MIND your language!

Fat, lazy, chubby and ugly, just some of the words we use to describe ourselves when we’re overweight. A new study has found almost two thirds (60%) of adults have said there are times in their life where they struggle with their weight or body image, and of those, three quarters (74%) have used negative self-deprecating language when talking about their own weight or body.

The MIND your language report, looks at how we use language around weight and body image to denigrate ourselves which has a negative impact on our self-esteem and can then spiral into self-loathing. The research, commissioned by Slimming World, which gathered feelings and opinions from online research platforms and surveys of both the general public and Slimming World members, found significant differences between positive and negative language we use when describing ourselves – 63% of us use negative language compared to only 37% using positive language when talking about ourselves and our body image.

The top negative words used were fat (32%), unattractive (26%), chubby (23%), lazy (18%) and ugly (18%). In comparison, positive words used were healthy (17%), confident (15%), fit (13%), curvy (11%) and attractive (9%).

Aston spoke to Dr Linda Papadopoulos, behavioural psychologist and Dr Jacquie Lavin, head of nutrition and research at slimming world to discuss the report/research in further detail and also they were on hand to offer advice.