BODY ISSUES IN THE WORKPLACE: A NEW PERSPECTIVE

Have you been harassed or bullied at your workplace over your weight or physical appearance?

If so, odds are that your harassers were not only breaking the law, but that they were also blaming you for issues that are completely out of your control.

Weight is a big issue in modern America. According to estimates from the CDC, two-thirds of Americans are overweight, and one-third of Americans are obese. Being overweight can not only predispose you to getting picked on at the office, but it can also increase your risk for a host of unpleasant diseases, including diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease.

The standard thinking on the topic of obesity is pretty straightforward: you get fat because you eat too many calories, and you need to eat less and exercise more. This theory about obesity is moralistic, in that it effectively blames overweight people for being gluttonous and/or slothful.

But a new theory — that has been gaining steam in medical circles — blames hormones, not “overeating” on obesity. This theory suggests that certain foods, such as refined carbohydrates and sugars, damage the body’s hormonal balance and cause excess fat to be stored in the fat tissue.

Per this theory, the problem is not excess calories in the diet, per se; rather, it is that certain elements of the diet literally make your fat calls fat. This theory is more humane. It does not blame obesity on gluttony and sloth. Hormonal imbalance is the real villain.

The theory does not suggest a quick fix for obesity, but it could empower millions of Americans who feel ashamed of their bodies to stand up for themselves more and resist bullying at the workplace and beyond.

If you need help with an employment law problem, please reach out to attorney Nancy Gray today for a free and thorough consultation about your rights and resources.