A Multinational Survey: The Impact of Living With Obesity on Well-Being: A Plain Language Summary

What is this summary about? Obesity is a complex, long-term condition that affects far more than a person's physical health. It can impact emotional well-being (how happy a person feels), mental health (how a person feels about daily life), relationships, and quality of life. In a study of 7,000 people across a range of body sizes, researchers found that people living with obesity reported lower self-esteem (lower satisfaction with oneself), higher levels of depression (feeling sad or hopeless) and stress, and greater feelings of loneliness compared with those not living with obesity. Many also shared that they received less empathy (less understanding) and faced more stigma (judgment). These findings highlight the need for well-rounded care that focuses on empathy in all areas of well-being for people living with obesity. What is the purpose of this plain language summary? The number of people worldwide living with excess weight or obesity (people who weigh more than what is considered healthy) has increased in recent decades. Researchers in this study asked people living with obesity about their wellbeing. People interviewed in this study also shared their experiences with judgment (stigma) or understanding about their obesity. This study shows how greatly weight-related stigma can impact the well-being of people living with obesity.