Susie Birney
Executive Director, Irish Coalition for People Living with Obesity and Operations Director, European Coalition for People Living with Obesity
People with obesity often feel shame and avoid sharing their experiences of stigma. We encourage the community to raise awareness about the harm caused by this stigma.
Weight stigma is common in the workplace. International Coalition for People Living with Obesity (ICPO) members report they see the microaggressions on an interviewer’s face when they enter the room or are told they didn’t get the promotion despite conducting an excellent interview.
Forms of obesity stigma in society
In society, people may avoid sitting beside someone living with obesity on public transport. On TV, we see people living with obesity ridiculed. Assumptions are often made that people who carry excess weight are not driven to be active or take part in sports, which is often untrue.
More complex is the stigma that comes from family. It is now reported in research to be the highest-reported form of stigma above that in healthcare.1 It is incredibly difficult to address, as it is almost entirely unintentional and unrecognised within the family.
How does a seven-year-old respond when they are brought to a slimming group by their mum so that they fit into a communion dress? Or, how would they respond to a parent who says they cannot sleep at night because they worry you are going to die of a heart attack?
Stigma in healthcare is one of
the forms of discrimination that
directly affects patients negatively.
Healthcare stigma impacts patients
Stigma in healthcare is one of the forms of discrimination that directly affects patients negatively, making them less likely to continue seeking care. Often, patients have a delayed diagnosis as the healthcare provider does not see past the weight.2 Assumptions are often high that a person has not lost weight before or doesn’t take their health seriously, and the words used are harmful.
After being subjected to multiple forms of stigma often on a daily basis, it is no surprise to understand that self-internalised stigma is prevalent for people living with obesity. This stigma is deeply rooted in the beliefs many have. It results in low self-esteem, depression and anxiety, maladaptive eating behaviours and, most worryingly, avoidance of healthcare.
People with obesity need support
People living with obesity want a better quality of life and better health. They are more invested in their welfare than you may believe. They just need to be listened to, supported and respected like everyone else.
[1] Kirk, SFL. et al. Canadian Adult Obesity Clinical Practice Guidelines: Reducing Weight Bias, Stigma and Discrimination in Obesity Management, Practice and Policy.
[2] O’Donoghue G. et al. 2021. A qualitative exploration of obesity bias and stigma in Irish healthcare; the patients’ voice. PLoS One.
