#37: What can poodle science teach us about weight loss and body trust?
with Deb Burgard, PhD, FAED
In this episode we discuss…
why it’s not an evidence-based approach to try to change all bodies to be one size to get them to have the same health
why deb calls the diet industry to “weight-cycling industry”
deb’s “poodle science” metaphor for explaining why so many people equate weight with health, the consequences of the assumption, and why it’s inaccurate
why there should be no judgment of people in stigmatized bodies who want to diet or lose weight, because they have the right to decide how to navigate the stigma
How the HAES® model provides a different way of dealing with oppression and stigma, but does not solve the existence of the oppression
the Kurbo app for children released by WW (formerly Weight Watchers)
how parents with children in larger bodies can reframe the problem as stigma rather than a problem with their child’s body
parents who face intersecting oppressions and how they talk to their kids about it
why kurbo teaches children to become “weight-cycling customers'“ for life
the data used to justify the stoplight diet in the app and why it is misleading
the need for informed consent when proposing a weight loss diet
troubling eating disorder symptoms and experiences in the percentage of those who are able to sustain weight loss
the power of social support and connecting with others trying to resist weight-based oppressions
deb’s role in carrying on a tradition of activism that came before her
seeing your stewardship of what your body needs as a loving practice
how to build body trust for yourself, and how to help your kids build body trust
the wisdom in “living below your chin” and teaching your child to do the same
deb’s answer to the million dollar question
Eating disorders specialist and activist Dr. Deb Burgard joins us for a conversation about incorporating a Health At Every Size® perspective and activism into parenting, the truth about weight loss and dieting, and how to help your child build body trust and connect to their inner wisdom.
Deb Burgard, PhD, FAED is an eating disorders specialist and activist and one of the founders of the Health at Every Size® model and the Body Positive movement. She builds communities where people can find each other and the resources to resist weight stigma, especially in medical and psychological treatment. Her activism includes working with healthcare providers to integrate an understanding of the social determinants of health and creating interventions that address structural oppression and support stigma resistance. She can be found at conferences sparking impromptu dance parties in the pool.
Connect with Deb on her website and Twitter.
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