How to Talk with Kids about Fatness
We talk with Sole-Smith about the word “fat," how to talk about body size, and why diets can backfire.
June 12, 2023
55 min
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1,841 of 3,393
June 12, 2023
How to Talk with Kids about Fatness
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America the Jesuit Review Episodes Around June 12, 2023
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55:47This episodeHow to Talk with Kids about Fatness
Summary
Diet culture permeates our society. And that’s impacting our kids. Children as young as 3 learn to associate being fat with negative traits, and anti-fat bias can be found in the doctor’s office, in the classroom and on the sports field. In her new book “Fat Talk,” author Virginia Sole-Smith argues we need to take a new approach to how we navigate and discuss fatness and anti-fat bias with our children. Because the current stigmatization isn’t making our kids any healthier. We talk with Sole-Smith about why the word “fat” is OK to use, how to talk about body size and why diets — even those masked as lifestyle changes — can backfire with children and adults.
Guests:
Virginia Sole-Smith, journalist and author, "Fat Talk: Parenting in the Age of Diet Culture," and "Eating Instinct: Food Culture, Body Image and Guilt in America;" she also publishes the newsletter "Burnt Toast"
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