More than half of overweight people face prejudice because of their size, according to a new study, and their own family members are the biggest culprits.
Researchers also found that those experiencing weight stigma were more likely to avoid healthcare due to a perceived lack of respect from doctors.
During childhood and adolescence were when those surveyed said they endured the most prejudice.
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Stigma: More than half of overweight people face prejudice because of their size, according to a new study, making them more likely to avoid healthcare and doctors (stock)
In the UK, obesity is a fairly common problem, estimated to affect up to a quarter of adults, and a fifth of children.
The NHS explained: ‘It’s very important to take steps to tackle obesity because, as well as causing obvious physical changes, it can lead to a number of serious and potentially life-threatening conditions.
‘These include: type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, some types of cancer, such as breast cancer and bowel cancer, and stroke.
‘Obesity can also affect your quality of life and lead to psychological problems, such as depression and low self-esteem.’
In the study, researchers from the University of Connecticut Rudd Centre for Food Policy and Obesity set out to understand whether overweight and obese people feel stigmatised based on their weight.
Almost 14,000 overweight people from six different countries — Australia, Canada, France, the US, Germany and the UK — took part in the study.
More than three quarters (76-88 per ccent )said they experienced weight stigma from family members, while classmates were the next most common (72-81 per cent), then doctors (63-74 per cent), co-workers (54-62 per cent), and finally friends (49-66 per cent).
‘The fact that family members are such common sources of weight stigma across these countries indicates a collective need to address weight stigma within the family environment, and to help families engage in more supportive communication with their loved ones,’ said Rebecca Puhl, lead author of the study.
‘For many people, these experiences begin in youth from parents and close family members, and they can last for many years and have long-term negative consequences.’
The results also revealed that across all six countries, those with higher levels of self-blame for their weight were more likely to avoid healthcare, obtained less frequent checkups, and perceived their healthcare quality to be lower.
Dr Puhl added: ‘Our results also provide a compelling reason to step up international efforts to reduce weight biases held by medical professionals.
‘We must prioritize efforts to establish a healthcare culture free of weight stigma, and we also need to work collaboratively to develop supportive interventions to help people when they do experience this stigma.’
More information on the study, published in the International Journal of Obesity, can be found here.
