Aubrey Gordon and Michael Hobbes from Maintenance Phase podcast join Jameel Jamil as they discuss the flaws of BMI, the lack of non-surgical weight loss methods, and the importance of not blaming fat people. They delve into the complexity of obesity and the biases faced by fat individuals in healthcare. They also talk about rejecting diet culture, the impact of celebrities' diet advice, and the experience of living in a fat body.
The diet industry often fails individuals and can lead to harm rather than improved health, relying on individuals continuously returning to diets for profit.
The concept of the obesity epidemic is flawed, with measurements like BMI masking the exaggeration of the narrative and distracting from addressing health disparities and systemic issues.
A personalized approach to health is needed, focusing on factors like mental health, access to nutritious food, and overall well-being rather than solely appearance or weight.
Deep dives
The problem with the diet industry and its impact on health
The podcast episode discusses how the diet industry often fails individuals and can lead to harm rather than improved health. The hosts explain that many diets are designed to fail, relying on individuals continuously returning to them for profit. They emphasize that physical health should not be solely defined by weight and that fat people face discrimination within the healthcare system. The hosts also highlight the emergence of orthorexia, an eating disorder focused on eating the 'right' foods, and the need to recognize disordered eating behaviors in all forms.
The flawed concept of the obesity epidemic
The podcast challenges the concept of the obesity epidemic, revealing its problematic origins in flawed measurements like the BMI. The hosts explain that the shifting definitions of overweight and obesity mask the fact that the epidemic narrative has been largely exaggerated. They discuss how the focus on weight often distracts from addressing health disparities and systemic issues such as food insecurity and hunger that affect marginalized communities.
The importance of focusing on holistic health and individual needs
The podcast encourages a shift in focus towards holistic health and recognizing that individual needs vary. The hosts criticize the diet industry's quick-fix mentality and the pressure to conform to specific diets or superfoods. They advocate for a personalized approach to health, emphasizing factors like mental health, access to nutritious food, and overall well-being rather than solely focusing on appearance or weight.
Financial gain from weight loss industry and corrupt systems
There may be a financial gain for the medical care system and weight loss companies in perpetuating the idea that losing weight is solely the responsibility of individuals. The podcast episode discusses how the weight loss industry, including pharmaceutical companies, profit from promoting weight loss solutions and maintaining a focus on body size. The belief is that by creating a narrative that fat people need to change their habits without addressing systemic issues like access to healthcare, nutrition, and exercise, these industries can continue to generate money.
Influence of celebrities and media on diet culture
The podcast addresses the influence of celebrities and media on perpetuating diet culture. Celebrities and media platforms often promote and endorse various diets and weight loss fads without considering the lack of evidence or long-term effectiveness. This constant cycle of diet trends and fads is fueled by clickbait culture, the need to produce content, and the financial incentives from diet industry advertisements. The podcast emphasizes the importance of being critical consumers of health information, questioning the credibility of sources, and focusing on kindness towards ourselves and others rather than policing bodies and diets.
Maintenance Phase hosts Aubrey Gordon and Michael Hobbes join Jameela as we revisit this classic I Weigh episode. They discuss why the BMI is bunk, how we clinically don’t have a non-surgical weight loss method and how that should inform our medical health conversations. Aubrey & Michael point out how as a society we blame fat people instead of helping people live healthier lives, why we shouldn’t lecture people on their diets or physically remove food from their supermarket shopping cart (!), and more.
You can listen to Aubrey & Michael on their podcast – Maintenance Phase – where you listen to your podcasts or try the SiriusXM App
You can follow Aubrey Gordon on Instagram and Twitter @yrfatfriend
