming just isn’t effective. Fat shaming produces negative results.
On the flip-side, a positive, action based (habits, environmental change) program produces results in the real world. Again, forget the fact that it’s a more human, less paternalistic approach — it just produces better results.
Results > Opinions
Lets stop yelling at people and making them feel bad, and lets start working on changing habits and giving them group support.
by Josh Hillis
Author: Fat Loss Happens on Monday
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