Counteracting obesity discrimination and stigma: A scoping review

Obesity is a chronic disease that is widespread worldwide. Its diagnosis is based on specific criteria, including a body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m2 or waist circumference measurement. The consequences of obesity include type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, an increased risk of infectious complications, cancer, and even death. Patients living with obesity are subjected to constant negative evaluation by society through the process of stigmatization. Available data suggest that people with obesity experience stigma in the workplace, at school, on the Internet, and in healthcare settings. Stigmatization is largely driven by a lack of understanding and knowledge about obesity and its underlying causes. People living with obesity are often judged as lazy and accused of having excessive body weight as a consequence of an inappropriate lifestyle. In Poland, the high level of stigmatization of patients with obesity is accompanied by a low level of knowledge about the disease. However, the willingness to help patients, as declared by medical professionals in Poland, offers hope that appropriate education may improve access to effective treatment. Well-designed educational interventions, social campaigns, and the activities of medical societies in developing guidelines, recommendations, and communication manuals for healthcare professionals working with patients living with obesity should constitute essential elements in the fight against stigma. In addition, cooperation with decision-makers to prevent the exclusion of patients with obesity from the healthcare system is necessary.