The impact of diet culture on employee well-being

It’s a familiar scene that can make you feel uncomfortable: You’re in your company lunchroom about to dig into a yummy salad when your coworker comes in. “You’re so good! I’m bad for having pizza and need to get back on track tomorrow,” they say, triggering a flood of thoughts.

Does this mean I’m bad because I ate pizza last night? I don’t feel comfortable talking about diets at work. How can I respond without putting them down?

Body image is a sensitive topic that affects most of us—73% of people wish they could change the way they look (Butterfly Foundation). Yet we speak about diets often and openly, perhaps to relate to others or with the hope we’ll feel better about our insecurities by doing so.

Continue reading for tips on fostering a body-neutral workplace.