Instead of motivating, fat shaming can actually have a bad impact on the victim
Instead of motivating, fat shaming can actually have a bad impact on the victim
Until now, there are still people who do fat shaming against people who have above average weight. In fact, this disrespectful treatment can cause various adverse effects for the victim, ranging from lowering the victim's self-esteem to triggering the emergence of mental disorders.
Fat shaming is the behavior of badmouthing, criticizing, or commenting on the body shape and eating habits of people who have above average weight.
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Some examples of expressions that sound like fat shaming are, “Why are you so fat now? You've never exercised, have you?”, or “Ugh, you eat a lot, you'll get fatter, you know!”
Doing fat shaming as above is often justified because it is considered to motivate people who are overweight to lose weight. In fact, instead of motivating, fat shaming can actually bring various bad effects for its victims.
Impact of Fat Shaming on Victims
Stigma, humiliation, and unpleasant treatment in the form of fat shaming can cause various adverse effects on the mental and physical health of people who experience this treatment.
The following are some of the bad effects that can be experienced by victims of fat shaming:
1. It's harder to control weight
Fat shaming can cause stress to its victims. Instead of being motivated to improve their diet, the stress experienced by victims of fat shaming can actually encourage them to eat more, making it increasingly difficult for them to control their weight and achieve their ideal weight.
This condition is known as stress eating. This habit over time also risks making them experience an eating disorder called binge eating disorder.
In addition, uncontrolled obesity can also be dangerous for the victim's overall health and increase the risk of various chronic diseases, such as diabetes, metabolic syndrome, stroke, heart disease, and cancer.
2. Reduced self-esteem
Various negative comments received by victims of fat shaming, either directly or via social media (cyber bullying), can also cause them to experience a decrease in self-esteem or look down on themselves. This can happen because they feel unwelcome in their surroundings.
When subjected to fat shaming treatment, victims of this treatment can become less confident, feel ashamed of their identity, or even hate themselves.
3. More at risk of mental disorders
Stress and mental pressure due to fat shaming can have a negative impact on the mental health of the victim. Various studies have shown that people who frequently experience fat shaming are at high risk for mental disorders, such as depression, anxiety disorders, or even attempted suicide.
In addition, victims of fat shaming are also more prone to experiencing body image distortion.
4. More at risk for eating disorders
Some people who experience fat shaming can indeed vent their anger or negative emotions by overeating, but there are also those who become too obsessed with being thin and do everything they can to achieve it.
Ultimately, this can make them vulnerable to eating disorders, such as bulimia. If not treated properly, bulimia can lead to other, more serious health problems, such as gastric disease and malnutrition.
Fat body shape is often considered not synonymous with beauty standards that are now understood by many people. However, this does not mean that obese people deserve disrespectful treatment because of their body shape.
Instead of treating obese people with fat shaming, motivate them in more positive ways to have an ideal weight, such as inviting them to exercise, suggesting they try dieting, and most importantly, trying to empathize and accept them as they are.
Given that there are many bad effects of fat shaming that can happen to the victim, from now on try to stop doing fat shaming to people who have a fat body, be it your friends, family, or coworkers, yes.
If you or those around you often suffer from fat shaming and feel that you are experiencing psychological problems, such as depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, or self-loathing, don't hesitate to consult a psychologist or doctor.