Ignoring these factors and imposing restrictive diets as the only solution leads to negative consequences. It has been scientifically proven that 95% of diets fail over time, not due to lack of willpower, but because the body is programmed to resist starvation and regain lost weight, triggering a “yo-yo effect” that damages metabolism and long-term health. “Diet culture,” by fueling feelings of guilt and frustration, compromises health and can favor the development of eating disorders.
The Systematic Barriers of Fatphobia
Fatphobia is not a simple “disgust” for fat bodies, but a prejudice of social origin that manifests in structural and systemic discrimination with tangible effects that go far beyond aesthetics.
- In the workplace: people with fat bodies can be perceived as less competent, motivated, or professional, compromising their career opportunities and fair compensation.
- In access to spaces: the infrastructure of offices, transport, and public spaces is often designed for a standardized body size. Narrow seating, turnstiles, and even the absence of appropriately sized medical equipment are daily obstacles that limit freedom of movement and care.
- In healthcare: prejudice in the medical sector is one of the most critical aspects. Healthcare personnel, often based on outdated protocols, tend to attribute any symptom to the patient’s weight, delaying or denying a thorough diagnosis with potentially fatal consequences.
This discrimination, combined with more subtle manifestations like “pity,” makes access to care a painful and demoralizing experience.
From “Body Positive” to “Fat Liberation”: A Path to Empowerment
In response to this discrimination, emancipation movements have emerged. It is important to distinguish the Body Positive movement, which has often been co-opted by marketing to promote acceptance “within the boundaries” of a thin body with curves, from the historical Fat Liberation.
Born in the United States in the 1960s, the goal of Fat Liberation is not simply to celebrate bodies, but to claim rights and political equality for fat people. This movement inspired the Intuitive Eating approach, a non-rules-based eating model centered on the conscious listening to hunger and satiety signals, and on recognizing the social, emotional, and pleasure function of food. The underlying philosophy is clear: health is not a moral obligation tied to a number on the scale, but to the person’s psychophysical well-being.
A Strategic Agenda for Inclusion
For an organization that places inclusion at the center of its values, ignoring fatphobia is not an option. Integrating this battle into the DE&I strategy means taking concrete action:
- Training and deconstruction of prejudices: offering training sessions to recognize unconscious biases. Informal comments about food or body, the so-called “diet talk,” must be recognized as microaggressions and actively discouraged.
- Accessibility and comfort: reviewing the accessibility of physical spaces to ensure a comfortable work environment for everyone.
- Holistic wellness programs: abandoning weight-centric metrics and adopting a broader view of health that promotes movement for pleasure and a healthy relationship with food, free from judgment.
- Inclusive language: replacing judgmental and stigmatizing language with a neutral and respectful vocabulary is fundamental to building a culture of trust.
The fight against fatphobia pushes us to look at inclusion not as a series of boxes to check, but as a constant commitment to creating a culture where every person feels free from judgment, respected, and empowered to be themselves. It is a collective commitment to building a context of well-being and safety.
This talk on body positivity is just the first in a series of events that Mia-Platform is carrying out in 2025 for its Diversity, Equity & Inclusion program. In the coming months, we will continue to explore fundamental themes such as disability, financial education, and neurodivergence. We invite you to follow us to discover new points of view together with us and to consult Mia-Platform’s dedicated sustainability page for more information on our approach and values.
Deepening the Theme: Recommended Reading from Veronica Bignetti
For those who wish to delve deeper into the themes covered in this article and in Veronica Bignetti’s talk, here are some recommended titles, divided by category:
Health at Every Size (HAES) and Diet Culture Approach:
- “Health at Every Size” by Linda Bacon: A foundational text that dismantles the myths about the correlation between weight and health, demonstrating how well-being is possible at every body size. It introduces the HAES model as an alternative to “diet culture.”
- “Basta diete!” (No More Diets!) by Veronica Bignetti: The author invites readers to free themselves from the slavery of dieting and reconsider their relationship with their body and food. This book proposes an alternative that promotes conscious eating and respect for one’s body.
Anti-Diet Approaches:
- “The F*ck It Diet” by Caroline Dooner: A revolutionary approach that encourages readers to break free from “diet culture” and re-establish a natural and guilt-free relationship with food. The book explores how the obsession with weight and diets influences mental and physical health, proposing a way out through Intuitive Eating.
- “Food isn’t Medicine” by Joshua Wolrich: This book debunks the myths of moralized nutrition, explaining why food is not a universal cure and why health cannot be reduced to what we eat. The evidence-based approach challenges food misinformation and promotes a healthier, freer relationship with eating.
Fatphobia and Intersectional Studies:
- “What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Fat” by Aubrey Gordon: A personal and political essay on systemic discrimination against fat people and the effects of fatphobia in society.
- “Fearing the Black Body” by Sabrina Strings: A historical and sociocultural study that shows how fatphobia has roots in racism and white supremacy, rather than in actual medical concerns.
- “Grass*” (Fat*) by Elisa Manici: Through an intersectional approach, this book collects testimonies and reflections on fatphobia and discrimination, exploring how weight influences life experiences by intersecting with gender, class, and sexual orientation.
Maternity, Fertility, and Fatphobia:
- “Fat and Fertile” by Nicola Salmon: A book that combines personal experience, research, and advice to support people in larger bodies on their journey towards pregnancy, without diets, pressure, or stigma.
- “Plus Size Pregnancy” by Dr. Sara Wickham: This book explores what the scientific evidence truly says about higher BMI and birth.
For Little Humans:
- “Così come sono” (Just As I Am) by Dalila Bagnuli: A children’s book that helps them understand that everyone is special and perfect just as they are, regardless of physical appearance.
- “Orecchie di farfalla” (Butterfly Ears) by Luisa Aguilar: A story that teaches children to accept their unique qualities and transform what might be considered a flaw into a strength.
For further insights and resources, you can consult the website and social media channels of dietician Veronica Bignetti.
