Welcome to the HAEStruth Wikia

We are currently editing over 30 articles, and 10 files.

To examine the truth behind the claims of fat acceptance and health at any size using peer reviewed scientific studies.

This aims to leave people with educated informed opinions about their lifestyle choices!

PLEASE BEAR WITH US, FOR THE MOMENT THIS IS A WIKI UNDER CONSTRUCTION - WE ARE GATHERING SOURCES AND AIMING TO MAKE OUR ARTICLES AS BALANCED AND INFORMED AS POSSIBLE!

Relevant papers to be added can be found here - please add more if you find them :)

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What is HAES? Edit

The notion of being 'healthy at any size' (HAES) is a concept borne from the view that you don't have to be thin to be healthy. Officially, HAES is "an approach to promoting health that first and foremost rests on the premise that everyone deserves respect. Whether we are thin, unwell, fat, healthy, fit, drink pop, eat burgers or wheat grass." In its conception this referred to the belief that anyone could become healthy at any size through application of exercise and a healthy diet. This has led to higher rates of obesity and heart disease, leading individuals espousing this ideology to have shorter, much harder lives.

It has become strongly associated with the fat acceptance (FA) movement who have adapted this to include concepts such as that trying to attain lower body mass index (BMI) body types is simply conforming to western beauty standards and is in fact *not* healthy for your body. They state that, as the majority of dieting attempts fail many people put themselves through needless mental torment and should in fact focus on loving themselves at the weight they are - and encourage others to do the same. Influential HAES bloggers include Jes Baker, Ragen Chastain and Tess Munster.

This has been highlighted in the media by celebrities such as Tess Munster, a model who shot to fame because of both her proportions and social media following. Many people have cited her as a motivational figure who gives them support at their relatively larger weights by showing it is ok to be proud of your body no matter what it looks like.

Examination of the key components of HAES Edit

Key core beliefs permeating both movements include:

Thousands of people follow the HAES and FA lifestyle in response to the advice and suggestions given by these concepts. This is many cases results in women dismissing evidence that large weights can be detrimental to health because 'they can be healthy at any size', with many women maintaining or gaining weight as a result.

Examination of the associated key components of the FA moment Edit

Further arguments have also supported the preceding arguments by suggesting bias against larger weights is unreasonable because: