Weight Bias and Stigma: Public Health Implications and Structural Solutions

Weight bias is a widespread form of prejudice that leads to the stigmatization of individuals who are perceived to have excess weight. Several psychological theories have been used to explain weight bias and to understand its negative impact on the mental and physical health of individuals with overweight and obesity. Top-down approaches are needed to reduce weight stigma and its adverse health consequences at the population-level. Potential targets for stigma-reduction policies include weight-based discrimination in the workplace, bullying and discrimination in educational settings, stigma in health care, and stereotypical media portrayals. These proposed policies have strong support from the public and stakeholders and, with further implementation and evaluation, may serve as promising structural interventions for addressing societal weight stigma.