Unpacking Weight Science

This episode delves into the definition(s) of 'disease' and 'risk factor' and how body size has come to be understood by various 'body size stakeholders'.  At its core, the question is, is being fat the same as being sick? And can telling someone that they’re sick, even when they’re not, actually make them sick? Learning goals: · Identify the differences and similarities of a risk factor vs a dise...

Malnutrition is a condition that has both short-term and long lasting consequences. In this episode I unpack the science of malnutrition, it’s signs and symptoms and as always, how our intentional weight loss focus results in dangerous malnutrition invisibility. Learning goals: • Recognise the hallmark signs of undernutrition across the weight span • Identify the risks associated with undernutriti...

In recent years nutrition research has moved from a focus on nutrients to a focus on foods and eating patterns. Dietary quality broadly refers to the variety of foods in someone’s usual eating habits. In this episode I’ll be bringing you up to date on the current state of play with this kind of research, how impactful dietary quality is on health outcomes, and how you can use it and measure it in...

Dietitians and nutrition professionals can feel like the ‘nutrition baby’ is being thrown out with the ‘diet bathwater’ when learning about size inclusivity (eg the Non-Diet Approach, HAES and Intuitive Eating).  Many wonder... if I can’t tell people what to eat, what is left? Is there any point to dietitians? Do I just forget all my medical nutrition therapy knowledge? This existential crisis is...

This episode covers the development of the Intuitive Eating Scale, and it’s follow-up, the Intuitive Eating Scale 2 (IES2).  I talk about the different aspects of eating behaviour that it captures, research that it’s been used in and how you might like to use it in your clinical practice or research. Learning goals: • Understand the terms ‘validity’ and ‘reliability’ in relation to psychometric me...

One of my favourite theories of social science is the Diffusion of Innovations theory. It so beautifully explains how new ideas spread through social groups and populations. The adoption of Intuitive Eating and Health at Every Size by individuals and by health and counselling professionals has followed the predictable patterns laid out in this theory. This episode I’ll be running through these cha...

We continually hear this magical 5% weight loss goal for people with type 2 diabetes, that losing 5% of your body weight is going to result in protecting you from all sorts of terrible diabetes related things…. So in this episode I talk about where this figure has come from, why it misconstrues its own science, and weight neutral ways to manage diabetes and the diabetes healthcare environment. To...

This episode I take you through some components of the science of human persuasion with ‘unboxing wellness marketing’.  As my following on Instagram grew I started getting approached by ‘health and wellness’ brands to spruik their products, and one lot even sent me some samples of their product (apple cider vinegar!) to try – without asking if I wanted them! They came with a lovely letter and some...

In this episode I take you through the clinical model that I developed during my PhD research. This model is a weight-neutral, size inclusive, body acceptance practice framework for clinicians. To turn this episode into professional development with a Certificate of Completion, head to the  Health Not Diets Pod Course homepage. For courses, coaching, consulting and community in Size Inclusive Appr...

This episode delves into theories of human morality and medical ethics and their role in fat-phobia. I unpick the concepts and meaning of fatness through these two lenses in order for listeners to be able to identify which meaning system is at play in those who force their weight-centrism upon others, and select a line of discussion that hits its mark. To turn this episode into professional develo...

In this episode I compare and contrast what our mathematical formulas about energy requirements and weight loss say should be possible (ie the theoretical) versus what actually happens in real life. I also talk about the history of this energy requirement belief system, who continues to use it and why. To turn this episode into professional development with a Certificate of Completion, head to the...

Those benefits promised by those who recommend weight loss? *whispers* they're not actually because of the weight loss..... This episode of Unpacking Weight Science looks at the behaviours associated with longevity, delay and avoidance of disease, as well as behaviours which enhance health outcomes at any weight and health status. Key research papers are discussed as well as strategies for how to...

In this episode I take you through the research and academic operationalisation of self compassion, some of its associations and effects on individuals and their self care as well as on health practitioners with compassion fatigue and burnout. I talk about how to weave language that models a self compassionate attitude into your counselling and encounters with others and yourself.  This episode is...

This article is a really important discussion of the issues around how we refer to different body types.  Because not everyone has the time, opportunity or ability to sit and read journal articles, I've done an audio recording for you. Enjoy :-)  The article details are: Meadows, Angela, and Sigrún Daníelsdóttir. "What's in a word? On weight stigma and terminology." Frontiers in psychology 7 (2016...

A research paper is a piece of persuasive writing.  This episode breaks down how all the pieces fit together, the expected rhetoric of weight loss research, common research methods that guarantee statistical significance at the cost of clinical practicalities, how to spot hyperbole, and how the way we usually read research papers leaves us at the mercy of the authors biases.  To turn this episode...

This episode is an introduction and defines the terms, discusses their impact on healthcare, society and the lives of the people who are impacted by weight-centrism. To turn this episode into professional development with a Certificate of Completion, head to the  Health Not Diets Pod Course homepage. To access all the episodes before everyone else, get supporting materials as they're released and...

A history of the development of the BMI (including how 'obesity' ended up on child growth charts), how we discovered there was a relationship with weight and death, and how a few powerful men gifted us the weight-centrism we have today. To turn this episode into professional development with a Certificate of Completion, head to the  Health Not Diets Pod Course homepage. To access all the episodes...

This episode discusses the two main myths that perpetuate weight loss encouragement as well as the terms, weight centric, weight neutral, lifestyle intervention and concern troll.   To turn this episode into professional development with a Certificate of Completion, head to the  Health Not Diets Pod Course homepage. To access all the episodes before everyone else, get supporting materials as they'...

Why is it that everyone seems to be pushing a weight-centric agenda? Weight centrism is a cultural norm, medical behemoth, and capitalist bonanza. This podcast delves into the forces that bind us externally and internally, to weight centrism. To turn this episode into professional development with a Certificate of Completion, head to the  Health Not Diets Pod Course homepage. To access all the epi...