You have a powerful voice. It’s important to know what to say
What to Say is for You
If you are seeking to give young people you love an alternative to diet culture and “body ideals,” but are unsure how start, we provide free resources that are easy to understand and implement.
Together, we can work to give every young person a whole group of role models who are creating environments with health and well-being as the priority.
What is Diet Culture and “Body Ideals”?
Diet culture promotes weight loss (or “bulking up”) to achieve higher status. It sets external rules about eating and exercise, chasing an impossible body ideal. This pursuit can be harmful or even deadly. Diet culture’s pervasiveness has normalized the pursuit of the “body ideal” through restrictive diets and exercise and it has become so common it is often encouraged.
We encourage adults to practically make this shift away from diet culture by refraining from discussing diet and weight around kids and teens.
What is Diet & Weight Talk?
Diet Talk
This includes any conversation about restricting or villainizing foods or food groups for the sake of wanting to change one’s body weight, size, or shape.
Weight Talk
Our What to Say Pledge to stop diet and weight talk is a great first step. We know dieting and body/weight dissatisfaction can lead to a host of mental health concerns and are the top two predictors of children and teens developing eating disorders.
Or check out our full library of resources for parents, coaches, and health care professionals. All the resources provided here are based on substantial research, created to meet the specific concerns facing your child.
Our What to Say Pledge to stop diet and weight talk is a great first step.
Join concerned adults from 20+ countries and stand with What to Say as we work to prevent eating disorders and inspire well-being. You’ll receive our Simple Guide for What to Say and a monthly tip to help protect kids’ positive body image and food relationships.