Behavior Assessment

Behavior Assessment
Supporting the Physical and Emotional Health of Fat
People Through Personal and Social Change

The following behavior assessment can be used by anyone who wants to support the health and well-being of large, fat people. Use the following scale to indicate the frequency of each behavior listed below:

1 = never

2 = rarely

3 = occasionally

4 = frequently

5 = daily

How Often Do You _______________________________?:

never----------------daily

1. Make negative comments about your fatness 1 2 3 4 5

2. Make negatives comments about someone else's fatness 1 2 3 4 5

3. Directly or indirectly support the assumption that no one should be fat 1 2 3 4 5

4. Disapprove of fatness (in general) 1 2 3 4 5

5. Say or assume that someone is "looking good" because s/he has lost weight 1 2 3 4 5

6. Say something that presumes that a fat person(s) wants to lose weight 1 2 3 4 5

7. Say something that presumes that fat people should lose weight 1 2 3 4 5

8. Say something that presumes that fat people eat too much or "the wrong food" 1 2 3 4 5

9. Admire or approve of someone for losing weight 1 2 3 4 5

10. Disapprove of someone for gaining weight 1 2 3 4 5

11. Assume that something is "wrong" when someone gains weight 1 2 3 4 5

12. Admire weight-loss dieting 1 2 3 4 5

13. Admire rigidly controlled eating 1 2 3 4 5

14. Admire compulsive or excessive exercising 1 2 3 4 5

15. Tease or admonish someone about his/her eating (habits or choices) 1 2 3 4 5

16. Criticize someone's eating to a third person ("so-and-so eats way too much junk") 1 2 3 4 5

17. Discuss food in terms of "good / bad" 1 2 3 4 5

18. Talk about "being good" and "being bad" in reference to eating behavior 1 2 3 4 5

19. Talk about calories (in the usual dieter's fashion) 1 2 3 4 5

20. Say something that presumes being thin is better (or more attractive) than being fat 1 2 3 4 5

21. Comment that you don't wear a certain style because "it makes you look fat" 1 2 3 4 5

22. Comment that you love certain clothing because it "it makes you look thin" 1 2 3 4 5

23. Say something that presumes that fatness is unattractive 1 2 3 4 5

24. Participate in a "fat joke" by telling one or laughing/smiling at one 1 2 3 4 5

25. Support the diet industry by buying their services and/or products 1 2 3 4 5

26. Undereat and/or exercise obsessively to maintain an unnaturally low weight 1 2 3 4 5

27. Say something that presumes being fat is unhealthy 1 2 3 4 5

28. Say something that presumes being thin is healthy 1 2 3 4 5

29. Encourage someone to let go of guilt 1 2 3 4 5

30. Encourage or admire self-acceptance and self-appreciation / love 1 2 3 4 5

31. Encourage someone to feel good about his/her body as is 1 2 3 4 5

32. Openly admire a fat person's appearance 1 2 3 4 5

33. Openly admire a fat person's character, personality, or actions 1 2 3 4 5

34. Oppose / challenge fattism verbally 1 2 3 4 5

35. Oppose / challenge fattism in writing 1 2 3 4 5

36. Challenge or voice disapproval of a "fat joke" 1 2 3 4 5

37. Challenge myths about fatness and eating 1 2 3 4 5

38. Compliment ideas, behavior, character, etc. more often than appearance 1 2 3 4 5

39. Support organizations which advance fat acceptance (with your time or money) 1 2 3 4 5

Behaviors #1-28 are all unhelpful or downright harmful. Look over your answers to isolate areas which need improvement. Strive to avoid these and similar behaviors in the future.
Behaviors #29-38 help to support the fat acceptance movement. Re-read items where you marked "never" (1) or "rarely" (2); make a list of realistic goals for increasing supportive behavior.
The information in this brochure was developed by Susan Kano, author of Making Peace With Food, and is reprinted with her kind permission.

NAAFA PO BOX 188620, Sacramento, CA 95818 Phone:(916) 558-6880 Fax:(916) 558-6881

How Often Do You _______________________________?:		never----------------daily
1.	Make negative comments about your fatness	1	2	3	4	5
2.	Make negatives comments about someone else's fatness	1	2	3	4	5
3.	Directly or indirectly support the assumption that no one should be fat	1	2	3	4	5
4.	Disapprove of fatness (in general)	1	2	3	4	5
5.	Say or assume that someone is "looking good" because s/he has lost weight	1	2	3	4	5
6.	Say something that presumes that a fat person(s) wants to lose weight	1	2	3	4	5
7.	Say something that presumes that fat people should lose weight	1	2	3	4	5
8.	Say something that presumes that fat people eat too much or "the wrong food"	1	2	3	4	5
9.	Admire or approve of someone for losing weight	1	2	3	4	5
10.	Disapprove of someone for gaining weight	1	2	3	4	5
11.	Assume that something is "wrong" when someone gains weight	1	2	3	4	5
12.	Admire weight-loss dieting	1	2	3	4	5
13.	Admire rigidly controlled eating	1	2	3	4	5
14.	Admire compulsive or excessive exercising	1	2	3	4	5
15.	Tease or admonish someone about his/her eating (habits or choices)	1	2	3	4	5
16.	Criticize someone's eating to a third person ("so-and-so eats way too much junk")	1	2	3	4	5
17.	Discuss food in terms of "good / bad"	1	2	3	4	5
18.	Talk about "being good" and "being bad" in reference to eating behavior	1	2	3	4	5
19.	Talk about calories (in the usual dieter's fashion)	1	2	3	4	5
20.	Say something that presumes being thin is better (or more attractive) than being fat	1	2	3	4	5
21.	Comment that you don't wear a certain style because "it makes you look fat"	1	2	3	4	5
22.	Comment that you love certain clothing because it "it makes you look thin"	1	2	3	4	5
23.	Say something that presumes that fatness is unattractive	1	2	3	4	5
24.	Participate in a "fat joke" by telling one or laughing/smiling at one	1	2	3	4	5
25.	Support the diet industry by buying their services and/or products	1	2	3	4	5
26.	Undereat and/or exercise obsessively to maintain an unnaturally low weight	1	2	3	4	5
27.	Say something that presumes being fat is unhealthy	1	2	3	4	5
28.	Say something that presumes being thin is healthy	1	2	3	4	5

29.	Encourage someone to let go of guilt	1	2	3	4	5
30.	Encourage or admire self-acceptance and self-appreciation / love	1	2	3	4	5
31.	Encourage someone to feel good about his/her body as is	1	2	3	4	5
32.	Openly admire a fat person's appearance	1	2	3	4	5
33.	Openly admire a fat person's character, personality, or actions	1	2	3	4	5
34.	Oppose / challenge fattism verbally	1	2	3	4	5
35.	Oppose / challenge fattism in writing	1	2	3	4	5
36.	Challenge or voice disapproval of a "fat joke"	1	2	3	4	5
37.	Challenge myths about fatness and eating	1	2	3	4	5
38.	Compliment ideas, behavior, character, etc. more often than appearance	1	2	3	4	5
39.	Support organizations which advance fat acceptance (with your time or money)	1	2	3	4	5