OW2024: Tripping or Tipping Toward Equity in Obesity Care?

From the Presidential Plenary at ObesityWeek, a primary issue standing in the way of progress is quite clear. Are we tipping toward equity in obesity care, or are we tripping over it?

Tipping Toward Progress

The argument for progress comes from putting the lived experience of obesity on stage to dominate the opening plenary for ObesityWeek. In a packed house, five eminent scientists spoke for an hour about the intersection of obesity science, clinical care, and the powerful lived experience of Sarah Le Brocq with obesity. The dialogue between Le Brocq, Sean Wharton, Claudia Fox, Priya Sumithran, Ellen Schur, and Leah Schumacher made one thing perfectly clear.

The smart people in the room understand equitable obesity care must start with respect for the experience of persons living with obesity.

Tripping Over Equity Due to Bias and Stigma

Despite this, pervasive bias and stigma about obesity has most of the world tripping right the imperative for equitable care. Le Brocq described the result succinctly:

“We offer acute treatment for a chronic condition and that simply does not work.”

Illustrating deep, pernicious, and pervasive bias about people with obesity, a professor told Le Brocq at a recent taping for a detailed conversation about obesity:

“I mean this as a compliment. You are really a thin person in a fat body. Far more intelligent than any fat person I have ever known.”

This kind of ignorance is not always so explicit. But it is routinely present as people with obesity navigate life and healthcare.

Not Yet Understanding the True Nature of Obesity

Obesity is undeniably a complex, chronic condition that requires ongoing care and management. It is manageable and the tools for managing it are growing increasingly diverse and effective.

But health systems, providers, and insurers are simply not yet committed to providing ongoing care. Instead of tipping toward equity and effective obesity care, they trip on acute weight loss interventions and blame for patients when the withdrawal of treatment leads inevitably toward relapse.

What part of chronic do people not understand?

So yes, at ObesityWeek this year, it is plain that we are making great progress toward equitable and effective care. But it is also clear that much further change is needed.

Click here, here, here, and here for more about ObesityWeek 2024.

Sarah Le Brocq and Sean Wharton Leading the OW2024 Presidential Plenary, photograph by Ted Kyle / ConscienHealth

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November 4, 2024