Study finds the bleeding obvious: tough love, humiliation & negative doesn't work

[1300 Class]

Obese people are more likely to avoid the exercise they need to fight the battle if their loved ones tease and criticism them, a new study shows.
The study, published this month in the journal Obesity, surveyed 111 obese adult men and women about weight discrimination and how it influenced their motivation to exercise.
"This idea that we can use a tough love approach, it just doesn't seem to work," Dr Lenny Vartanian, a researcher from the University of NSW and lead author of the study said.
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"In fact it appears to backfire, making people less likely to exercise."
Dr Lenny Vartanian, who studies the psychology of body image and weight discrimination, said one reason for this could be the embarrassment felt by overweight people when others "stare, laugh or make negative comments".
"When we exercise this mostly takes place in public, like in a gym," he said.
"So if someone gets negative comments it makes people want to avoid being in those public situations."
Almost half of those surveyed reported experiencing some form of weight stigma at least once a week, whether it be hearing negative comments or missing out on a job because of their weight.
Respondents said the most hurtful comments came from spouses, family members and doctors.
Dr Vartanian said public policy should also focus on lessening discrimination against fat people.
"We have certain policies in place to guard against all those groups who have been historically marginalised, whether due to race or religion," he added.
"Fat stigma is really the last remaining acceptable form of discrimination."


Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/life...#ixzz1KLhdHJkF

Aside from concluding the obvious, that negative reinforcement, humiliation and 'tough love' totally fails in either motivation or results, is there anything new?

Also, does anybody read the journal Obesity?

[Dr. Feelgood]

I predict this study will have the impact of a plummeting feather. We don't advocate "tough love" because it works; we advocate it because it's emotionally satisfying to pick on people who aren't like us.

[Ernest Nagel]

Originally Posted by Dr. Feelgood

I predict this study will have the impact of a plummeting feather. We don't advocate "tough love" because it works; we advocate it because it's emotionally satisfying to pick on people who aren't like us.

Sad but true, Doc. Self-validation at the expense of others is pretty short-sighted though, even when it is auspiciously done from love and concern. Anything that produces no results beyond smug self-satisfaction is a recipe for anger, resentment and pain. That would probably be more obvious if the WL & HC industries didn't keep throwing fuel on the fire that warms their overstuffed wallets so well.

[imfree]

In my opinion, tough love only makes bitter people. The best it can do is to end an addiction without dealing with the root cause. For instance, in the case of alcoholism, leave us with a "dry drunk" who is not presently addicted, but has all of the old issues and is likely to fall back into addiction. Food is used as a coping mechanism by people who are already hurting inside. It is heinous that this world emotionally brow-beats hurting, obese people and thinks they're "motivating them to become healthier".

[penguin]

There are times when tough love can work, but it's entirely dependant on the situation. I agree that it doesn't usually work with weight loss. I get tired of people confusing weight with health. When they tell me they're concerned about my weight, they're concerned with the numbers or how I look. My health doesn't come into that. I don't mind those I care about being concerned about my health...just don't focus on the numbers. I'm more than what the scale says.

[HeavyDuty24]

Originally Posted by penguin

There are times when tough love can work, but it's entirely dependant on the situation. I agree that it doesn't usually work with weight loss. I get tired of people confusing weight with health. When they tell me they're concerned about my weight, they're concerned with the numbers or how I look. My health doesn't come into that. I don't mind those I care about being concerned about my health...just don't focus on the numbers. I'm more than what the scale says.

well said and i do agree!

[mithrandirjn]

Yeah, there's definitely varying degrees of tough love. Tough love to get a person to be more responsible or whatever? I don't always agree with it, but it doesn't have the same problems that it does when it comes to weight loss.

There are some people who need a bit of a kick in the butt to get motivated to work out or what have you, but once you start belittling a person or make them feel less of a person, you've lost the entire concept.

[tonynyc]

Originally Posted by imfree

In my opinion, tough love only makes bitter people. The best it can do is to end an addiction without dealing with the root cause. For instance, in the case of alcoholism, leave us with a "dry drunk" who is not presently addicted, but has all of the old issues and is likely to fall back into addiction. Food is used as a coping mechanism by people who are already hurting inside. It is heinous that this world emotionally brow-beats hurting, obese people and thinks they're "motivating them to become healthier".

Originally Posted by penguin

There are times when tough love can work, but it's entirely dependant on the situation. I agree that it doesn't usually work with weight loss. I get tired of people confusing weight with health. When they tell me they're concerned about my weight, they're concerned with the numbers or how I look. My health doesn't come into that. I don't mind those I care about being concerned about my health...just don't focus on the numbers. I'm more than what the scale says.

Originally Posted by mithrandirjn

Yeah, there's definitely varying degrees of tough love. Tough love to get a person to be more responsible or whatever? I don't always agree with it, but it doesn't have the same problems that it does when it comes to weight loss.

There are some people who need a bit of a kick in the butt to get motivated to work out or what have you, but once you start belittling a person or make them feel less of a person, you've lost the entire concept.

Wonder how Amy Chau's controversial book Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mom figures in all of this...

[HeavyDuty24]

Originally Posted by mithrandirjn

Yeah, there's definitely varying degrees of tough love. Tough love to get a person to be more responsible or whatever? I don't always agree with it, but it doesn't have the same problems that it does when it comes to weight loss.

There are some people who need a bit of a kick in the butt to get motivated to work out or what have you, but once you start belittling a person or make them feel less of a person, you've lost the entire concept.

i totally agree! some people just go too far with it,i know myself and i know what i need to do,people don't have to shove it down my throat to let me know! and it's funny because sometimes the people that are like that never see themselves,there's like alot of things they need to do but apparently are over-looking it or just not seeing it,which is messed up and almost hypocritical in a sense.

[BBW Betty]

Maybe the word is slowly getting out, though. We can only hope:

http://portal.tds.net/news/read.php?...ARSDCCL1_UNEWS