Do you ever get sick and tired of all of the anti-obesity messages out there? "You have to lose weight, you have to lose weight, you HAVE to lose weight and NOW!" Trust me, I get it. When I was 100 pounds heavier than I am today, some days I would just get sick of all of the fat bullying and just want to lay in bed, eating my favorite Ben & Jerry's ice cream. Well, turns out I'm not the only one: Researchers are now saying that those stigmatizing messages are nowhere near as effective with weight loss as the ones that encourage positive changes.
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Writing in the International Journal of Obesity, experts are saying that messages targeting the 78 million obese adults and 12.5 million obese children in America could actually end up causing the opposite than the desired effect of weight loss–leaving millions instead feeling depressed, defeated, and ashamed. And, let's face it, those are the kind of things that lead to that pint of ice cream. According to the L.A. Times, the experts said:
The message that they will become victims of self-inflicted disease, poor role models for their families and a drag on the economy unless they lose weight has left many obese Americans feeling [badly]. Ironically, some of the campaigns aimed at obese Americans could sink efforts to help them improve their health by eating better and exercising more.
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Well, since those pushy messages aren't working, what does? According to the research team from Yale University's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, "the messages that appeared most effective at encouraging behavior change didn't mention obesity at all."
What should we do if we want to lose weight or inspire others to do the same? Well, encouraging tips like "eat a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables every day", according to the Centers of Disease Control, is a good start. So next time you're feeling discouraged by all the "YOU NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT!" screaming messages, take a deep breath and read something new–like easy weight loss tips instead.
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