Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ
Thank you for your interest in the Body Liberation for Public Health Project. Here are some of our most commonly asked questions. If you don’t see what you’re looking for, please reach out to us.
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Are body positivity and body liberation the same thing?
There are not concrete, agreed-upon definitions for these, so it is a bit open for individual interpretation. My response would be “no.” Body positivity has, in part, been co-opted by people wanting to sell things, often does not include people at higher weights, and focuses on individual behaviors rather than the way society treats people in larger bodies. This is not necessarily true for everyone using the “body positive” label, but it can sometimes be hard to tell. For me, body liberation encompasses doing both my own Body Trust® work and my efforts to reduce weight stigma and bias in public health and our society. Here are some articles with more details:
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Is the body liberation movement just aimed at women?
No, the body liberation movement is for anyone with a body! While the stereotype of “women dieting” (usually white, cisgender) certainly exists, in reality, diet culture and weight stigma impact all of us. To be clear, people in larger bodies face real physical and mental harms from systems that favor smaller bodies, but people in smaller or straight-size bodies are also harmed - often living with a learned fear of becoming fat, and therefore spending time, money and even risking their well-being trying to stay thin. For just a few examples of the many diverse people involved in this movement, check out:
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Can’t we just focus on healthy lifestyle changes, rather than dieting?
If the goal is weight loss, then I would call it dieting. There is nothing wrong with adopting health behaviors if you want to improve things like fitness, strength, sleep, nutrition, social connections, etc. I would ask two questions:
- How am I determining success? The false proxy of BMI should have no role. It is popular these days to say that you are doing something “for health, not to lose weight,” but the success marker is still “losing xx pounds.” If you want to take a quick walk during your lunch break each day to improve fitness and get some fresh air, then if you go for your walk, reach your heart rate or steps goal, etc., then you are successful! How does your body feel?
- Am I considering all dimensions of health? While we obviously often focus on one aspect over another at times, all dimensions must be considered in the overall picture. For example, spending so much time at the gym that social connections are ignored, or increased anxiety and stress caused by worry over food choices.
For further information, check out the concepts of “healthism” and “orthorexia,” starting with these resources:
- Scarff J. R. (2017). Orthorexia Nervosa: An Obsession With Healthy Eating. Federal practitioner: for the health care professionals of the VA, DoD, and PHS, 34(6), 36–39.
- “We Have to Stop Thinking of Being ‘Healthy’ as Being Morally Better” by Aubrey Gordon in Self, August 7, 2020
- How am I determining success? The false proxy of BMI should have no role. It is popular these days to say that you are doing something “for health, not to lose weight,” but the success marker is still “losing xx pounds.” If you want to take a quick walk during your lunch break each day to improve fitness and get some fresh air, then if you go for your walk, reach your heart rate or steps goal, etc., then you are successful! How does your body feel?
Fat acceptance in public health practice means so many more solutions are possible. Our research gets stronger and richer. The programs and policies we build have a greater positive impact and cause less harm in our communities. When we confront and dismantle the fat phobia at the core of public health, our field and our communities thrive.”
—Rachel Petersen, MPH, Health Promotions Supervisor/OHSU-PSU School of Public Health MPH Graduate