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Attitudes

Attitudes within groups

Attitudes towards groups

Attitudes towards


Size acceptance and the obesity controversy[]

See also: Fat acceptance movement

The main effort of the fat acceptance movement is to decrease discrimination against people who are overweight and obese.[1][2] However some in the movement are also attempting to challenge the established relationship between obesity and negative health outcomes.[3]

A number of organizations exist that promote the acceptance of obesity. They have increased in prominence in the latter half of the 20th century.[4] The US based National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA) was formed in 1969 and describes itself as a civil rights organization dedicated to ending size discrimination.[5] The International Size Acceptance Association (ISAA) is an NGO which was founded in 1997. It has more of a global orientation and describes its mission as promoting size acceptance and helping to end weight-based discrimination.[6] These groups often argue for the recognition of obesity as a disability under the US Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). The American legal system however has decided that the potential public health costs exceed the benefits of extending this anti-discrimination law to cover obesity.[3]

Multiple books such as The Diet Myth by Paul Campos argue that the health risks of obesity are a conspiracy and the real problem is the social stigma facing the obese.[7] Similarly, The Obesity Epidemic by Michael Gard argues that obesity is a moral and ideological construct, rather than a health problem.[8] Other groups are also trying to challenge obesity's connection to poor health. The Center for Consumer Freedom, an organization partly supported by the restaurant and food industry, has run ads saying that obesity is not an epidemic but "hype".[9]

People are known to select potential partners based on a similar body mass.[10] The rising rates of obesity have therefore provided greater opportunities for overweight people to find partners. Certain subcultures also label themselves as particularly attracted to the obese. Chubby culture[11] and fat admirers[12] are examples.


See also[]

References[]

  1. What is NAAFA. National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance. URL accessed on February 17,2009.
  2. ISAA Mission Statement. International Size Acceptance Association. URL accessed on February 17,2009.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Pulver, Adam (2007). An Imperfect Fit: Obesity, Public Health, and Disability Anti-Discrimination Law, Social Science Electronic Publishing. URL accessed January 13,2009.
  4. Neumark-Sztainer D (March 1999). The weight dilemma: a range of philosophical perspectives. Int. J. Obes. Relat. Metab. Disord. 23 Suppl 2: S31–7.
  5. National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance, We come in all sizes, NAAFA, [[{{{date}}}|{{{date}}}]].
  6. International Size Acceptance Association - ISAA. International Size Acceptance Association. URL accessed on January 13,2009.
  7. Campos, Paul F. (2005). The Diet Myth, xiv,xvii, Gotham.
  8. Gard, Michael (2005). The Obesity Epidemic: Science, Morality and Ideology, 15 and 153, Routledge.
  9. Obesity: Time bomb or dud?. USA Today. URL accessed on 2008-09-21.
  10. Di Castelnuovo A, Quacquaruccio G, Donati MB, de Gaetano G, Iacoviello L (January 2009). Spousal concordance for major coronary risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am. J. Epidemiol. 169 (1): 1–8.
  11. includeonly>Douglas Martin. "About New York", New York Times, 1991-07-31. Retrieved on 2008-07-24.
  12. Areton (January 2002). Factors in the sexual satisfaction of obese women in relationships. Electronic Journal of Human Sexuality 5.


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