WIHMINU - Weight Inclusive Health

The Weight Inclusive Health Minor provides an overview of the frameworks available to provide weight inclusive care to individuals across the lifespan. All degree-seeking University of Arizona undergraduate students are eligible to participate. This program will specifically appeal to undergraduate students from schools and colleges that educate \"helping professions\" such as Nutritional Sciences, Psychology, Family Studies, Education, Nursing, and Public Health. It would also be helpful to students from health sciences schools and programs, including the College of Medicine.

Weight-inclusive care focuses on non-weight-based markers of health and wellness and doesn't use body weight as the focal point of treatment for intervention. Courses introduce and delve into weight stigma, health at every size (HAES®), non-diet approaches, and counseling techniques needed to ethically work with individuals in the healthcare settings. These topics improve the students' awareness of challenges faced in the healthcare field and will provide additional techniques that are useful for pursuing employment opportunities that focus on wellness and the prevention of maladaptive eating patterns, and other stress impacting chronic conditions. Knowledge of these topics addressing diversity within the wellness industry will set future health practitioners apart.