A dietician with the Huron County Public Health Unit says too many people are confusing weight with health, with a tendency to criticize people who may weigh more than we think they should.
Amy MacDonald said not everyone fits the conventional perception of the ideal weight and in fact, healthy people come in all shapes and sizes.
"We definitely live in a culture that has put too much value and attention on weight and we know that weight isn't necessarily a good predictor of health," she said.
MacDonald said research has shown that people can benefit from a change in nutrition, but she says that change in nutrition may not change their weight. She added that shaming someone for their weight can have significant negative effects.
"We can't tell how healthy someone is just by looking at them, so we're asking people to question that thought process when you see somebody who is larger than you think they should be," said MacDonald. "Don't assume that they're not already performing healthy behaviours to take care of their health."
