HAES was initially a diet program that took women who were characterized by (1) middle aged (2) overweight or obese (3) tried numerous diets and failed due to emotional reasons (ex. I had a bad day and cake makes me happy, I had one slice but then I couldn't control myself; I swear it's the stress but I haven't been on my diet in the last week). The HAES model was to take focus off of calorie counting and their bodyweight and to focus on food quality and community. Turns out that when you get people who go off their diets due to stress and depression, give them a community, and refocus them onto healthy living rather than aesthetic concerns they... get ready for it... lose body fat and report higher well being and satisfaction with their lives.

A few studies that demonstrate this style of eating had a healthy chance in eating behaviours and lifestyle changes.

Then it was taken over by people who relish in their unhealthy lifestyles but feel entitled enough to want everything, including the concept of health and wellness, without working for it. Now the name has been tainted and I doubt implementing a HAES approach in social settings would work because the corrupted definition has more renown than the legitimate one which is actually a nice lifestyle intervention which, ironically, has the primary goal of weight loss and well being (two things tumblr-HAES seems to discourage).