Anti-Diet ≠ Anti-Vax

Conspiracy theories, genuine scientific debates, and how to tell the difference

This week’s question is from a reader named Rebeccah, who writes:

Hi Christy. First of all, thank you. I’ve never had an eating disorder but as a plus-sized woman I have had lifelong struggles with body shame and lack of self confidence. Your podcast (among other things) has helped me feel better about my worth and stop planning for a future when “I’ll be skinny and finally do what I want.”

However, I’m having an issue because I’m a data-driven person, and to be blunt, the anti-diet Health At Every Size [HAES] approach is not a unanimous consensus in the healthcare community. When I google these topics I see a lot of scientists and doctors pushing back, advocating exercise/weight loss for various issues, and stating bluntly the health risks of obesity. This makes me worried that anti-diet sentiment is essentially a conspiracy theory, like being anti-vaccine, where there are fringe groups for it but everyone else knows they are wrong. How do I know I’m not risking my health for a conspiracy theory?