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Health at Any Size approach
Healthy Weight Network brings together individuals and associations involved in the nondiet Health at Any Size movement. This is a health-centered approach that focuses on health and well-being, not weight; that recognizes beauty, health and strength come in all sizes. It's about wellness and wholeness, eating in normal, healthy ways and living actively. It's about acceptance, self-respect and appreciation of diversity. Everyone qualifies!
For the most part, these are preventive programs and resources
in which cutting-edge leaders pro-actively seek to prevent and heal
weight and eating problems by focusing on healthy lifestyle at individual
and community levels. Healthy Weight Network mission statement and
more information on the Health at Any Size approach (known also as Health
at Every Size) are located near end of this file.
* Outstanding resources
I. Resource materials
Books, videos, and other materials
Association, 750 1st st., NE, Washington DC 20002 (202-336-6031) [email protected]
Adios, Barbie: Young women write about body image and identity (1998). Ophira Edut
(edit.). Seal Press, Seattle www.sealpress.com.
All Kids are Our Kids. Peter Benson. Search Institute, 40 developmental assets kids need.
What communities must do to raise healthy, successful, caring kids. San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass Publ.
All Shapes and Sizes: Promoting fitness and Self-Esteem in Your Overweight Child.
Teresa Pitman, Miriam Kaufman. Toronto: Harper Collins.
Am I Fat? Helping Your Children Accept Differences in Body Size. Joanne Ikeda,
Priscilla Naworski (1992). Santa Cruz, California: ETR Associates.
Amplestuff. Catalog for large size equipment, other. PO Box 116, Bearsville, NY 12409
(914-679-3316) www.amplestuff.com
Are You Too Fat, Ginny? Karin Jasper. For young girls, challenges myths about fatness and
dieting in adolescents and offers the healthy alternative of selfacceptance. Introduction for
parents and teachers. New York: Is Five Press.
Belinda’s Bouquet. Small book for all ages. Leslea Newman. When Belinda is teased about
her weight, a flower garden shows her the beauty of diversity. Boston: Alyson Publications.
* Big Fat Lies: The Truth about Your Weight and Your Health. (2002). Glenn Gaesser.
Complete reference for scientific data supporting the concept that fitness is more important
than fatness. Gurze Books www.gurze.com.
Blubber (about a girl) Judy. Blume; Jelly Belly, by Robert Kimmel Smith (about a boy). New
York: Bantam Doubleday Dell books for young readers.
*Body Image Workbook: An 8-Step Program for Learning to Like Your Looks.
Thomas F Cash. Oakland,California: New Harbinger Publications.
Body Outlaws: Young Women Write About Body Image and Identity. Edut, Ophira.
(2000) Seal Press.
Body Talk: The Straight Facts about Fitness, Nutrition, and Feeling Great about
Yourself. Ann and Julie Douglas (2002). Maple Tree Press. Written by a mother and
daughter.
*Body Wars: Making Peace with Women’s Bodies. Margo Maine. Gurze Books
www.gurze.com.
A Book about Girls, Their Bodies, and Themselves. Cordes, Helen. (2000). Minneapolis,
MN: Lerner Publications Company.
Bountiful Women. Bertell, Bonnie. (2000). Wildcat Canyon Press.
Breaking Size Prejudice. Promotes respect and size acceptance; 20-minute video developed
by youth, includes skits, teacher’s packet, activities, grade 6-9.
Building Blocks for Children’s Body Image. Marius Griffin. >From the Body Image Task
Force, PO Box 360196, Melbourne, FL 329360196.
http://home.earthlink.net/~dawn_atkins/children.htm
Can't Buy my Love: How Advertising Changes the Way We Think and Feel (1999).
Jean Kilbourne. New York: Touchstone.
* Child of Mine - Feeding with Love and Good Sense. Ellyn Satter. 2000. Palo Alto,
California: Bull Publishing, Box 208, Palo Alto, CA 94302 (800-676-2855).
Childhood and Adolescent Obesity in America: What’s a Parent To Do? Betty Holmes.
University of Wyoming Cooperative Extension publication #B1066. (3077662115).
Reprints online www.uwyo.edu/ag/ces/PUBS/b1066.pdf
* Children and Teens Afraid to Eat: Helping Youth in Today’s Weight-Obsessed World
(2001, 1997). Frances M Berg. A new approach to dealing with weight and eating in
healthier ways. Healthy Weight Network, 402 South 14th St., Hettinger, ND 58639.
www.healthyweight.net
Children and Weight. University of California Cooperative Extension Resources. If My Child
is Too Fat, What should I do about it? Booklet for parents. Children and Weight:
What’s a parent to do? and Food Choices for Good Health. Low-literacy booklets for
parents. Am I Fat? Helping Young Children Accept Differences in Body Size, age 10
and under. ANR Publications, University of California, 6701 San Pablo Ave., Oakland, CA
94608 (800-994-8849), website: http://danrcs.ucdavis.edu
Creating Health Behavior Change: How to Develop Community-wide Programs for
Youth. Cheryl L Perry. Gives a 10-step process in developing effective health behavior
programs for children and teens, $32.95. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Sage
Publications. www.sagepub.com.
Eating Disorders and Men. Ira M Sacker. www.eatingdis.com/men.htm
*Eating Well, Living Well: When You Can’t Diet Anymore (2000). Glenn Gaesser, Karen
Kratina. Wheat Foods Council. 10841 S. Parker Rd, Suite 105, Parker, CO 80134.
http://www.wheatfoods.org/.
Exacting Beauty: Theory, Assessment, and Treatment of Body Image Disturbance.
Thompson, J. Kevin; Heinberg, Leslie J.; Altabe, Madeline; and Tantleff-Dunn, Stacey.
(1999.) Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.
Fat Chance. Newman, Lesléa. (1994). New York: The Putnam & Grosset Group. (A novel for
ages 12 and up).
Fat! So? Because You Don’t Have to Apologize for Your Size. Wann, Marilyn. (1998).
Berkeley, California: Ten Speed Press.
Food Fight: A Guide to eating disorders for preteens and their parents. Janet Bode. New
York: Aladdin Paperbacks.
Girl Power in the Mirror: a Book about Girls, Their Bodies, and Themselves. Helen
Cordes. (2000). Minneapolis, MN: Lerner Publications Company.
Girl’s Guide to Life (The). Catherine Dee. New York: Little, Brown and Co.
Good News for Big Kids. Pamphlet. National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance.
NAAFA, PO Box 188620, Sacramento, CA 95818 (1-800-442-1214; 916-558-6880; fax
916-558-6881).
*Great Shape: The First Fitness Guide for Large Women. Pat Lyons, Debby Burgard.
(2000, 1988). www.iuniverse.com.
Growing a Girl: Seven Strategies for Raising a Strong, Spirited Daughter (1996).
Barbara MacKoff. Dell Publishing.
Gurze Books. Catalog, specializes in eating disorder books. Gurze Books, PO Box 2238,
Carlsbad, CA 92018 (800-756-7533) www.gurze.com; www.bulimia.com.
How did this happen? A practical guide to understanding eating disorders. Coaches,
teachers, parents. Institute for Research and Education HealthSystem, Minnesota, 1999.
*How to Get Your Kids to Eat…But Not Too Much - From Birth to Adolescence. Ellyn
Satter. 1987. Palo Alto, California: Bull Publishing, Box 208, Palo Alto, CA 94302
(800-676-2855).
If My Child is Overweight, What Should I Do About It? Joanne Ikeda. 1990. 20-page
booklet. Publication # 21455, Cooperative Extension Service, ANR Communications,
U of California, 800.994.8849 http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu click on Nutrition & Eating.
Interpreting Weight: The Social Management of Fatness and Thinness (1999). Jeffery
Sobal, Donna Maurer. New York: Aldine de Gruyter.
Invisible Woman: Confronting Weight Prejudice in America. W. Charisse Goodman.
Publication date: 1995 by Gurze Designs & Books: Carlsbad, CA. Available in most
bookstores.
Journeys to Self-Acceptance: Fat Women Speak. Wiley, Carol. (1998). The Crossing
Press.
Kids Packet. Women’s Sports Foundation. Eisenhower Park, East Meadow, NY, 11554
(800-227-3988).
Largely Positive Newsletter and groups. Carol Johnson. PO Box 17223, Glendale WI
53217 (414-299-9295) [email protected]
Like Mother, Like Daughter: How (girls and) women are influenced by their mother’s
relationship with food and how to break the pattern. Debra Waterhouse. New York:
Hyperion Publications.
Little Girls in Pretty Boxes: The Making and Breaking of Elite Gymnasts and Figure
Skaters. Joan Ryan. New York: Warner Books.
Living in a Healthy Body. 15-page pamphlet in consumer friendly language promoting lifestyle
change rather than weight loss. Good teaching tool. 1995 by Krames Communications:
1-800-333-3032.
Making Weight: Healing Men’s Conflicts with Food, Weight, Shape & Appearance.
Arnold Andersen, Leigh Cohn, Thomas Holbrook. Issues for boys and men. Gurze Books
(800-756-7533) www.gurze.com
Moving Away from Diets: New Ways to Heal Eating Problems & Exercise Resistance.
Karin Kratina, Nancy King, Dayle Hayes. 2003, 1996. Helm Publishing, Texas
(817-497-3558).
No Body’s Perfect, and No Body’s Perfect Journal, by Kimberly Kirberger, coauthor of
Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul. 2003 by Scholastic.
*Nothing to Lose - Sane Living in a Larger Body (1995). Cheri Erdman. Also Live
Large!: Ideas, Affirmations & Actions for Sane Living in a Larger Body (1996).
Harper Collins. Available from Amplestuff: (914-679-3316).
*Secrets of Feeding a Healthy Family. Ellyn Satter. 1999. Kelcy Press, E. Satter
Associates, 4226 Mandan Crescent, Madison, WI 53711 (800-808-7976)
www.ellynsatter.com.
*Self-Esteem Comes in All Sizes; How to Be Happy and Healthy at Your Natural
Weight. Carol Johnson. (2001, 1996). Encourages people above average size to accept
themselves and focus on health and well-being rather than weight loss. Gurze Books
www.gurze.com.
Setting The Record Straight. Book and kit on fad diets. www.wheatfoods.org/.
Size Wise:A Catalog of More Than 1000 Resources for Living with Confidence and
Comfort at Any Size. Resources of all kinds for persons of size, some youth materials. Judy
Sullivan. Avon Books, 1350 Ave. of Americas, New York, NY 10019.
*Staying Off the Diet Roller Coaster (2000). Linda Omichinski. Strong support for your
diet-free lifestyle. HUGS International (1-800-565-4847) www.hugs.com.
Studies in Eating Disorders - An International Series: The Prevention of Eating
Disorders. Walter Vandereycken, Greta Noordenbos. (1998). London: The Athlone Press.
Take Charge of Your Health: A Teenager’s Guide to Better Health. WIN
(Weight-control Information Network). 1 WIN Way, Bethesda, MD 20892 (toll free
877-946-4627) email: www.niddk.nih.gov/health/nutrit/nutrit.htm
Ten Steps for Parents (2002). Team Nutrition, USDA. 2-page pamphlet includes Food Guide
Pyramid and a physical activity pyramid. English, Spanish. Free to schools and parents. May
be downloaded at www.fns.usda.gov/tn click on Resources.
Tipping the Scales of Justice: Fighting Weight-Based Discrimination. Sondra Solovay,
JD, an attorney fighting discrimination based on size. 2000 by Prometheus Books.
The Truth About Body and Beauty. Cooke, Kaz. (1998). WW Norton and Company.
*Vitality Leader’s Kit. Canadian health centered materials that focus on a fundamental shift to
health at any size, and prevention of weight and eating problems. Health Services and
Promotion, Health and Welfare Canada, 4th Floor, Jeanne Mance Bldg., Ottawa, Ontario,
Canada K1A 1B4 (613-957-8331; fax 613-941-2399).
Wake Up, I’m Fat! Manheim, Camryn. (1999). New York: Broadway Books.
*Weight Issues: Fatness and Thinness as Social Problems (1999) Jeffery Sobal, Donna
Maurer. New York: Aldine de Gruyter.
When Girls Feel Fat: Helping Girls Through Adolescence. Sandra Susan Friedman.
(2000). Buffalo, New York; Firefly Books www.salal.com.
When Women Stop Hating Their Bodies: Freeing Yourself from Food and Weight
Obsession. Jane Hirschmann and Carol Munter. 1997 Fawcett Books.
*Women Afraid to Eat: Breaking Free in Today’s Weight-Obsessed World (2001,
2000). Frances M Berg. Practical guidelines for healthy change in weight and eating issues.
Healthy Weight Network: Hettinger, ND. www.healthyweight.net
*Worth Your Weight: What You Can Do About a Weight Problem. Barbara Altman
Bruno. 1996. Clinical social worker and psychotherapist encourages large people to take
themselves seriously, as worthy and deserving. Rutledge Books.
*You Count, Calories Don’t (1996). Linda Omichinski. Healthy living as a journey of
self-discovery. HUGS International (1-800-565-4847) www.hugs.com.
*Your Dieting Daughter: Is she dying for attention? Carolyn Costin. 1997, Brunner/Mazel
Publ., NY.
*Underage and Overweight: America's Childhood Obesity Crisis -- and What Families
Can Do About It. Frances M. Berg, 2004. Hatherleigh Press, NY. www.healthyweight.net,
Amazon.com
Magazines, publications
After the Diet Newsletter. A Better Way Health Consulting.
PO Box 11985, Glendale, AZ
85318-1985 (623-486-0737) www.afterthediet.com
BBW (Big Beautiful Woman). Includes materials for youth.
www.bbwmagazine.com.
Girls’ Life. 4517 Harford Rd., Baltimore MD 21214 (410-254-9200)
*Health at Every Size journal (formerly Healthy Weight
Journal): Research, news and
commentary across the weight spectrum. Editors: Wayne
Miller and Jon Robison.
BC Decker Periodicals (800-568-7281) www.bcdecker.com
New Moon: Magazine for girls and their dreams. Also, New
Moon Network (for Adults
Who Care About Girls. Nurturing the development of strong,
confident girls. For girls 8 to 12.
Box 3587, Duluth, MN 55803 (1-800-381-4743). www.newmoon.com
Radiance Magazine Online. Kids’ site for parents, teachers,
counselors, health professionals,
and kids. www.radiancemagazine.com.
Reluctant Hero Magazine. For girls 13 to 16.189 Lonsmount
Drive, Toronto, ON M5P
2Y6; 416-656-9047. www.reluctanthero.com.
Media literacy
About Face. Media literacy organization focused on the impact
mass media has on the physical,
mental, and emotional well-being of women and girls, and
engendering positive body-esteem.
www.about-face.org).
Center for Media Literacy (1-800-226-9494) www.medialit.org
GO GIRLS! (Giving Our Girls Inspiration & Resources for Lasting
Self-Esteem),
12-week media literacy curriculum. Focuses on enhancing
self-esteem and training to
empower savvy media advocates who can impact current media
messages related to body
image. www.nationaleatingdisorders.org.
Just Think Foundation. Information for students, educators
and the entertainment industry on
promoting media literacy. www.justthink.org
Kids Talk TV: Inside out. Office of Communication, United
Church of Christ, Cleveland,
Ohio.
Living in the Image Culture: An introductory primer for media
literacy education, by
Francis Davis. AdSmarts: A media literacy curriculum. Center
for Media and Values, Los
Angeles, CA.
Media Awareness Network (Health Canada); www.media-awareness.ca.
Media Education Foundation, www.igc.org/mef
Media Mayhem: More than make believe; Kids look at movies, television,
music and
video games. NEWIST/CESA, Green Bay, Wisc.
*Media Watch, Canada - 3 kits (age 4-12), videos, pro-active
approach to counter media
sexism and violence, www.mediawatch.ca
Media Watch. Information, newsletter. Grade 7 and up. PO
Box 618, Santa Cruz, CA 95061
(408-423-6355), www.mediawatch.org
Mind on The Media, www.mindonthemedia.org.
PBS, www.pbs.org/mix/imgguide.html
Slim Hopes. Jean Kilbourne. Video on how female bodies are
depicted in advertising.
Available from www.healthyweight.net.
Programs, curricula, training
Action for Healthy Kids Initiative www.actionforhealthykids.org
*A 5-Day Lesson Plan on Eating Disorders, Levine, Michael
and Laura Hill. (grades 7-12).
www.nationaleatingdisorders.org.
Best Start: A Guide for Program Planners. Planning body image
programs.
www.opc.on.ca/beststart/bodyimg/httoc.html.
*Body Talk: Teens Talk About Their Bodies, Eating Disorders, and
Activism. 28
minute video, facilitator guide. Teen girls and boys on
how they accept themselves and reject
pressures to be thin. Body Talk2 : It’s a New Language,
video (age 8-12). Body Positive,
Connie Sobczak, Exec. Director, 2417 Prospect St., #A, Berkeley,
CA 94704
(510-841-9389). www.thebodypositive.org
Bright Futures in Practice www.brightfutures.org/physicalactivity/
Bullying Prevention Program www.colorado.edu/cspv/blueprints/model/programs/BPP.html
Canadian Health Network www.canadian-health-network.ca
Celebrate Healthy Eating. Nutrition education packet for
preschool children from Penn State
Nutrition Center, Dannon Institute, and Scholastic Early
Childhood Today. Teacher guide,
activities, posters, two parent newsletters, colorbook.
Call (914-3321092) or email
[email protected]
Children and Weight: What health professionals can do about it.
In-service training kit for
health professionals, 5 lesson plans, activities, overheads,
handouts, videotape. ANR
Publications, University of California, 6701 San Pablo Ave.,
Oakland, CA 94608
(800-994-8849). website: http://danrcs.ucdavis.edu
Eating Concerns Support Group Curriculum. Thomas J. Shiltz.
grades 7 - 12.
www.nationaleatingdisorders.org.
*Feeding with Love and Good Sense. Ellyn Satter’s Vision training
workshops for leaders.
Includes resources, videos, training manual with reproducible
teaching materials. Ellyn Satter
Associates, 4226 Mandan Crescent, Madison, WI 53711 (800-808-7976)
www.ellynsatter.com
Food Play. This is Your Life! Video, theater show, teachers’
activity guidebook for health
education that includes nutrition, fitness, body image,
media literacy. FoodPlay, 221 Pine St.,
Northampton, MA 01062 (800-FOODPLAY), www.foodplay.com
Food Time (grade 1-2); Food Works (grade 3-5); Nifty Nutrition;
Pyramid Builders (grades
K-6); Pyramid Pursuit (grades 1-3 and 4-6) National Food
Service Mangement Institute
(1-800-321-3061) www.nfsmi.org/index.html.
Girl Power! National public education campaign for girls
age 914. Department Health and
Human Services. www.girlpower.gov.
Girls in the 90s. Sandra Susan Friedman. Eating disorders
preventive program for pre- and
early-adolescent girls. Open-ended groups, 10-12 weeks.
Salal Books, Box 309, 101-1184
Denman St., Vancouver, BC, Canada V6G 2M9 (604-689-8399).
Guidelines for Childhood Obesity Prevention Programs:
Promoting Healthy Weight in
Children. Developed by the Weight Realities Division,
Society for Nutrition Education
(SNE), to assist planning groups concerned with
obesity prevention. Available in English and
Spanish. www.sne.org; www.healthyweight.net
Guidelines for School and Community Programs in physical activity
www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dash/guidelines/physact.htm
Healthy Body Image: Teaching Kids to Eat and Love Their Bodies
Too! Kathy Kater.
Curriculum for grades 4-6. www.nationaleatingdisorders.org.
Healthy Habits for Healthy Kids www.wellpoint.com
*It’s All About You: Make healthy choices that fit your lifestyle
so you can do the
things you want to do. 28-minute video, Leaders guide,
handouts, masters, owners manual.
Dietary Guidelines Alliance, 233 N Michigan Ave., #1400,
Chicago, IL 60601.
Kid’s Project. Packet of size acceptance materials. Kids
Come in all Sizes workshops. Council
on Size & Weight Discrimination, Miriam Berg, P.O. Box
305, Mt. Marion, NY 12456
(914-679-1209; fax 914-679-1206).
Kids Module — Parents and Children Sharing Food Tasks by
Rita Mitchell. Leaders
guide, videotape, handouts for parents. $60 each packet.
Rita Mitchell, 209 Morgan Hall, U
of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 (510-642-3080).
*Mission Nutrition. (based on Health Canada’s Vitality). Health
curricula for grades 6 through
8, available online. www.missionnutrition.ca
*National Eating Disorders Association programs. Healthy
Body Image — Teaching
Kids to Eat and Love Their Bodies Too, Kater (grades
4-6). 5-Day Lesson Plan on
Eating Disorders, Levine, Hill (grades 7-12). GO
GIRLS! (Giving Our Girls Inspiration &
Resources for Lasting Self Esteem) 12 week media literacy
program. Thomas J. Shiltz.
12-session curriculum, supplements, handouts (grades 7 –
12). NEDA materials include
training workshops, resources, information, activist programs,
puppet show. Also sponsor of
Eating Disorder Awareness Week,. 603 Stewart St., #803,
Seattle, WA 98101
(800-931-2237) www.nationaleatingdisorders.org.
*National Eating Disorders Screening Program. Schools, community
screening. One
Washington St Ste 304, Wellesley Hills MA 02481
(781-239-0071) [email protected]
www.nmisp.org
Pyramid Explorer: Nutrition Adventures CD-ROM, grades 5-9;
Pyramid Plus: Guide to
Food Choices for Better Health, for teens and young adults.
Oregon Dairy Council.
www.oregondairycouncil.org
Ready Set Go, Ontario Physical Health Educator’s Association
www.readysetgo.org
*SPARK Active Recreation. For leaders of youth ages 5-14.
Also four books for school PE
programs K through 6. Sports, Play, and Active Recreation
for Kids.
www.foundation.sdsu.edu/projects/spark/index.html
*Teens & Diets — No Weigh: Building the road to healthier
living, by Linda Omichinski.
A Lifestyle Approach to Health & Fitness, by
Linda Omichinski and Kathleen Harrison.
Self-study, accredited, continuing education course for
health and fitness professionals. Home
Study Course: Weight Management for Teens: Non-diet approach
to health and
fitness for adolescents. Prevention programs, leader
training. HUGS International, Box
102A, RR3, Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, Canada R1N 3A3
(800-565-4847)
www.hugs.com
II. Gateways to U.S. Health Information
These federal agencies provide a wealth of sound, scientific information,
and links to other credible sources.
Health and Wellness
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention www.cdc.gov
Federal Juvenile Justice/Delinquency Prevention
www.parentingresources.ncjrs.org
Healthfinder www.healthfinder.gov/
*MedlinePlus www.medlineplus.gov
*National Agricultural Library www.nalusda.gov
National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)
www.cdc.gov/nchswww
National Library of Medicine http://gateway.nlm.nih.gov/gw/cmd
Obesity, CDC www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/index.htm
Obesity, Surgeon General www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/obesity
Obesity, Maternal and Child Health
www.mchlibrary.info/KnowledgePaths/kp_obesity.html
Minority Health Resource Center www.omhrc.gov
Research Briefs, USDA www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/usda/fnrb/
School Health Index www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dash/SHI/index.htm
USDA Home Page www.usda.gov
Women’s Health Initiative www.nhlbi.nih.gov/nhlbi/whil
Women's Health Information Center, HHS www.4woman.org
Weight-control Information Network (WIN)
www.niddk.nih.gov/health/nutrit/win.htm
Nutrition and healthy eating
Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion www.cnpp.usda.gov
Eat Smart. Play Hard www.fns.usda.gov/eatsmartplayhard
FDA Food supplements www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/ds-savvy.html
*Food and Nutrition Information Center www.nal.usda.gov/fnic
Food Composition Data www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/
Nutrition information gateway www.nutrition.gov
School meals www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Lunch.htm
*Team Nutrition www.fns.usda.gov/tn
Physical activity, sports
Active Community Environments Initiative www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/aces.htm
Active older adults www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/press/archive/blueprint.htm
Guide for Community Action www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/pahand.htm
Guidelines for Programs www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dash/guidelines/physact.htm
Hearts N' Parks www.nhlbi.nih.gov.
*KidsWalk-to-School www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/kidswalk.htm
*President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports
www.fitness.gov
Surgeon General Report www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/sgr/sgr.htm
VERB www.cdc.gov/youthcampaign; www.verbnow.com
Body Image, self-esteem
Body Wise www.4woman.gov/BodyImage/bodywise
For Girls http://4girls.gov
Girl Power! www.girlpower.gov
III. Groups and associations providing helpful resources
Health and Wellness
Center for Weight and Health. University of California Berkeley
www.cnr.berkeley.edu/cwh/.
Healthy Weight Network. Resources, information and research
on weight and eating issues.
www.healthyweight.net.
Hugs International. Information on nondiet approach to health
and wellness for both health
professionals and lay public. www.hugs.com.
Iowa Health Dept., Prevention of child obesity
www.idph.state.ia.us/common/pdf/wic/obesity.pdf
Kidpower, Self-Defense www.kidpower.org
Michigan Schools: Promoting Healthy Weight
www.emc.cmich.edu/pdfs/Healthy%20Weight.pdf
National Association of State Boards of Education.
Sample School Policies
www.nasbe.org/HealthySchools/physical_activity.html
Fit, Healthy, and Ready to Learn. www.nasbe.org/HealthySchools/healthy_eating.html
National Safe Kids Campaign www.safekids.org
For kids. Information for school nurses, counselors, teachers,
coaches, administrators.
(800-994-8662) www.4woman.gov
Teen Health. Articles for teenagers on keeping fit and a
healthy, body, mind and soul.
www.teenshealth.org.
*WIN The Rockies (Wellness in the Rockies). Wyoming, Montana
and Idaho intervention in
healthy diet-free living. http://uwadmnweb.uwyo.edu/WinTheRockies/
*WIN Wyoming (Wellness in Wyoming). Educating for respect
of body-size diversity and
enjoying the benefits of active living, pleasurable and
healthful eating, and positive self-image.
www.uwyo.edu/winwyoming
Nutrition and healthy eating
5 a Day for Better Health www.5aday.com
American School Food Service Assoc. www.asfsa.org/childnutrition
Beef Nutrition www.beefnutrition.org
Center for Weight and Health U.C. Berkeley www.cnr.berkeley.edu/cwh
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, stress-free feeding
www.choa.org
Dietitians of Canada www.dietitians.ca
Food Play www.foodplay.com
International Food Information Council (IFIC) www.ific.org
National Dairy Council www.nationaldairycouncil.org
National Network for Childcare Nutrition www.exnet.iastate.edu
Oregon Dairy Council www.oregondairycouncil.org
Partners in Nutrition. Lists services by dietitians using
a health-centered approach to nutrition
counseling. www.partnersinnutrition.com
Wheat Foods Council www.wheatfoods.org
Physical activity, sports
American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation
and Dance. National
Association for Girls & Women in Sport. 1900 Association
Dr., Reston, VA 22091
(800-213-7193). www.aahperd.org
American Hiking Society www.AmericanHiking.org
CANFit. California Adolescent Nutrition and Fitness Program.
www.canfit.org
Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and
Physical Activity.
ww.caaws.ca
Just walk it. Australian walking program www.justwalkit.com.au
Walking the way to Health. United Kingdom www.whi.org.uk
League of American Bicyclists www.bikeleague.org/educenter/bikemonth.htm
Melpomene: Institute for Women’s Health Research. Fitness
for women and girls. St. Paul
NM 55104 (612-642-1951) www.melpomene.org
Ontario Physical and Health Education Association
www.ophea.org
Partnership for a Walkable America www.nsc.org/walkable.htm
Promotion Plus: Girls and Women in Physical Activity and Sport
www.promotionplus.org
RAILS TO TRAILS www.railtrails.org
Skipping www.iskip.com
Women’s Sports Foundation www.womenssportsfoundation.org
Body Image, self-esteem
Body Positive www.bodypositive.com www.thebodypositive.org
Dads and Daughters. Strengthens father-daughter relationships,
and battles cultural messages
that devalue women and girls. DADs, PO Box 3458, Duluth,
MN 55803 (fax:
218-728-1997) www.dadsanddaughters.org
Girl Zone www.girlzone.com.
Girls, Inc. www.girlsinc.org
Smart Girl. Writings by teenage girls who visit the site.
www.smartgirl.com
Eating problems and eating disorders
Academy for Eating
Disorders www.acadedis.org
After the Diet www.afterthediet.com
ANAD. Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders,
PO Box 7, Highland
Park, IL 60035 (847-831-3438) www.anad.org
Eating Disorders and Men www.eatingdis.com/men.htm
Eating Disorder Referral and Information Center www.edreferral.com
Harvard Eating Disorders Center www.hedc.com
Mirror Mirror www.mirror-mirror.org
National Eating Disorder Information Centre (Canada). College
Wing 1-211, 200
Elizabeth St., Toronto ON M5G 2C4, Canada (416-340-4156).
www.nedic.ca
National Eating Disorders Association (US). Resources, information
on treatment and
prevention. Seattle, WA. www.nationaleatingdisorders.org
Recovery from Eating Disorders www.SoberRecovery.com
National Eating Disorders Screening Program www.nmisp.org
Something Fishy. Information on eating disorders www.something-fishy.org
Size acceptance
Amplestuff (catalog of resources) www.amplestuff.com
BBW (Big Beautiful Woman) www.bbwmagazine.com
Council on Size and Weight Discrimination. Consumer advocate.
Box 305, Mt. Marion
NY 12456 (914-679-1209). www.cswd.org
Fatso. Website for people “who do not apologize for their
size.” www.fatso.com
Largesse, the Network for Size Esteem www.eskimo.com/~largesse
National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA). Dedicated
to
human rights and improving quality of life, since 1969.
Kid's Project. Sacramento CA
(800-442-1214).
www.naafa.org; www.naafa.org/kids.html
Radiance Magazine Online www.radiancemagazine.com
Size Wise. Size-friendly resources and information.
www.sizewise.com
Quackery and fraud
National Council Against Health Fraud www.ncahf.org
Quackwatch www.quackwatch.com
IV. Events
- Healthy Weight Week. Third full week in January. Celebrates healthy lifestyle habits as an antidote to New Year dieting and bingeing. Honors businesses that portray size diversity.
- Rid the World of Fat Diets and Gimmicks Day. Tuesday of Healthy Weight Week. Exposes fraud and quackery in weight loss industry. Annual Slim Chance Awards highlight "worst" weight loss products of the year.
- Eating Disorder Awareness and Prevention Week. February, in U.S. and Canada.
- Fearless Friday. Friday of Eating Disorder Awareness and Prevention Week. A day to reject dieting and restricting food.
- No Diet Day. May 6. A day to stop dieting, celebrate body acceptance and diversity.
Many valuable books, videos, periodicals and other resources are now available in the Health at Any Size paradigm. For more extensive lists of resources and links see appendices in the books Children and Teens Afraid to Eat: Helping Youth in Today's Weight-Obsessed World, page 321-327, and Women Afraid to Eat: Breaking Free in Today's Weight-Obsessed World , page 349-352.
The Health at Any Size Approach
Health at Any Size is an approach that focuses on health and well-being, not weight. It reaffirms the truth that beauty, health and strength come in all sizes. It's about wellness and wholeness, eating in normal, healthy ways and living actively. It's about acceptance, respect, and appreciation of diversity. Everyone qualifies. Most especially, every child qualifies!
Giving people consistent messages to eat well, live actively, and feel good about themselves and others helps prevent the six major eating and weight problems ó dysfunctional eating, undernourishment of teenage girls, hazardous weight loss, eating disorders, size prejudice and overweight. All six are increasing and affecting ever younger children in today's weight-obsessed world. Traditional ways of dealing with weight intensify these problems and need to be replaced by a new way of living that helps adults and children of all sizes and does no harm.
The good news is that there is a better way. In the midst of this crisis a new philosophy or paradigm is emerging. It's called Health at Any Size (also known as Health at Every Size).
Four guiding principles help us make the shift to Health at Any Size.
1. Eat well. Think of
food as a friend ó celebrate, enjoy, taste, savor. Eating
well encompasses two aspects: normal eating and healthy nutrition
ó how and what we eat.
Normal eating means eating at regular times, usually three
meals and one or two snacks to satisfy hunger. It means listening to our
bodies, so we eat when hungry and stop when full and satisfied. If
we encourage children to do this, trusting in their natural abilities,
we can prevent many eating and weight problems. Normal eating contrasts
with dysfunctional or disordered eating with its chaotic dieting,
fasting, bingeing, skipping meals, or consistently eating much more
or much less than the body wants or needs. Normal eating enhances
our feelings of well-being, promotes clear thinking and mood stability,
and furthers normal growth in children and stable weight in adults.
For healthy nourishment choose foods from all five groups ó whole grains, fruits and vegetables, meats and alternates, and milk. Together they give a good balance of the many nutrients we need for health, energy and strengthening our immune system. (People may feel better and have more energy when they eat both plant and animal foods. Unfortunately, a large percentage of women and girls today are deficient in the nutrients that are readily available from lean meat and other animal source foods ó absorbable iron and zinc, calcium, vitamin B12 and high quality protein ó thus, they do not feel at their best, are often tired, and tend to get sick more often.) Take pleasure in eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, and other foods. Eating moderately reminds us to avoid extremes, neither undereating nor overeating. It helps us understand that there are no "good foods" or "bad foods," that all foods can fit in a healthy diet; we neither overeat high-fat, high-sugar foods nor fear to eat these foods.
2. Live actively. Being active is the natural way for people to live, so enjoy physical activity, without being obsessive about it. Take pleasure in being active in your own way, every day, as a normal part of your life. Make fitness a family activity. Reject the notion that losing weight is a major reason for women to bFeel good about yourself,e active. It's not: engaging in regular activity is important for many reasons, only one of which is its beneficial effect on weight. Live actively because it's a great and wonderful way to live.
3. Feel good about yourself. You're okay just as you are, so respect, accept and trust yourself. You are unique, with your own special talents and traits, and this is a marvelous thing. If you've been waiting for thinness to get on with life, don't wait any longer but live your "real life" now. Free yourself to move on with health-centered, life-improving changes. Feel good about yourself, avoid negatives, and keep up the positive self-talk. Use relaxation methods to relieve anxiety and stress in your life. Share your feelings; support others and ask for their support.
4. Feel good about others. Respect and accept the people around you, and appreciate their size diversity. Be tolerant and nonjudgmental of appearances. Rise above prejudice. Insist on zero tolerance for size bias in school and the workplace. Each person needs acceptance, and deserves a sense of well-being, peace and tranquility. In the family, support those you love by making it unconditional, "I love you no matter what."
Reprinted from Children and Teens Afraid to Eat: Helping Youth in Today's Weight-Obsessed World, pages 23-24, 203-204, and Women Afraid to Eat: Breaking Free in Today's Weight- Obsessed World, page 215-216. Healthy Weight Network, 402 South 14th Street, Hettinger, ND 58639 (701-567-2646; fax 701-567-2602) website www.healthyweight.net.