Adherence
Weight stigma and discrimination cause significant physical and psychological harm to individuals with obesity, including increased risks of depression, anxiety, and avoidance of healthcare, thereby undermining public health efforts.
If you have obesity, know that your weight is not a moral failing. Stigma from society or healthcare providers is harmful and can worsen your health by discouraging you from seeking care. You deserve respectful, evidence-based treatment. Healthcare providers should strive to eliminate bias and provide dignified care.
Research indicates that weight stigma can cause physical and psychological harm, and that affected individuals are less likely to receive adequate care. For these reasons, weight stigma damages health, undermines human and social rights, and is unacceptable in modern societies.
Why this rating
Based on a modified Delphi process with 36 international experts and a broad review of evidence including systematic reviews and observational studies.
Source
Joint international consensus statement for ending stigma of obesity
Francesco Rubino et al. · Nature Medicine · 2020
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