Defining the guiding principles of weight-inclusive nutrition education

Abstract

Weight-centric nutrition education centers weight as a health indicator and teaches individuals methods for controlling their weight and shape. This approach has negative psychological and physiological consequences, including the development of eating disorder pathology. Alternatively, weight-inclusive nutrition education disrupts anti-fat bias, may act as primary prevention of eating disorders, and offers a more sustainable approach to wellbeing. Weight-inclusive nutrition has roots in established concepts such as Health at Every Size® and Intuitive Eating, as well as interdisciplinary public health and social science theories such as the social ecological model and social cognitive theory. This paper outlines the core principles of weight-inclusive nutrition education.