TEDxRyersonU - Julie Rochefort - Shift the Focus

Lazy. Stupid. Worthless. From news media and magazines to professional conferences and government reports, these are the words often used to describe overweight and obese individuals. The endorsements of such stereotypes often lead to extreme weight loss practices which can induce feelings of guilt and shame. Despite the robust research demonstrating the negative impacts of weight-based discrimination, the stigma of obesity has yet to be addressed as a legitimate concern. Shift the Focus questions the science informing us about weight. It questions how and when weight discrimination became acceptable? Shift the Focus is about reclaiming our right to health and well being regardless of our size. Shift the Focus is about putting an end to weight-based discrimination.

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

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  People & Blogs

[alakazannah]

@Batta0909 I don't think you got it. One major point of the talk is that you shouldn't assume fat people just eat "cake and fast food" and don't exercise. Regardless of weight, if you take care of yourself (eat right and stay active), you're more likely to have better health stats. Sounds like you agree with that, yet you're still judging.

[Rebecca Scritchfield]

Great talk! I think everyone with a computer should watch this video instead of the TV shows supposedly trying to help people with their health. I would guess everyone knows at least one person who has been judged based on their weight. She is raising a flag that weight discrimination does not help people live healthy. Focus on your behaviors and self-care.

[dreaminginnoother]

i recently watched another ted talks where the guy basically says being fat makes you dumb because of it's effect on the brain.

[singinwithceline]

I love this! Sharing it with my ED support group!

[ShLanda Burton]

Great info!

[Amelia Elizabeth]

It was actually saying that underweight people have the highest risk of death - above the red line means they're more likely to die than people at a normal weight. Makes sense since usually to remain underweight you need to eat way less than you should (sometimes without even realising - some people just don't have big appetites) and therefore miss out on heaps of nutrition.

[Jacqui Gingras]

Thank you, Julie for adding to our dialogue about weight stigma, thin privilege, and health at every size (HAES). Viewers should consider that HAES does not mean encouraging people to give up on their health, but to be ever more attuned to how health can be achieved at the weight people are at RIGHT NOW. Three principles: acceptance, activity, intuitive eating. We can do all these three things right now and with compassion move closer to health. With compassion and with ethics. Julie, brava!

[yrbabuena]

Thank you very much for this talk. I will be forwarding this! One question, I'm surprised to see in the first chart that underweight people have the lowest risk of death. That has not been my understanding. I couldn't read the name of the authors or study name. Would you please post that here? Thank you - and thanks again for being a wonderful ally against harmful and misguided weight discrimination.