Table 1.
BAM-Health sessions outline, sample activities, sample discussion questions (italicized), and level(s) of the socioecological model targeted within each section
| BAM-Health | Section | Sample Activities and Discussion Questions | SEM Targets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session 1 | Size Terminology | Participants discuss their feelings and reactions to the word “fat.” Terminology such as a thin, straight-size, plus-size, people with larger bodies, and obese are also discussed. | Intrapersonal, Structural |
| Definition of Fatphobia/Anti-Fat Bias |
Participants create a list of how weight stigma manifests at intrapersonal, interpersonal, and structural levels in their personal lives and in healthcare and discuss the costs of weight stigma at each of these levels. Weighing the costs of weight stigma and bias in our society, in what ways might you be personally and professionally invested in dismantling anti-fat bias? |
Intrapersonal, Interpersonal, and Structural | |
| Weight and Health |
Who gets to define health? What might be overlooked or lost if we leave the definition of health up to the healthcare system? According to what we’re generally taught about health, how are [weight, health, and worth] related to each other? |
Structural | |
| Body Mass Index |
When you see BMI in a patient’s chart, what does it mean to you? What initial judgments do you have when you see that someone has an elevated BMI? What are some examples where individuals may have different access to care based on their BMI? Have you ever experienced discrimination based on your BMI? What was that like? |
Intrapersonal, Structural | |
| Session 2 | Debriefing “Worst Case Scenario” Activity |
Between sessions, participants are asked to write about their fears related to weight gain, which was then discussed during the session. Take a minute to think about your core values. How would living with a fear of weight gain affect your ability to live in accordance with the things you care about most? |
Intrapersonal |
| Debriefing “Uprooting Internalized Anti-Fat Bias” Activity | Between sessions, participants are asked to brainstorm a list of 10 actions they can take to dismantle internalized weight stigma and to share their plans for making 2 to 3 of those actions happen. This was discussed during the session. | Intrapersonal | |
| Role Plays and Quick Comebacks | Participants practiced how they might respond to weight stigma in their personal and professional lives. | Interpersonal | |
| Debriefing “Fat Activism” Activity | Between sessions, participants are asked to brainstorm a list of 10 actions they can take to dismantle structural weight stigma in the healthcare system and to share their plans for making 2 to 3 of those actions happen. This was discussed during the session. | Structural |