November 13, 2025 — It would be odd to think that medical schools would stigmatize the most prevalent chronic disease that medical students will encounter. But stigmatizing obesity in medical schools is all too common, even today. Kofi Essel and colleagues published a study of the obesity bias observed by third year medical students at George Washington University School […]
July 25, 2025 — It isn’t easy. But it is getting better. The OAC Your Weight Matters (YWM) Convention is getting underway in earnest this morning with a full program of education, support, and advocacy for all of the people affected by obesity. This occasion celebrates 20 years of the OAC’s work. Yesterday, early arrivers set out on Capitol […]
May 4, 2025 — “People with neurodiversity have a greater risk of obesity, yet the involvement in policy development and research of people with neurodiversity and obesity is minimal.” Stuart Flint, Joe Nadglowski, Kim Murray, and Julia Simonetti tell us in the latest issue of Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology that collecting data on lived experiences from people who face […]
April 27, 2025 — Our Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has a knack for raising ire. He does it in many ways. But on the diverse subjects of autism and obesity he uses the same word – preventable – to do it. The problem is not the word itself. The problem comes from false […]
October 26, 2024 — Yesterday at Concordia University, we wrapped up two days of an international weight bias summit aimed at setting priorities for translating an explosion of weight stigma research into action for ending weight stigma. Observations of Progress Rebecca Puhl spoke in a webinar with more than 250 people from all over the world. She reflected on […]
August 8, 2024 — New survey research from YouGov serves up a timely reminder of the problem with weight bias in healthcare. The research, fielded in late June, found that most American adults (53%) have an unfavorable view of the U.S. healthcare system. About one in three persons report negative treatment because of their identity. And weight is the […]
August 6, 2024 — “Who sinned, this man or his parents?” Ancient texts remind us there is nothing new about stigma and bias toward people living with illness and disability. But still, it is jarring to encounter such expressions of weight bias as the Telegraph published not long ago. William Sitwell wrote: “Fat people are costing us all billions. […]
July 3, 2024 — Nope, says Dr. Alissa Chen. Medicare shouldn’t start covering obesity medicines. Her dad, 72, has obesity that began when he was in grad school and has persisted throughout his life. Now he has the cardiovascular disease that often results from untreated obesity. But no, she doesn’t want him to receive treatment with advanced medicines proven […]
April 1, 2024 — “I might be on on a sugar high, but I’m not a diab*tic. Don’t pathologize my pancreas.” With these words from Lexi Cherinson, a new movement was born last week to challenge a dominant narrative around health, wellbeing, and diverse bodies. Specifically, Cherinson is challenging the fearmongering about a global epidemic of diab*tes. She prefers […]
February 22, 2024 — Scholars have noted that in lower income countries, obesity can be taken as a signal of wealth. This observation in turn fuels a presumption that weight stigma might not be a problem in countries of the Global South. But a new scoping review in Obesity Facts suggests this presumption is likely false. Laura Eggerichs, Oliver […]
