I heard an interview yesterday on the radio about an activist who spoke up on behalf of fat people. There is a movement that has been around for a while now (started in the 70's, I believe) to advance fat acceptance. I once invited a speaker from NAAFA (National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance) to my workplace for a talk. From what I have learned, NAAFA is a civil rights group focused on ending size discrimination of (fat) people. If you're offended by the word, "fat", it may be because the word has been stigmatized in our society, just like the people who fit the description. According to fat acceptance advocates, "fat" is simply a physical description just like "liquidy" or "metallic" or "warm" and does not hold negative or positive meaning. The negative connotations associated with the word have been ascribed by society but "fat" in of itself, doesn't need to be judged in a negative way just like the words "short" or "old" also needn't be thought of in a negative way. Maybe this seems like a radical way of thinking about the word. I rather think that the word and all of its associations could use some radical acceptance.
For the record, in case there is any question about my personal stance on the matter, I fully agree with the opinion that there is entirely too much emphasis in our society on the importance of slenderness and the belief that slenderness=health and beauty or that fatness=poor health and ugliness. I feel that it is important for me to address this matter directly in this blog because I am pretty certain that many (most?) readers (maybe you?) have a negative attitude about fatness. I think that most of us probably do because of the messages we receive from society including advertisers, popular culture, and the medical establishment. Maybe you (or a family member) are fat and you wish you weren't. I am not denying that there are problems associated with fatness. For example, there are increased risks for developing certain health problems (you know the list)... but what about the psychological damage that occurs with the body shaming and the eating disorders that develop when a person is made to feel that s/he is ugly or lazy or a failure, just because of her/his body size? For example, did you know that anorexia nervosa is by far the most lethal (leading to death) of ALL of the psychiatric disorders known? Major Depression, one of the most common psychiatric disorders that leads to suicide, is less deadly than anorexia: http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/eating-disorders/anorexia-nervosa/news/20110711/deadliest-psychiatric-disorder-anorexia. Besides the obvious danger of having extreme fat phobia as with anorexia, those of you who have struggled with your weight and body image know the damage it causes your self-esteem.
While it may appear that I am fat-obsessed (measuring his BMI, reporting on his weight loss), my focus for this experiment has always been (and remains) my wish for my son to have a normal relationship with food (reduction of his sensed hunger and hyperphagia). The effect on his weight loss has been a "side effect" benefit to him but I have always said that I would gladly trade his hyperphagia for a higher BMI. Perhaps that is easier for me to say now that he is no longer obese (a medical term indicating his BMI is over the 95th percentile) but I truly feel this way. Like an alcoholic bartender who is asked if he is drinking on the job, Sasha has not been reliable about reporting his food sneaking behaviors. Since he has historically been totally unreliable in making accurate self-reports, his weight has been one of the only ways we can know if he is sneaking extra food on the down-low. Therefore, reporting on his weight changes has been the best (and only) reliable way I can measure the effects from oxytocin/naltrexone treatment.
I don't want to come across as preachy about fat acceptance but I REALLY don't want to be perceived as an anti-fat person since our society finds it perfectly acceptable to hate on fat people in so many destructive ways. In case anyone thought that I have been on a weight-loss mission with my son, let the record show that I have NOT. While I think that it is important to inhabit a healthy body- one that allows us to feel well and participate in our life's activities- I also believe it is equally important to cherish and take care of our bodies to optimize health and well being, including our mental well being. I hope that those of you who are interested in oxytocin for its weight-reducing effects will also consider the importance of maintaining or improving your acceptance of yourselves and your bodies, no matter what your weight or size.
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