The wellness industry has been based on a simple equation for decades: health equals weight. The message is that if you lose weight, you’ll be healthier, happier, and more deserving of care. This story has become so ingrained in our culture that it feels almost radical to question it. But a lot of new evidence and a change in how we think about health show that this equation has never been right, and for a lot of people, it’s been harmful.
Health at Every Size (HAES) is a new way of thinking about what it means to be healthy. HAES says that people can be healthy at many different body sizes and that the goal should be to be healthy, not thin. This is different from how many people think of the number on the scale as the most important measure of health. This change isn’t just in words; it changes how people feel about their bodies, their food, and their overall health.
The Weight-Centric Trap
Researchers say that the traditional wellness model has led to “weight stigma,” which is a widespread cultural bias against people with larger bodies. This stigma is present at all levels: medical appointments where weight is blamed for conditions that aren’t related, workplaces where being thin is seen as a sign of discipline and competence, and in people’s own minds, where many have learned to hate their own bodies.
It’s especially worrying that interventions that focus on weight often don’t work. Studies indicate that most individuals who lose weight via restrictive dieting subsequently regain it within a few years. Weight cycling, or losing and gaining weight repeatedly, is linked to metabolic problems, a higher risk of heart disease, and psychological distress. People who go to extreme lengths to lose weight can actually become less healthy.
Genetics, medications, medical conditions, stress, sleep, and socioeconomic factors also play a role in weight. These are things that people can’t really control. Making weight the most important measure of health ignores the natural differences between people’s bodies and the many factors that affect how our bodies work.
Changing the Definition of Health
Health at Every Size asks us to look at health in different ways. The framework focuses on things like enjoying physical activity, being satisfied with your food, having good mental health, being able to handle stress, being fit for your heart, and having access to healthcare instead of weight.
Think of a person who weighs 200 pounds, runs three times a week for fun, eats without guilt or restriction, has stable relationships, and handles stress well. Compare this to a person who weighs 150 pounds and is always stressed, anxious, and disconnected because they are afraid of working out too much. They also go through periods of restrictive eating and binge episodes. Who is in better health?
The HAES view understands that health is not just one thing. Two people who weigh the same can have very different health profiles. On the other hand, weight alone doesn’t tell us much about how healthy someone really is.
The Psychological Freedom
One of the most important things about HAES is how it changes the way people think. For a lot of people, especially women, people of color, and marginalized groups that diet culture targets more than others, constantly keeping an eye on their bodies is tiring. The inner critic that judges every meal, counts every calorie, and looks at every reflection in the mirror takes up a lot of mental energy.
People often feel free when they stop focusing on their weight. Instead of fear, food can bring joy. Instead of being a punishment for eating, moving around becomes something fun. Energy that was once used to watch over the body can now be used for relationships, creativity, and meaningful activities.
This mental freedom also leads to better mental health. People who follow HAES principles say they eat less disorderedly, feel less depressed and anxious, and are happier with their bodies. This is not because their bodies changed, but because their relationship with their bodies changed.
Food Peace and Intuitive Eating
Intuitive eating is an important part of many HAES approaches. It means learning to trust your body’s hunger and fullness signals instead of following food rules from outside sources. People who grew up in a diet culture may find this revolutionary and scary. Will I only eat unhealthy foods? Will I not gain unlimited weight?
The facts point to something else. When people kept ignoring their body’s signals by following strict diets, they often lost touch with real hunger and fullness signals. When you trust and feed your body properly, it tends to find balance. People who practice intuitive eating say they have better relationships with food, think about food less, and, ironically, often eat diets that are more balanced without having to watch what they eat all the time.
This isn’t about eating whatever you want without any problems. Instead, it’s about paying attention to your body, learning what it needs, and respecting both food and pleasure.
Movement as a source of joy, not punishment
HAES also changes how we think about exercise. Instead of using exercise as punishment for eating too much or to lose weight, the focus is on movement that is fun and fits into a person’s life.
This could look different for each person. For some people, it’s going for a hike. Some people like to dance, swim, do yoga, or just walk. The most important thing is that movement comes from a place of self-care, not self-punishment. People who work out with this mindset tend to stick with it longer because it’s rewarding in and of itself, not because they have to.
Studies back this up: people who work out for fun and health reasons are more likely to stick with it than people who only work out to lose weight or look good. And you don’t have to lose weight to see the health benefits of regular movement, like better cardiovascular health, strength, and mental health.
Living in a world of diet culture
It’s not always easy to follow HAES principles in a world that cares too much about weight. Healthcare systems often still focus on weight. People talk about diets all the time in social situations. People in our culture send messages that being thin is worth it.
To make this change, both individuals and systems need to change. On a personal level, it means being aware of diet culture messages, questioning what you think you know about bodies, and being kind to yourself and others of all sizes. It might mean getting rid of years of conditioning.
In order to work, it needs healthcare providers who are trained in weight-neutral care, media that shows healthy and normal body sizes, and workplaces that judge people by their skills instead of how they look.
Science Changes
The evidence backing weight-neutral strategies is expanding. Research indicates that prioritizing health behaviors over weight yields superior health outcomes. People who care about their fitness no matter how much they weigh live longer than thin people who don’t. Many problems that used to be thought to be caused by weight are now being linked to stress, discrimination, and stigma.
This does not imply that weight is inconsequential to health; extreme weights at either end of the spectrum are associated with heightened health risks. But the link between weight and health is much more complicated and personal than what public health messages have said.
A Change in Oneself
The true strength of Health at Every Size is seen in stories of people who have changed their lives. People talk about going from hating their bodies to being neutral about them or even really liking them. They say they have more mental space, better relationships with food, more consistent levels of activity, and the strange feeling of caring less about their weight while feeling better physically and mentally.
Not because their bodies had to change. Many people don’t lose weight when they switch to a HAES approach. Everything else changes: how they feel about food and exercise, their mental health, their sense of control, and their self-worth.
Going Forward
Health at Every Size doesn’t say that health isn’t important; it just changes how we think about and go after it. It’s realizing that health is a complicated state that can’t be summed up in a number. It’s treating everyone with respect and dignity, and giving everyone the healthcare, respect, and kindness they need, no matter how big or small they are. It all starts with a simple question: What if the scale isn’t a good way to measure health? What if being truly healthy means how you feel in your body, how you eat, how you move, and how you treat yourself with kindness?
People are often surprised by the answer to this question: freedom. And that might be the most life-changing health outcome of all.
