65
views
0
recommends
+1 Recommend
0 collections
    0
    shares
      • Record: found
      • Abstract: found
      • Article: not found

      Obesity stigma: important considerations for public health.

      American Journal of Public Health
      Health Behavior, Humans, Obesity, prevention & control, psychology, Prejudice, Public Health, Quality of Health Care, Social Justice, Stereotyping

      Read this article at

      ScienceOpenPublisherPMC
      Bookmark
          There is no author summary for this article yet. Authors can add summaries to their articles on ScienceOpen to make them more accessible to a non-specialist audience.

          Abstract

          Stigma and discrimination toward obese persons are pervasive and pose numerous consequences for their psychological and physical health. Despite decades of science documenting weight stigma, its public health implications are widely ignored. Instead, obese persons are blamed for their weight, with common perceptions that weight stigmatization is justifiable and may motivate individuals to adopt healthier behaviors. We examine evidence to address these assumptions and discuss their public health implications. On the basis of current findings, we propose that weight stigma is not a beneficial public health tool for reducing obesity. Rather, stigmatization of obese individuals threatens health, generates health disparities, and interferes with effective obesity intervention efforts. These findings highlight weight stigma as both a social justice issue and a priority for public health.

          Related collections

          Author and article information

          Journal
          20075322
          2866597
          10.2105/AJPH.2009.159491

          Chemistry
          Health Behavior,Humans,Obesity,prevention & control,psychology,Prejudice,Public Health,Quality of Health Care,Social Justice,Stereotyping

          Comments

          Comment on this article