There has been significant progress in diversity, equity, and inclusivity (DEI) goals within the US. Data from the Pew Research Center showed that 61% of workers have experienced company policies that ensure fairness in hiring, pay, or promotions. This is important given that DEI helps empower individuals and promotes the reduction of harmful bias against race, gender, sexuality, and religion.
However, one aspect of DEI that gets left behind is concerned with weight. Reports showed that inclusivity initiatives fail to consider plus-size workers, who are often stereotyped as lazy and less competent. Additionally, many workplaces are still not accommodating to plus-size individuals, who have stricter dress codes and limited healthcare benefits.
When spaces do account for diverse bodies in their DEI, the default is to simply adopt a body-positive stance. While this is definitely an improvement over simply turning a blind eye to different demographics, it still lacks the nuance to acknowledge that some people do want to lose weight. As such, it’s important to recognize that weight loss and body diversity do not have to be at odds, so long as the former is offered in a healthy, sustainable, and empowering way.
Here are some ways DEI values can be incorporated for a more mindful weight loss approach.
Understand weight’s biological nuances
Weight is affected by different factors, including genetics, medical conditions, age, and lifestyle. This makes weight loss a complex issue, wherein each body will react differently. Most companies fail to understand this and instead push for well-meaning but uninclusive wellness initiatives like company diet programs. These can come off as inconsiderate and too generic.
On the flip side, holistic and sustainable methods that fall under DEI take the complexity of weight into account by recommending customizable eating and fitness habits but also considering medical interventions to help with more complicated factors. Case in point, the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans notes that as of 2022, 22% of US companies now offer medical weight loss benefits. Under medical weight loss, patients are put under a doctor’s supervision before they are prescribed FDA-approved weight loss medicines. These drugs work to even the weight loss playing field, so eligible patients can finally overcome complex factors hindering their personal wellness goals. Since this approach also considers the person and not just the scale, patients can enjoy the process and feel empowered.
Recognizing cultural impacts on weight
In addition to biology, cultural backgrounds and family habits also affect weight. Essentially, culture has a strong influence on your eating habits since it dictates the kind of food you choose, how you prepare it, and the amount you eat. This can lead to weight gain for some, as they are more accustomed to eating food higher in calories, sugar, and fat. Surprisingly, culture even colors your perceptions of weight itself. For instance, our post on diet trends emphasized that social media perpetuates the need to uphold one body type while encouraging microaggressions against excess weight—be it your own or another person’s.
Nowadays, there are DEI strategies that promote sustainable weight loss to accommodate diverse backgrounds. This is in stark contrast to the decades of perpetuation that paints mostly Western diets as healthier or cleaner while foreign diets are deemed indulgent or exotic. For example, companies with in-house canteens are now offering a vast variety of dishes. In an effort to encourage a healthier diet without alienating employees, more companies like Google are serving dishes as diverse as colorful salads to vegan curries. These dishes are usually tweaked by replacing staples like rice with cauliflower, reducing the use of oil while cooking, and incorporating more vegetable options. In doing so, employees can feel that their culture is valued while keeping in mind their health.
Addressing weight bias and stigma
According to the World Obesity Federation, weight stigma refers to the discriminatory acts and ideologies targeted towards individuals because of their weight and size. It also refers to the negative perceptions associated with obesity, which can harm a person’s confidence and make them less likely to pursue weight loss out of shame.
Reports from Bloomberg showed that weight-based discrimination can actually lead to some people being laid off from their jobs. As a result, companies are now incorporating sensitivity training in their DEI strategies to ensure that plus-size employees are not subjected to unfair labor practices and existing stigma. The same sensitivity can applied to corporate wellness programs, which can be reworked to focus on providing inclusive and accommodating support for overall employee health. By doing so, weight loss programs can be more positive as they uplift rather than pressure. Over time, this leads to sustainable weight loss since participants feel encouraged instead of embarrassed.
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