A Guide to Size Diversity 

The result is a system of beliefs, often internalized, about what “healthy” or “desirable” bodies should look like. And this can have a detrimental effect on mental health, including self-esteem and body image. In America alone, almost 80% of people in one poll reported feeling unhappy with how their bodies look at times.¹

Yet the reality is that there is no one “superior” body shape or size. Health can come at any size, and people of all body shapes and weights should be celebrated for the unique and beautiful traits they bring to the world. Those are some lessons about size diversity.

Body Size and Discrimination 

We all have bodies composed of the same materials: bone, muscle, and fat. Our bodies should be as familiar to us as the sound of our voices. Still, it’s easy to internalize the voices around us, which all have different opinions on what constitutes health and beauty, often influenced by the unrealistic images in pop culture and unhealthy messages of toxic diet culture.

We may also have thoughts and feelings about how others look, which, consciously or not, can be influenced by the weight bias commonly hidden in popular culture. We may actively judge others by denying them jobs, refusing to date them, or bullying them due to their weight or shape, which can have detrimental effects on their mental health.² One of the best ways to combat this type of weight discrimination is to understand and examine what common terms used to describe someone’s body weight or shape really mean.

Body Size Diversity and the Body Mass Index

Many ideas about “appropriate” body size and weight, especially in medicine, are tied to the body mass index (BMI).

Though long used as an indicator of general health, the system has come under scrutiny lately. Those opposed to the BMI say it’s not as much of a global indicator of health as it’s been treated, failing to acknowledge important factors like metabolic health.¹⁶

The system also tends to gloss over the different ways fat can be distributed in the body—which makes a substantial impact on health—and the various types of body compositions or conditions, including athletes or pregnant women, who may have BMIs outside the “average,” but still be healthy.¹⁶

Regardless, this is the number many people look to when classifying someone as “obese,” “overweight,” or “underweight.”

“Overweight” and “Obesity”

Almost 74% of American adults 20 and older are considered “overweight,” and nearly 42% are considered “obese.”³ These labels are based on the body mass index (BMI).

What’s worrying about this statistic is not the number of adults labeled a certain way based on a narrow and imperfect tool but the weight-based discrimination or shaming they’re likely to encounter.

The risk of weight-based discrimination increases drastically with weight, with findings showing:⁴

• Overweight women: 10% report discrimination
• Obese women: 45% report discrimination 

Some people assume stigmatizing weight will encourage people to lose pounds. Instead, researchers say, this stigma leads to poor physical and mental health.⁵ Some people deal with stigma by resorting to disordered eating.

“Underweight” 

Skinny, small people often fit into the culture’s idea of an ideal. As a result, they may not face the same type or level of bullying compared to their larger counterparts. Still, they may feel intense pressure to stick to their small size, even when they’re aging, getting pregnant, or facing another issue associated with weight gain.

Thin people can also get teased to eat food, work out more, or change how they look to make others happier. They may face discrimination and judgment because they are skinny.

Why “Obese,” “Overweight,” and “Underweight” are Arbitrary and Stigmatizing

In fact, “obese,” “overweight,” “underweight,” and also “fat” are themselves discriminatory and judgmental, comparing them to a “normal” ideal that is arbitrary and does not necessarily represent “good” health. All these weight categories are based on BMI, which is not a marker of health, are arbitrary, and have changed over time based on societal norms.⁷

Instead, an individual’s habits, such as “healthy” eating and exercise, do not greatly impact body size and health. Several other factors, including genetics, environment, and social determinants of health, significantly impact health.⁸ In addition, body size itself is not an indicator of health. [8] Bodies can be “healthy” at all weights, shapes, and sizes.⁹ In fact, being classified as “obese” does not have a greater risk of death than those with lower BMIs.¹⁰ And there’s increasing evidence that it is actually weight stigma, not weight itself, that can lead to eating disorders and certain health conditions that are frequently misattributed to weight.¹¹

4 Ways to Foster Size Diversity 

Many of us have said or done something to harm another’s body image. It could have come from a conscious decision to cause harm, or it could have come from a place of ignorance. 

No matter the cause, we can all educate ourselves and promise to serve our communities and ourselves better. 

Get Help When You Need It

For many people, size-based discrimination, weight stigma, and fatphobia lead directly to disordered eating. Many people who struggle with disordered eating may not be aware or may deny they have a problem. 

If you suspect you or someone you love has been using unhealthy techniques to change your appearance, know you can get help. 

Your primary care physician or therapist is a good place to start. These experts can help point you toward successful programs or help you work on your mental and physical health directly.

But the most important thing to remember is that you are so much more than your body weight, shape, or appearance. You are a unique individual, primed to offer the world all the gifts that are special to you, no matter how you look.