Weight-inclusive means focusing on overall health, well-being, and behaviors (like movement, nourishing food, good sleep) for people of all body sizes, rather than making weight loss the primary goal or assuming weight equals health. It challenges weight stigma, promotes body acceptance, and ensures equitable, respectful care, recognizing that weight is just one factor in a complex picture of health.
Key principles of a weight-inclusive approach:
- Focus on behaviors, not weight: Encourages healthy habits like intuitive eating, joyful movement, stress management, and good sleep, regardless of weight change.
- Challenges stigma: Fights weight bias and discrimination, which harm mental and physical health, by treating all patients with dignity and respect.
- Holistic view of health: Understands that health is multifaceted and includes mental, social, and emotional well-being, not just weight.
- Equitable care: Ensures everyone has access to quality healthcare, using appropriate equipment and inclusive language (e.g., “larger body” instead of “obese”).
- Patient-centered: Prioritizes the individual’s goals, values, and experiences, moving away from a one-size-fits-all weight loss mandate.
How it differs from traditional approaches:
- Weight-centric: Traditional models often conflate weight with health, making weight loss the main goal, which can lead to shame and poor outcomes.
- Weight-inclusive: Views weight as a neutral characteristic, focusing on supporting health-promoting behaviors for people in any body, promoting overall well-being without requiring body size change.
Sources:
https://www.oregonpublichealth.org/weight-inclusive-health
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S149940462400397X
https://greenlakeprimarycare.com/what-is-weight-inclusive-care/what-is-weight-inclusive-care.html
https://blogs.the-hospitalist.org/content/promoting-weight-inclusive-approach-treat-obesity