Being a Health at Every Size® (HAES) provider means focusing on the whole person, not just their weight. The dietitians in our St. Louis area practice advocate for equitable treatment, healthcare that values everyone, treating them with respect and dignity, regardless of body shape or size. Instead of obsessing over numbers on a scale, HAES® promotes healthy habits like balanced eating, enjoyable physical activity, and good mental health.
These four principles are taken and quoted from ASDAH.
- “Healthcare is a human right for people of all sizes, including those at the highest end of the size spectrum.”
- “Wellbeing, care, and healing are resources that are both collective and deeply personal.”
- “Care is fully provided only when free from anti-fat bias and offered with people of all sizes in mind.”
- “Health is a sociopolitical construct that reflects the values of society.”
How do we implement HAES® in our dietitian practice?
- Respect and Inclusivity: Treating all individuals, regardless of their body size or shape, with respect and without judgment.
- Focus on Health, Not Weight: Prioritizing health behaviors and outcomes over weight loss or specific body weight goals. This involves promoting physical, emotional, and social well-being without tying it to achieving a particular weight.
- Critical Thinking about Health Information: Encouraging patients to critically evaluate health information and avoid approaches that promote weight stigma or unhealthy behaviors in the pursuit of weight loss. We reject the diet culture.
- Promotion of Sustainable Health Practices: Supporting patients in adopting sustainable habits such as balanced nutrition, enjoyable physical activity, adequate sleep, and stress management, irrespective of their current weight.
- Advocacy for Social Justice: Addressing systemic inequalities that affect health outcomes, including advocating for policies and practices that promote access to healthcare, nutritious food, and safe physical environments for all individuals.
Practicing Health at Every Size® means receiving nutrition care that prioritizes respect, inclusivity, and sustainable health behaviors—without focusing on weight. HAES®-aligned dietitians support balanced eating, joyful movement, and mental well-being while rejecting diet culture and weight stigma. At Branz Nutrition Counseling, we provide compassionate, HAES®-informed nutrition care to clients throughout the St. Louis area, creating a safe space to build confidence, skills, and a healthier relationship with food and body.
Experience inclusive, weight-neutral nutrition counseling in the St. Louis area. Online and in-person appointments are available with HAES®-aligned registered dietitian nutritionists at Branz Nutrition Counseling.
