HEALTH AT EVERY SIZE RESOURCES FOR HEALTH & WELLNESS PROFESSIONALS
Many fellow health and wellness professionals write to me wanting to learn more about Health at Every Size® (HAES®) and anti-diet approaches to wellness.
If you’re one of these folks, thank you! We need more healthcare providers like you who are willing to consider the strong evidence for size-inclusive models of health.
Here is my "syllabus" for health professionals looking to learn more about the scientific evidence for HAES:
Required Reading
Books:
My book, Anti-Diet, which draws on scientific research, personal experience, and stories from patients and colleagues to expose the harms of diet culture and elucidate the benefits of HAES and intuitive eating. In it I explain what the science really says about dieting, weight stigma, weight cycling, disordered eating, and much more, with hundreds of references to help you delve even deeper into the evidence.
Lindo Bacon and Lucy Aphramor’s book Body Respect (affiliate link), which provides answers to common questions about the relationship between weight and health conditions like heart disease, diabetes, etc., and does a nice job of helping you handle any resistance that comes up when learning these ideas.
Body of Truth (affiliate link) by Harriet Brown, a respected science journalist. The book systematically unpacks why myths about weight persist in society and healthcare, and what we can do to change that.
Scientific Research & Other Articles for Professionals:
Lindo Bacon & Lucy Aphramor (2011): "Weight Science: Evaluating the Evidence for a Paradigm Shift." Nutrition Journal, 10:9.
Tracy Tylka et al. (2014): "The Weight-Inclusive versus Weight-Normative Approach to Health: Evaluating the Evidence for Prioritizing Well-Being over Weight Loss." Journal of Obesity, volume 2014.
Maya Vadiveloo & Josiemer Mattei (2017): “Perceived Weight Discrimination and 10-Year Risk of Allostatic Load Among US Adults.” Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 51:1.
Other readings in Lindo Bacon's resources for healthcare providers
Webinars and Online Trainings
ASDAH's HAES Webinars, a wonderful collection of free presentations by leaders in the field about basic HAES principles, using HAES approaches with various populations, and more.
The Be Nourished trainings for health professionals (affiliate link), including basic training on how to build HAES principles into your practice, and a certification program for those who are serious about becoming weight-neutral wellness professionals.
Fiona Willer, RD's Health, Not Diets online training and workshops, which offer foundational education in HAES and the non-diet approach for dietitians.
The HAES Curriculum videos. This peer-reviewed curriculum was created as a joint venture by ASDAH, the National Association for the Advancement of Fat Acceptance, and the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. It was designed for use in higher education, including (but not limited to) introductory and advanced health and nutrition courses and professional training programs.
The Intuitive Eating Counselor certification, by the original intuitive eating pros, Evelyn Tribole, MS, RD and Elyse Resch, MS, RD. HAES principles are integrated throughout the program, and there are certification options for both health professionals and laypeople.
Marci Evans, RD's Online Training for Eating Disorder Dietitians, a HAES-informed approach to nutrition counseling for eating disorders.
Rebecca Scritchfield, RD’s Body Kindness Mentor Program, a program to help helping professionals become rooted in the HAES paradigm.
Conferences
There are always several sessions devoted to HAES and non-diet approaches at the major eating disorder conferences, including:
The Academy for Eating Disorders conference (ICED). This organization of medical and mental health professionals and researchers promotes evidence-based practice for the treatment of eating disorders, including a HAES approach.
The International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals (IAEDP) conference. IAEDP is a long-running organization devoted to education and high-level training standards for eating disorder treatment providers and allied helping professionals.
The Multi-Service Eating Disorders Association (MEDA) conference. MEDA’s mission is to combat the continuing spread of eating disorders through educational awareness and early detection. MEDA serves as a support network and resource for clients, loved ones, clinicians, educators, and the general public.
The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) conference. NEDA is a national organization focused on supporting individuals and families affected by eating disorders and weight stigma, and serves as a catalyst for prevention, treatment, and access to quality care.
The Renfrew Center Foundation conference. The Renfrew Center Foundation, founded in 1990, is dedicated to advancing the education, prevention, advocacy, research and treatment of eating disorders. To date, the Foundation has trained more than 35,000 professionals.
In addition, the Association of Size Diversity and Health (ASDAH) holds a biannual conference devoted entirely to education about the principles of HAES, weight and size acceptance, and non-diet approaches.
My Services
My Intuitive Eating Fundamentals course, an evidence-based program rooted in HAES and anti-diet principles, where professionals and clients alike can work to improve their relationships with food and their bodies. (33.5 CPE credits for RDs)
Food Psych, a free weekly podcast where I talk with leaders in the Health at Every Size and non-diet movements about how to make peace with food, achieve body positivity, and more. Launched in 2013, Food Psych is now the #1 Health at Every Size podcast on iTunes and one of the top 100 podcasts in the general Health category.
Consulting and career coaching for fellow health and wellness professionals looking to make the transition to a HAES and non-diet approach.
Master Your Anti-Diet Message, an online workshop to help fellow HAES / intuitive eating / body acceptance professionals with their messaging and marketing.
Other Resources
Clinical supervision from some of my mentors:
Lisa Pearl, a fellow dietitian who specializes in eating disorder recovery and Health at Every Size.
Lisa DuBreuil, a psychotherapist who specializes in eating disorders, addiction, and Health at Every Size.
Evelyn Tribole, a fellow HAES dietitian and co-author of Intuitive Eating.
Elyse Resch, also a fellow HAES dietitian and co-author of Intuitive Eating.
Personal psychotherapy can be incredibly helpful for exploring and rooting out any internalized weight stigma and disordered eating behaviors in your own life, which in turn helps you help your clients. See the Intuitive Eating Certified Counselors Directory and the Health at Every Size registry to search for psychotherapists, psychologists, and social workers who “get it.”
Self-compassion is an essential practice for doing size-acceptance work—both to teach to your clients, and to help yourself through the process of transitioning away from diet culture. See resources from experts Kristin Neff and Chris Germer.
Health professionals get eating disorders, too, and you deserve help if you're struggling. Check out the National Eating Disorders Association helpline for screening and referrals.