NAAFA and obesity-enabling
We all know NAAFA has an anti-dieting stance. Curious, I decided to go to the source, their own web board, and open up a dialog of communication regarding this issue. I posted a message to their forum asking if they would support efforts of sustainable, permanent health-promoting lifestyle changes which are not unnaturally extreme and do not cause discomfort that involve weight loss.
I did not write anything which promoted LC diets, I did not try to shame them into dieting, or anything like that. I just essentially asked if they are against exploitation of the fat by the diet industry and fad diets which don't work, or if they were against the belief of fat is something bad which should try to be changed itself. I asked if they would support the educated, informed attempt at changing ones life in a sustainable way which would improve health and lower weight. Well, the forum moderator locked my thread immediately, with this message:
"I'm not clear on your position. A "change of lifestyle" that results in weight loss is usually a diet. Diets don't generally work, and they're not supported here.
It sounds as if you have lost weight and can't imagine why others wouldn't want to, too. The fact is, many people do want to lose weight, but this board is about accepting onesself as we are, not trying to fit into a cultural standard that may or may not be the best thing for any individual. Please keep that in mind when posting."
So then I PMed her and explained the term "lifestyle change". I describe it as replacing bad habits with healthy, painless, positive ones which also reduce weight. I explained to her the difference between a lifestyle change and a weight loss diet is that a lifestyle change can be maintained effortlessly, assuming that the user is diligent and doesnt regress into old habits out of laziness. I didn't get into the issue that reducing weight is 9 times out of 10 a health promoting activity because I wasn't prepared to open that bag of worms.
Again, she just replied by saying "any efforts which involve intentionally trying to lose weight is a diet and not supported by NAAFA". She also said this was not welcome to be discussed on the board (basically saying I would not be welcome if I kept pressing the issue).
IMO this response just depresses me. It seems clear to me now that NAAFA isn't about supporting fat people to find the esteem enough to do whats best for them... it's about enabling them to stay fat with lies. They are encouraging fat people to FIGHT against doing what is best for their health. They are convincing the fat and hopeless that having extra fat is ok, that fat is a benign substance, a physically neutral tissue like having lots of hair vs little hair. This is obviously untrue. Fat is metabolically active. Extra fat, not only the situations which tend to cause fatness, have been shown to promote insulin resistance, sex hormone disorders, and heart disease. Visceral fat is well known to promote heart disease. Fat tissue is hormonally active, causing hormonal disorders. Excess fat tissue and fat also tends to store environmental pollutants. Having a large body mass to support puts strain on joints and cardiovascular system. Being larger means you have a much higher metabolism since you eat more, and metabolic activity itself contributes to shortened lifespan.
IMO, NAAFA is a downright shameful and potentially dangerous organization. These people would look a bed ridden 700 pound woman square in the eye, and tell her not to try to "make lifestyle changes with the intention of losing weight". I hold them in about as high a regard as I do pro-ana and pro-mia eating disorder groups.
Last edited by ItsTheWooo : Sun, Feb-08-04 at 14:48.
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