Recently PETA launched its “Save the Whales” campaign. Residents and tourists in Palm Beach, FL can’t help but notice the giant billboard featuring the back of an obese, bikini-clad woman with a slogan reading “Save the Whales. Lose the Blubber. Go Vegetarian.” A recent blog on PETA’s website states they are trying to remind residents and tourists that eating a vegetarian diets offers weight loss benefits, pointing to statistics showing vegetarians are 20 to 30 percent leaner than those who eat meat.

"Trying to hide your thunder thighs and balloon belly is no day at the beach," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman.

Some may not see a problem with this type of advertising, after all, obesity is known to be an escalating problem in this country. Some may even find it funny. But for those struggling with their weight, ads like PETA’s can be hurtful, and in some cases, make the situation worse: it is often shame, guilt, and embarrassment that lead individuals to overeat as a way to cope with such feelings. PETA advocates the ethical treatment of animals, yet seem to have forgotten the ethical treatment of their fellow human beings.  If this ad is meant as a reminder that a vegetarian diet offers health benefits, they really missed the mark.

Not only has this ad managed to be hurtful and offensive, it is also inaccurate. While it is true that a vegetarian diet can reduce health problems like heart disease and Type II diabetes, simply cutting meat from one’s diet will not result in weight loss or guarantee changes in health. The weight loss benefit one gets from eating a vegetarian diet is the result of learning to eat the correct portion of whole foods such as beans, legumes, fruits and veggies. There are plenty of high-fat, high-calorie processed vegetarian foods lining supermarket shelves!

Unfortunately, this type of offensive advertisement is commonplace and not going away anytime soon. We can’t control the negative messages aimed at us. Nor can we control being hurt by them. But we can control how much we let them affect our health goals. For those of you struggling with weight loss: stay strong! You can learn ways to deal with negative emotions and learn new behaviors to help you feel good, inside and out!