“Healthism” is the name for a concept where a person is morally obligated and entirely responsible for improving their own health without considering factors that are outside of their control. In this video, learn when caring for one’s health can veer into harmful healthism.
References
Ambwani, S., et al. (2020). “It’s healthy because it’s natural.” Perceptions of “clean” eating among U.S. adolescents and emerging adults. Nutrients
Brown, R. (2018). Resisting moralisation in health promotion. Ethical Theory and Moral Practice.
Crawford, R. (1980). Healthism and the medicalisation of everyday life. International Journal of Health Services.
Ferguson, F. (2013). The HAES files: Speculations on healthism and privilege. Association for Size Diversity and Health.
Friesen, P. (2018). Personal responsibility within health policy: unethical and ineffective. Journal of Medical Ethics.
Haman, L., et al. (2015). Orthorexia Nervosa: An integrative literature review of a lifestyle syndrome. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Health and Well-being.
National Eating Disorder Association. (n.d.). Body image and eating disorders.
National Institute of Health. (2023). Factors affecting weight and health.
Phelan, S. M., et al. (2015). Impact of weight bias and stigma on quality of care and outcomes for patients with obesity. Obesity reviews: an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity.
Puhl, R., et al. (2010). Obesity Stigma: Important considerations for public health. American Journal of Public Health.
Rysst, M. (2010). Healthism and looking good: Body ideals and body practices in Norway. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health.
Stein, R., et al. (1995). Moral overtones of food: Judgments of others based on what they eat. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Social determinants of health.
Zucker, T. Eating disorders vs. disordered eating: What’s the difference?. National Eating Disorder Association.
Why trust our experts?













