General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Fat-shaming may curb obesity, bioethicist says [View all]Kalidurga
(14,177 posts)I can't think of a single instance where calling someone a loser for whatever reason or shaming them has actually led to a behavior change. Smoking rates have dropped, but I think that is more about the high tax put on cigarettes rather than draconian measures and shaming. And I can't imagine a drug treatment plan that consists of an addict going to treatment and getting berated for being a drug user. And teenagers know the stigma of having a baby at such a young age, yet somehow pregnancy rates don't drop until young people have something they are trying to achieve, then they drop because they don't have time to mess around.
As a disclaimer I am currently extremely obese. Being made fun of never once stopped me from eating. It might have stopped me from pigging out in a social situation, but I could and did get plenty of food at home. In fact, in many cases I would just eat more, because food wasn't making fun of me. After decades of being shamed the only thing that seems to work is finding out what foods satisfy me. And it wasn't even close to what I imagined it would be. We need to teach real nutrition and I don't know what will ever make that happen.