Reviews of both adult and child obesity stigma research by study co-authors Dr Rebecca Puhl, from Yale University, and Dr Janet Latner, from the University of Hawaii, have shown that weight-related teasing and obesity stigma have serious psychological, physical and social consequences.

People with obesity also report receiving poorer treatment and stigma from health professionals and are less likely to seek treatment for certain conditions because of a fear of being stigmatised.

Dr Puhl said: "Unfortunately, weight stigma towards obese patients is very common in health care settings and efforts are clearly needed to reduce biased attitudes among health professionals and to improve quality of health care towards this patient population."

Dr O'Brien added: "We were surprised by how few efforts to reduce obesity prejudice or weight stigma had been made, particularly within health professionals who are tasked with treating overweight and obese patients. Perhaps this represents a tacit acceptance that obesity prejudice is somehow okay."

The authors suggest the results should not be interpreted as providing justification for reducing the emphasis on diet and exercise as cornerstones of obesity prevention. Instead, they say health educators should ensure that balanced information on the causes of obesity is delivered in a convincing manner.

The study adopted a model of persuasion often used in advertising, but also provided motivation for students to process course material in depth, with related assignments contributing 10% to course grades. This may be a valuable component for other stigma-reduction strategies. By assigning a tangible value to the information presented, the curriculum reinforces the importance and credibility of that information to students.

Source: Obesity