What Does Weightinclusive Health Care Mean?

Oleh Admin 14 Des, 2023 Posting Komentar

Weight-focused healthcare means focusing on improving health without necessarily losing weight .

This includes practices such as eating for overall health rather than counting calories. This may also include de-prioritizing stress reduction, quitting smoking, drinking less alcohol, and finding enjoyable exercise.

A weight-based approach to health addresses the harm caused by weight stigma.

Tall people often face weight-related stigma in the form of discrimination, prejudice, negative stereotypes, and judgment from others, including doctors and other health care professionals. More than 40% of American adults of all sizes report experiencing weight-related stigma in their daily lives.

Avoiding this stigma is likely one of the main reasons Americans try to lose weight. Market data shows that Americans will spend an estimated $72.6 billion on weight loss products and programs in 2021. Additionally, weight loss efforts start early: Almost half of high school students in the United States say they are trying to lose weight.

I am a nutritionist-epidemiologist and nutritionist. I study the effects of weight stigma and work to develop thoughtful dietary interventions for weight loss.

My own practice and research approach initially focused on weight. The weight-focused approach aims to promote healthy weight loss and is widely accepted in health care settings around the world. Having worked in the food service industry for over a decade, I have seen first-hand how I believe the weight-based approach harms people and communities. That's why I chose an approach that includes an emphasis on practice and research.

Breaking the dogma that "less weight equals better health"

Numerous studies and public health reports show that high body weight is associated with many long-term health problems, such as high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.

Therefore, there is a common misconception that a holistic approach to weight does not solve a patient's health problems. But proponents of weight-based care say a weight-based approach reduces health problems by destigmatizing weight and promoting health equity. They also recognize that there is a link between high and low body weight and various health problems.

The principle that less weight equals better health has been questioned by public health researchers and medical professionals. Scientists and doctors are calling for a paradigm shift away from weight and body mass index (BMI) as indicators of health.

Advocacy groups such as the Association for Size Diversity and Health have long promoted a "Health at Every Size" approach. This weight-based approach emphasizes a socially just definition of health and advocates for equitable health care regardless of weight. The American Medical Association recently released a statement highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of using BMI as a clinical indicator.

Evidence for the effectiveness of weight management

Extensive research shows that habits such as quitting smoking and drinking less alcohol can prevent disease and improve overall health in the long term, regardless of body weight. For example, a clinical system review and 152 observational studies were evaluated by assessing couples who achieve quality diet and nutritional benefits at an affordable level of alcohol consumption or a method associated with future risk. this is for everyone.

Another example: One of my clients with high cholesterol said he had dedicated his entire life to weight loss and was caught in a vicious cycle of weight loss and gain, disordered eating, inconsistent and excessive exercise habits, and body image issues. After they took steps to gain weight, such as eating more high-fiber foods and increasing physical activity instead of focusing on losing weight, their cholesterol levels returned to normal.

Both a comprehensive approach to weight loss and a weight-focused approach can include dietary changes, increased physical activity, and stress reduction as key elements of disease treatment and prevention. However, a weight-sensitive approach aims to eliminate weight-related stigma and recognizes that factors such as socioeconomic status, culture, access to food and health care, collectively known as “weight-related health problems,” have a huge impact on weight, shape and health. health. and size. . Even when a person can follow a strict diet and exercise program, there are still structural, political and other factors that influence health and weight that the person cannot control.

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Additionally, evidence shows that people who lose weight tend not to have better long-term health and do not lose excess weight.

Find Weight-Friendly Health Care

There are many things people can look for in weight-focused health practices.

Look for healthcare professionals who:

• Make weight checks optional during routine visits.
• Treat the patient's symptoms rather than telling them to lose weight.
• Providing the same treatment to large patients and thin patients with similar health problems.
• Use measurements other than BMI, such as: B. Laboratory results to diagnose health problems.

• Ask permission before discussing weight with patients.

For more resources on weight-based care, see the Health in Every Band fact sheet. Consider testing your weight bias by taking an online test that focuses on implicit associations with weight.