It’s time to eliminate weight stigma and discrimination. But how?
It’s time to eliminate weight stigma
and discrimination. But how?
Weight stigma and discrimination is pervasive. There are copious reports
from across the world of stereotypical attitudes and discriminatory practices
that ultimately mean the rights of people with obesity have been removed. How
can we as educators, practitioners, consultants and other, work collaboratively
to reduce weight stigma and discrimination?
Reports of weight stigma and discrimination towards both children and
adults has increased over time. People with obesity report experiences of
weight stigma almost daily across a range of settings including healthcare,
workplaces, and education settings. For instance, a recent report from the All Party
Parliamentary Group (UK) reported that “88% of people with obesity have been stigmatised,
criticised or abused as a direct result of their obesity”, and that only “26%
of people with obesity reported being treated with dignity and respect by
healthcare professionals when seeking advice or treatment for their obesity”. Healthcare
settings should represent a safe environment that is free from stigma and
discrimination of all forms. People should be able to communicate freely within
healthcare settings without fear or anxiety of being judged, stereotyped or
discriminated against.
The increasing reports of weight stigma and discrimination is concerning
given the associations between experiences of weight stigma and mental health
concerns such as depression and anxiety, but also physical health concerns such
as cardio-metabolic risk factors. This also highlights the importance of
intervening to reduce weight stigma and discriminatory practices. This has to
be a priority going forward.
The accumulation of evidence that demonstrates the widespread nature of
weight stigma and discrimination, and the impact of these experiences has meant
that many public health authorities and organisations such as the Worlds Health
Organisation (2017) have released statements to raise awareness of weight
stigma and discrimination. However, to date, there has been a paucity of
efforts to reduce weight stigma and discrimination.
Why do people develop stigmatising
attitudes about obesity?
The media are consistently identified as a source that encourages and in some
cases promotes, weight stigma and discrimination. Evidence of inaccurate,
stereotypical and discriminatory media portrayal of people with obesity has
been reported for some time but appears to have increased in recent years.
Thus, there is a need to intervene with media portrayal to ensure that the
public receive accurate, non-stigmatising or discriminatory portrayal of
obesity. The media inevitably raise awareness and therefore in some cases,
educate people about a range of topics including health. Thus, it appears
imperative that media portrayal is unbiased. In doing so, improving media
portrayal represents one of several steps to addressing the formation and
maintenance of stigmatising attitudes towards people with obesity.
Please join us in our #obsmuk chat to discuss weight stigma in general
and how we can reduce experiences of stigma and discrimination. The chat will
take place on 23rd May at 8pm UK time. We will discuss the following
questions:
Questions:
1. Why is weight stigma evident in our
society?
2.
Why has weight stigma and discrimination increased?
3.
What is the impact of weight stigma and discrimination?
4.
What can we do to reduce weight stigma and discrimination?
5. In the recent APPG report on obesity,
“94% of respondents believe that there is not enough understanding of the
causes of obesity amongst the public, politicians and other stakeholders”. How
can we address this lack of understanding?
Dr Stuart W. Flint
Senior
Research Fellow in Public Health and Obesity, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds,
UK
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