Hi! We’re continuing our chat on obesity awareness month, let’s learn more on how we can create awareness for obesity
Eat less, move more does not "fix" obesity
People living with obesity are often told that the answer is to ‘eat less, move more’. However, addressing obesity is not just a matter of diet and exercise. *When we tell people to ‘eat less, move more’, we ignore other important factors.
Although physical exercise plays an important part in overall health, it is not a significant factor in managing obesity.
Rather than blaming individuals for their disease, we must encourage governments and policy makers to address the root causes.
Weight Stigma is Dangerous
In many countries, people living with obesity are regularly blamed for their disease.
Weight stigma suggests that obesity is due to individual failure, and puts responsibility on people living with obesity to ‘fix’ it.
It can damage mental and physical wellbeing and prevent people from seeking necessary medical care.
While stigma may be different across the world, one thing is clear: experiencing discrimination due to weight does not help people to adopt healthier lifestyles. In fact, it can make it harder.