What is HAES
What is Health at Every Size?
The Association for Size Diversity and Health (ASDAH) developed the first principles of Health at Every Size® in 2003 and later revised them in 2013 to the five principles listed below.
​
The Association for Size Diversity and Health states, "the framing for a Health At Every Size (HAES®) approach comes out of discussions among healthcare workers, consumers, and activists who reject both the use of weight, size, or BMI as proxies for health, and the myth that weight is a choice. The HAES model is an approach to both policy and individual decision-making. It addresses broad forces that support health, such as safe and affordable access. It also helps people find sustainable practices that support individual and community well-being. The HAES approach honors the healing power of social connections, evolves in response to the experiences and needs of a diverse community, and grounds itself in a social justice framework."
​
The Health At Every Size® Principles are:
-
Weight Inclusivity
-
Health Enhancement
-
Respectful Care
-
Eating for Wellbeing
-
Life-Enhancing Movement
At Rooted Path, we are dedicated to providing care from the foundation of the above-mentioned HAES principles. This means that we approach each person with the understanding that your weight and body size is not a clear indicator of your health and we vehemently oppose the toxic messaging of diet culture and fatphobia. We do not pathologize weight and body size or operate under the assumption that people in diverse bodies are that way because of something that they have done (read: done WRONG). In considering complex cases of disordered patterns/eating disorders in combination with other chronic diseases or states of health, we do not use weight loss as a placeholder for a goal to achieve wellness. Instead, we celebrate body diversity and utilize evidence-based practices besides weight to determine health status and to guide us in using medical nutrition therapy to bring your body back into balance or to maintain optimal functionality.
We acknowledge the inherent biases that we have as practitioners and as cisgender women living in bodies whose size is more acceptable according to diet culture. We recognize our thin and white privilege and aim to use our platform as a way to highlight and uplift people engaged in communities that do not have the same privilege and to bring healing and restoration to those who have damaged relationships with food and body.
Our goal is to use our knowledge and expertise to empower all people, no matter their socioeconomic background, body size, shape, color, or sexual orientation to find peace with food and with their own bodies. We are dedicated to continuing to educate ourselves on how we can best show up for people in marginalized communities without causing further harm. Our goal with all treatment is to focus on finding peace and joy despite the conflict-ridden and confusing world we live in, especially when it comes to food.