Intro To Weight Stigma

In a world too often preoccupied with dieting and body size, weight stigma reverberates throughout almost every area of life. It plays a major role in how we relate to food, our bodies, and our overall wellbeing.

Weight stigma is discrimination or bias against people based on their body size, and it fuels harmful cycles, shame related to appearance, and disordered eating. From doctor’s offices to social media, weight stigma shows up in ways that make it harder to trust our bodies and practice intuitive eating.

In this blog post, we’ll cover:

• What is weight stigma
• Where weight stigma comes from
• How weight stigma harms people
• What we can do to foster a more compassionate, weight-inclusive approach to health and wellbeing.

What is Weight Stigma?

Weight stigma refers to any discriminatory actions or ideals targeted towards people based on their weight or body size. It’s rooted in weight bias, which are the negative ideologies associated with people in larger bodies. This often reinforces harmful assumptions, like the idea that weight is correlated with laziness or a lack of willpower. These incorrect judgments can lead to social exclusion and unequal treatment in areas like work, healthcare, and day-to-day life (Source, CW Mention of Obesity*)

Weight stigma can show up in the form of implicit or explicit biases. Implicit biases are the subtle, often unconscious beliefs people may not realize they have, while explicit biases are more obvious, like public shaming or exclusion. Weight stigma is also reinforced by environments that fail to accommodate people in larger bodies, such as narrow airline seats or limited clothing options.

What is the prevalence of weight stigma? 

Weight stigma shows up in many corners of life, from the workplace to personal relationships, education, and healthcare. According to the American Psychological Association, over 40% of US adults report facing weight stigma at some point in their lives.

Despite its widespread impact, weight stigma lacks the same level of social or legal protections as other forms of discrimination. It’s not formally recognized as an “ism,” which can make it even harder for those affected to seek justice or support.

How does weight stigma show up?

Weight stigma creeps into nearly every area of life — workplace, relationships, schools, healthcare, and media — reinforcing the harmful belief that people in smaller bodies are more worthy, capable, or deserving of respect.

In the workplace, people in larger bodies are less likely to be hired for customer-serving positions, paid less, and more frequently disciplined or terminated (Source, CW Mention of Obesity*). These biases uphold a system that rewards certain body types while penalizing others, often without considering the wider range of factors that influence someone’s successes or challenges in their career.

Weight stigma also manifests in personal relationships. Close family members and romantic partners are unfortunately the most common source of stigmatizing comments, which can feel incredibly hurtful and isolating. This can deeply affect self-esteem and overall emotional wellbeing, especially when it comes from the people we love most.

Schools are another breeding ground for weight stigma, where weight and body size are some of the most common targets for bullying. Even educators can unintentionally perpetuate harm by spreading weight-normative messages, like the idea that only certain body types are “healthy” or valid. This can leave children feeling excluded and ashamed.

In healthcare, weight stigma can have life-threatening consequences. Instead of receiving proper care for concerns, people in larger bodies are often dismissed with a prescription to “just lose weight.” Shockingly, 66% of those who experience weight stigma have encountered it from physicians themselves (Fulton & Srinivasan, 2021). This bias leads to delayed diagnoses, mistrust in medical providers, and poor health outcomes.

Media reinforces weight stigma by over-representing characters in smaller bodies while portraying characters in larger bodies as “wacky” sidekicks, punchlines, or villains, for example:

Diet culture profits from this, often pushing the harmful (and false) narrative that weight is entirely within individual control. In reality, body size is the result of a complex mix of genetic, environmental, social, and cultural factors — none of which determines a person’s worth.

How does weight stigma harm people?

Weight stigma negatively affects our mental and emotional well-being, physical health, and social experiences.

Experiencing weight stigma can lead to low self-esteem, body dissatisfaction, and a higher risk for depression and anxiety. Individuals who are stigmatized for their weight may internalize negative messages reinforcing feelings of shame, self-doubt, and social isolation.

Contrary to the belief that shaming people about their weight motivates them, weight stigma actually contributes to worse health outcomes. It can lead to disordered eating behaviors, increased stress, and a negative relationship with exercise.

Research shows that weight stigma itself rather than body size can contribute to poor health outcomes. The chronic stress caused by weight-based discrimination leads to increased cortisol levels, which are linked to inflammation, metabolic dysfunction, and a higher risk of conditions like cardiovascular disease (Vadiveloo & Mattei, 2017). This suggests that the stigma surrounding weight, rather than weight itself, may be a significant factor in negative health outcomes, further underscoring the harm of weight-based bias in healthcare and society.

Additionally, individuals who experience weight stigma may delay or avoid seeking medical care due to fear of judgment, resulting in worsened health outcomes. Even once a larger-bodied person takes the brave step of going to the doctor and facing potential judgment, they are often given worse medical care because of weight stigma.

For example, a person in smaller body who goes to the doctor for knee pain might be prescribed physical therapy, steroid shots, and other evidenced-based treatments. Whereas, a person in a larger body might be shrugged off and told to lose weight, which is not an supportive recommendation.

Weight stigma extends beyond the individual, leading to discrimination and social isolation. People in larger bodies often face exclusion in professional, educational, and social settings, which can significantly impact opportunities and overall quality of life.

Where does weight stigma come from?

Weight stigma is deeply ingrained in society and stems from multiple sources.

1. Media— showing unrealistic beauty standards and lack of body diversity reinforce harmful stereotypes.
2. Social and physical environments— the way society is structured, from seating to fashion to workplace expectations, often marginalizes people in larger bodies.
3. Cultural misunderstandings about health— the misconception that weight equates to health leads to biases in both medical and social settings. 
4. Internalized bias— people who grow up exposed to weight stigma may internalize these beliefs, perpetuating cycles of self-judgment and discrimination.
5. Racist roots of weight stigma— anti-fat bias is rooted in racism, as thinness was historically linked to whiteness and superiority, while larger bodies (especially Black and Indigenous bodies) were stigmatized.
6. Finally, healthcare practices, weight-centric models of healthcare contribute to stigma by focusing on weight rather than overall well-being.

What can we do to combat weight stigma?

Challenging weight stigma requires action on both individual and systemic levels. Here are a few ways we can work toward change:

1. Advocate for Change: Support policies that promote inclusivity in public spaces, such as accessible seating and size-inclusive clothing options.
2. Healthcare Training: Educate healthcare professionals on weight-neutral care, emphasizing that health is not determined by body size.
3. Use Inclusive Language: Avoid shameful or guilt-inducing language when discussing weight and health. Promote non-stigmatizing language in healthcare, schools, and public discourse.
4. Encourage Body Diversity: Advocate for diverse body representation in media, marketing, and clothing stores to normalize and celebrate all body sizes.
5. Promote Education and Awareness: Schools and healthcare systems can incorporate weight inclusivity and education to challenge harmful biases and stereotypes.
6. Emphasize Weight Neutrality: Shift the focus from weight loss to overall well-being, recognizing that a person can be healthy in many different body sizes.

Final Thoughts

Weight stigma is a deeply ingrained issue that impacts nearly every aspect of life, from healthcare and employment to self-esteem and overall well-being. But change is possible and it starts with us. By recognizing the harm weight stigma causes and taking steps to challenge it, we can create a more inclusive and compassionate world. Whether it’s advocating for policy changes, pushing for weight-neutral healthcare, or unlearning our own biases, every action matters. Remember, all bodies are worthy of respect and care—yours included. 

* Obesity can be a stigmatizing word because it send the message that a person’s body size is a disease, which is not true.