Should there be more "fat-shaming"?

ironmonkeystyle

I just saw that someone else already posted this piece. sorry. never mind.

There's a poll at the bottom of this article here:

http://todayhealth.today.com/_news/2013/01/24/16664866-fat-shaming-may-curb-obesity-bioethicist-says?lite

asking people to vote on whether the strategy proposed by a bio-ethicist described below (and in the link above) to shame overweight people into losing weight is good or bad. What do you think?

[He is] calling for a renewed emphasis on social pressure against heavy people -- what some may call fat-shaming -- including public posters that would pose questions like this:

“If you are overweight or obese, are you pleased with the way that you look?”

Callahan outlined a strategy that applauds efforts to boost education, promote public health awareness of obesity and curb marketing of unhealthy foods to children.

But, he added, those plans could do with a dose of shame if there’s any hope of repairing a nation where more than a third of adults and 17 percent of kids are obese.

“Safe and slow incrementalism that strives never to stigmatize obesity has not and cannot do the necessary work,” wrote Callahan in a Hastings Center Report from the nonprofit bioethics think tank.

megsmom2

Anyone-shaming is wrong.

pudadough

Fat-shaming never went away, so how can we "bring it back?" Hell, sorta-chubby-shaming never went away. My entire adolescence is firm proof.

As for me, someone shaming me about my weight would have the opposite effect. I would give up and eat more, not be inspired to get fit.

rduhlir

So basically, the study is saying to bully people into losing weight? Oh, yeah, that is a real good example to set for our children.

PapaverSomniferum

deja vu thread.

yeah, because what overweight people need right now is MORE shame than they are now given daily by our culture.

ashlinmarie

Fat-shaming never went away, so how can we "bring it back?" Hell, sorta-chubby-shaming never went away. My entire adolescence is firm proof.

As for me, someone shaming me about my weight would have the opposite effect. I would give up and eat more, not be inspired to get fit.

^^^^This

Most people (myself included) shut down in response to criticisms and eat. Even when they are criticizing themselves. I'm sure there are a lot of people that aren't happy with their bodies, but until they are ready to commit to eating healthy and exercise, nothing will change. They have to want to do it for themselves.

ldrosophila

I wouldnt read the stupid cause controversy today health article, but theres a link to the direct article skip right to that. I encourage everyone to go to that. It states that professional counseling should ask certain stigmatizing questions. READ professionally trained.

It doesnt mean because youre some big idiot meat head bully you get to call every big person you see a fat cow. This is conterproductive and will push anyone deeper into a cycle of self destruction.

RollinDawg

Someone making a comment about my weight would not make me eat less, it would make me comment about their intelligence....height...ugliness....mama...and if they did it again it'd probably make their nose bleed while I burn calories kicking their *kitten*. Ok, maybe it would lead to more exercise.

zacherybinx

So basically, the study is saying to bully people into losing weight? Oh, yeah, that is a real good example to set for our children.

My thoughts exactly...shaming has never worked. If anything it would make the individuals being shamed feel more alone and outcast, it wouldn't help motivate them.

If someone's going to start a shaming campaign it should be for something like shaming the large businesses that keep manufacturing these terrible products, or parents for their ignorance when it comes to setting an example early on.

crazytreelady

No, because I'd rather shame the racist's, pedophiles, murderers and, you know other crazy things like that.

I forgot to add, I fell down when I was younger once, and some very thin girls (I am speculating anorexic) made a comment like "Did you guys hear that GIANT crack of thunder" and laughed their *kitten* off..... I also only weighed 120 pounds.


That fat shaming sure did me a **** of a lot of good.

fortunafitgoddess

I can't believe that anyone would think fat-shaming is a good idea. To me, that is a form of bullying, plain and simple. I cannot think of one example in my own life when shaming of any kind helped me improve myself or make changes for the better. I find that support, encouragement, and having friends in my life that want the same positive changes in their life as I do, are the foundation for true lasting success in weight loss.

louiselebeau

If I had been subjected to posters like that, along with all the tormenting in elementary (and Junior high) school, I probably would have killed myself of been a school shooting perpetrator (depending when I snapped). I am not joking about that either. I was highly unstable for much of my life due to how I was treated based on my weight.

Timshel_

Anyone who would support fat-shaming, or any type of mental coersion as such to envoke a reation is not to be taken seriously.

Bumdrahp