NAAFA Hits Another Home Run with 2nd NAAFA HAES Summit!

FOSTER CITY, CA, August 15, 2012 (Press-News.org) On Monday, August 6th, following their annual convention, NAAFA convened its second NAAFA HAES Summit with the theme of Equality At Every Size using HAES. Over forty individuals from various health related fields were in attendance. These included physicians, psychologists, nutritionists, researchers and health advocates representing several organizations, non-profits and academic institutions, including attendees from Japan and Canada.

The Summit's keynote speaker psychologist, Dr. Debora Burgard, PhD, FAED, HAES pioneer, writer, activist and NAAFA Advisory Board member, kicked off the summit with a her presentation entitled, Your Problem with My Body is a Problem for My Health. She set the tone for the day by intertwining her personal journey with both humanity and the analytical lens of a psychologist. "Dr. Burgard demonstrated her brilliant ability to tell her story, while supporting it with data and facts to challenge the status quo. She received a standing ovation at the conclusion of her incredible presentation. It was definitely a moment to remember!" says, Lisa Tealer, NAAFA HAES Summit Chair and NAAFA Board Member.

Summit highlights include:

• Veteran health care providers, physicians and fitness experts shared HAES methods of influencing their colleagues and better serving their patients and clients. These panelists were contributors to NAAFA's Guidelines for Therapists, Guidelines for Health Care Providers and Guidelines for Fitness Professionals.

• Emerging community leaders included NAAFA's 2012 HAES Scholar, Natalie Ingraham, a UCSF doctoral student who shared her work on a critical analysis of the show The Biggest Loser.

• Strategies and programs were presented which incorporate HAES in the workplace landscape and wellness programs.

• Academics in the nutrition and health education fields shared how they utilize HAES in their classroom through curricula development and by coaching students.

• A Poster and Market Place of Ideas reception highlighted the NAAFA HAES Scholar's research project, as well as organizations' and individual attendees' HAES-based materials, books and services.

• A screening of STRONG!, a documentary featuring Olympic Weightlifting Champion Cheryl Haworth, was followed by a discussion with director Julie Wyman. This unique opportunity offered Julie insight from HAES practitioners and a discussion of ideas to potentially develop body positive curriculum based on her film.

NAAFA will continue to organize this ground-breaking summit every other year in the San Francisco Bay Area. Watch for the announcement of the 3rd NAAFA HAES Summit in 2014!

Founded in 1969, NAAFA is a non-profit civil rights organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for fat people. NAAFA works to eliminate discrimination based on body size and provide fat people with the tools for self-empowerment through public education, advocacy, and member support.

On the web: http://www.naafa.org

For more information contact:
Peggy Howell, Public Relations Director
e-mail: pr@naafaonline.com phone: 916-558-6880