Bias, Discrimination, and Obesity
Obese individuals are highly stigmatized in our society, with bias and discrimination being common outcomes.1-3 The prevalence of weight discrimination has increased by 66% in the past decade4 and is now comparable to and in some cases exceeds racial discrimination.5 Given the prevalence of overweight and obesity in the American population, the number of children and adults potentially faced with stigmatization is immense. The consequences of being denied jobs, disadvantaged in education, marginalized by health-care professionals, or victimized by peers because of one’s weight can have a profound impact on quality of life. Obese individuals can suffer terribly from both direct discrimination and less overt behaviors (e.g., teasing and social exclusion) that arise from weight-related stigma.
