Addressing weight stigma and communicating with patients

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Sociology
• Psychology

Background:

• Weight stigma is a pervasive issue affecting individuals across all ages and demographics.
• Experiences of weight stigma occur throughout the lifespan and in various societal contexts.
• These experiences encompass verbal and physical behaviors with significant, lasting mental and physical health consequences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the pervasive nature of weight stigma.
• To emphasize the detrimental effects of weight stigma, particularly within healthcare settings.
• To advocate for a comprehensive, whole-system approach to combat weight stigma.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing evidence on weight stigma.
• Analysis of the impact of weight stigma on mental and physical health.
• Examination of weight stigma's influence on patient-practitioner relationships and healthcare seeking behaviors.

Main Results:

• Weight stigma negatively impacts mental and physical health.
• Weight stigma in healthcare settings harms patient-practitioner interactions and deters healthcare utilization.
• Effective interventions require long-term strategies and societal-level change.

Conclusions:

• Weight stigma is a significant public health concern requiring immediate attention.
• A whole-system approach, integrating policy and practice changes, is essential to address entrenched weight stigma attitudes.
• Interventions must be sustained and society-wide to effectively combat weight stigma.