Fat FAQ

1. Aren't you promoting being unhealthy?

No, we embraced the "Health at Every Size: (HAES) principles". We encourage people of all sizes to eat right and exercise. We think that health care should focus on the person and their medical care, not what size they are.

2. They say that 300,000 people die of obesity?

Obesity is not a cause of death, although it may be a symptom of a disease (just like being underweight), but being obese doesn't automatically make you unhealthy. Also the 300,000 statistic have been disproven. The 300,000 stat came from a 1993 Journal of the American Medical Association article. The article states: "Dietary factors and activity patterns that are too sedentary are together accountable for at least 300,000 deaths each year." Weight is never mentioned in the article. On April 24, 2005 the CDC downgraded that number to 112,000 per year and annouced that being moderately overweight according to BMI was healthier than being normal weight. A recent study in Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) by Katherine Flegal of the CDC and her colleagues indicating that the number of overweight and obesity-related deaths is actually about 26,000.

3. I heard that Gastric Bypass is the only way to lose weight and keep it off?

Many of us believe Gastric Bypass is forced anorexia with the mistaken notion that fat people are fat because they eat more than thin folks. Gastric Bypass is a major surgical procudure with 1-2% death rate (higher for people over 35) and 50% chance of not keeping the weight off or not losing at all. According to the National Institutes of Health site on Weight Loss Surgery, 10-20% of people need follow up surgery, 30% develop nutritional deficiencies plus the surgery cost $15,000. The Pro-WLS crowd is also catering the surgery to teens and children although there are little studies down on the effects on growing bodies.

4. If you eat right and exercise how come you don't lose weight?

There are many reasons why a person can eat right and exercise but not lose weight: They could be building up muscle tone or their body is at its set point. Family genetics also play an important role in size and weight. The same way a tall person cannot make him of her self shorter.

5. I saw a fat person eating ice cream, I bet if he didn't eat it, he would lose weight?

Ninety-eight percent of all diets fail and I hardly think that's the fault of having ice cream. Thin people have ice cream too, but the difference is they often aren't chastied for it.

6. Look, I'm fat, I love me, I don't stop living life until I lose weight, but I am on a diet and I'm not getting off until I lose the weight.

That's okay, you have the right to do what you want with your body, but NYC-NAAFA is not a place to share dieting tips.

7. Are thin people allow in your group?

YES! People from every background and every size are welcome! As long as you agree with the principle that everyone is equal no matter what their size.

8. What is a FA/FFA?

FA is a fat admirer, FFA is a female fat admirer. FA/FFA's prefer chubby partners or in long term relationships with a chubby partner.

9. I'm a FA/FFA who wants to meet a chubby partner?

Can I meet one at a NAAFA Meeting? While FA and FFA's are welcomed to NYC-NAAFA meetings. The meetings are to discuss activism and issues in the fat community. We are not a dating club. Long ago when NAAFA started it was a social group because there was nothing like it at the time, but now there are lots of dance clubs exclusively for the purpose of meeting someone. Try Goddesses and Large Encounters to start.

10. Why do you meet at a gym?

We meet at Rochelle Rice's in Fitness and Health which is a studio that focuses on fun exercise classes for women with larger bodies.

11. What is NAAFA and how did it start?

NAAFA, the National Association to Advanced Fat Acceptance was started in 1969 by William Fabrey who did not like the way his fat wife was treated.

12. What kind of activism do you do?

We've done some protests against Walk against Obesity, The Great American Weight in. We've also had rallies celebrating Body Liberation and International No Diet Day. We often team up with the great women of NO-LOSE. At NAAFA conventions we have organized fun, low impact workouts and sometimes host activism or informative workshops.

13. What about the fat person who doesn't eat right or exercise? Do you shun them?

Not at all! We encourage moment and healthy eating, but we also believe that all fat people should have same rights as thin people no matter what their eating habits.