Company health and fitness programs shame fat people, writer claims

Article content

Efforts to promote health and fitness at work come across as being “fatphobic” and “ableist,” according to a column published in NBC THINK.

Article content

“As a fat person, I hate the first few weeks of January with a fiery passion,” writes Brooklyn-based communications stategist Kate Bernyk.

Article content

“The worst was when it would show up at work. I might be able to easily report social ads and mute friends, but how do I escape an email from human resources encouraging staff to join a team weight loss challenge with monthly weigh-ins?” asks Bernyk.

She writes that company health and fitness programs marginalize people with larger bodies and those with eating disorders and disabilities.

According to Bernyk, “fat is not a reliable indicator of health” and that using BMI as a means of assessing health incorrectly labels people as unhealthy.

RECOMMENDED VIDEO

Bernyk suggests companies consider plus-sized employees when when putting together their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

“Weight discrimination and anti-fat bias could be included in workplace harassment training,” she writes. “And any workplace wellness program that specifically incentivizes weight loss should be acknowledged as harmful and ended immediately.”