HAEStruth Wikia

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To examine the truth behind the claims of fat acceptance and health at any size using peer reviewed scientific studies.

This aims to leave people with educated informed opinions about their lifestyle choices!

**PLEASE BEAR WITH US, FOR THE MOMENT THIS IS A WIKI UNDER CONSTRUCTION - WE ARE GATHERING SOURCES AND AIMING TO MAKE OUR ARTICLES AS BALANCED AND INFORMED AS POSSIBLE!**

Relevant papers to be added can be found here - please add more if you find them :)

## What is HAES?

The notion of being 'healthy at any size' (HAES) is a concept borne from the view that you don't have to be thin to be healthy. Officially, HAES is "*an approach to promoting health that first and foremost rests on the premise that everyone deserves respect. Whether we are thin, unwell, fat, healthy, fit, drink pop, eat burgers or wheat grass*." In its conception this referred to the belief that anyone could *become* healthy at any size through application of exercise and a healthy diet. This has led to higher rates of obesity and heart disease, leading individuals espousing this ideology to have shorter, much harder lives.

It has become strongly associated with the fat acceptance (FA) movement who have adapted this to include concepts such as that trying to attain lower body mass index (BMI) body types is simply conforming to western beauty standards and is in fact \*not\* healthy for your body. They state that, as the majority of dieting attempts fail many people put themselves through needless mental torment and should in fact focus on loving themselves at the weight they are - and encourage others to do the same. Influential HAES bloggers include Jes Baker, Ragen Chastain and Tess Munster.

This has been highlighted in the media by celebrities such as Tess Munster, a model who shot to fame because of both her proportions and social media following. Many people have cited her as a motivational figure who gives them support at their relatively larger weights by showing it is ok to be proud of your body no matter what it looks like.

## Examination of the key components of HAES

Key core beliefs permeating both movements include:

* concentration on **the health benefits and improvements which can practically be achieved** for individuals irregardless of weight (an approach that supports the goal of health for all sizes)
	+ *Detailed examination of this can be found here*
* **size acceptance** (on a society level)
	+ *Detailed examination of this can be found here*
* listening to internal body signals when eating (aka **intuitive eating**)
	+ *Detailed examination of this can be found here*
* taking care of the body with **nutritious varied eating and enjoyable exercise**
* **BMI is an outdated** term which produces inaccurate results which should not be used.
	+ *Detailed examination of this can be found here*
* **sustained weight loss is not possible** for many people, and instead is a wasted effort and it makes more sense to put any efforts into health goals that *are* realistically achievable.
	+ *Detailed examination of this can be found here*
* **weight loss is considered as unhealthy**, and not associated with health improvements and can actually cause harm over the long term.
	+ *Detailed examination of this can be found here*
* **exercise is also considered as unhealthy** and can actually cause harm over the long term.
	+ *Detailed examination of this can be found here*
* **health is considered separate** to matters of body size, and can be attained separately to any consideration of body size
	+ *Detailed examination of this* can be found here

Thousands of people follow the HAES and FA lifestyle in response to the advice and suggestions given by these concepts. This is many cases results in women dismissing evidence that large weights can be detrimental to health because 'they can be healthy at any size', with many women maintaining or gaining weight as a result.

## Examination of the associated key components of the FA moment

Further arguments have also supported the preceding arguments by suggesting bias against larger weights is unreasonable because:

* A **calorie is not a calorie** (ie weight loss is not as simple as calories in calories out)
	+ *Detailed examination of this can be found here*
* **Exercise** alone can result in weight loss
	+ *Detailed examination of this can be found here*
* Some people are **naturally predisposed to be skinny due to favourable genetics**, despite their diets and exercise behaviour
	+ *Detailed examination of this can be found here*
* **Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome** (PCOS) can make losing weight extremely difficult
	+ *Detailed examination of this can be found here*
* **Thyroid conditions** can make losing weight extremely difficult
	+ *Detailed examination of this can be found here*
* Some people have '**set points**' - weights to which their bodies are naturally inclined to stay
	+ *Detailed examination of this can be found here*
* **BMI is an outdated** system, which misrepresents how unhealthy or healthy they actually are
	+ *Detailed examination of this can be found here*
* You need to **'starve' yourself** in order to lose weight (aka 'I can never eat pizza again!')
	+ *Detailed examination of this can be found here*

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