Life

“Wow! Have you lost weight?” Why weight-loss compliments are problematic

Complimenting someone on their weight-loss is problematic.

The chances are you don’t know the reason behind their weight-loss, you don’t know what their relationship with their body is like, and you don’t know what your comment will do.

Elaina Mowle has cystic fibrosis. She was at her smallest when she was seriously unwell but since gaining weight she has struggled with body image.

Martha Williams, from Clapham, is on the clinical team at the UK’s leading eating disorder charity and has personally suffered with bulimia.

She explained how a weight-loss comment could send someone with an eating disorder into a spiral of over-evaluation and shame.

I recently lost a lot of weight under mysterious circumstances and am prefer how I look even though I may be unhealthier than I was before.

Click here to read and watch the full piece, exploring weight-loss and weight-related compliments from three points of view.

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