For example, they may not get a lump checked for cancer, talk about blood in their stool, or report issues such as fatigue, migraines, or pain. “We're seeing that patients aren't seeking medical care or are delaying care when they're ill because of anti-fat bias in health care,” says Dr.

Weight stigma is a result of weight bias. Weight bias refers to the negative ideologies associated with obesity. These can include laziness, lack of will power, a lack of moral character, bad hygiene, low level of intelligence and unattractiveness. Stigmatising beliefs and ideologies can lead to stigmatising acts.

Educate others in your life about weight bias and its consequences. Helping people understand that obesity is a disease with complex causes can help stop harmful weight-based stereotypes. If you have school-age children, find out what kind of anti-bullying policy is in place at their school.

Those on the receiving end of weight bias or discrimination have a 60% greater risk of mortality and are 2.5 times more likely to experience mental health disorders.

Risks of Weight Bias Mistreatment due to weight bias at a medical office can cause patients to withdraw from interactions with a provider, potentially resulting in difficulty remembering or adhering to provider advice or feedback.

Weight bias has been demonstrated among primary care providers (PCPs), endocrinologists, cardiologists, nurses, dietitians, and medical trainees, including attitudes that patients with obesity are lazy, lack self-control and willpower, personally to blame for their weight, noncompliant with treatment, and deserving ...

Kennedy and colleagues compiled five steps that clinicians can take to lessen weight stigma and improve health outcomes.

1. See, acknowledge and treat the whole person.
2. Identify bias and assumptions.
3. Practice patient-centered communication.
4. Create a welcoming environment.
5. Pursue lifelong learning.

Many healthcare providers hold strong negative attitudes and stereotypes about people with obesity. There is considerable evidence that such attitudes influence person-perceptions, judgment, interpersonal behaviour and decision-making. These attitudes may impact the care they provide.

In one study, people who internalized weight bias to a large degree were three times as likely to be at risk of heart disease and diabetes by having metabolic syndrome, that includes a cluster of three out of four health conditions such as elevated blood sugar, high blood pressure, high body mass index and high ...

The following are recommendations from those studies that have the strongest supporting evidence.

1. Put yourself in your patients' shoes.
2. Build partnerships with your patients.
3. Take care of yourself - protect your mental resources.
4. Be positive.
5. Counter negative stereotypes by exposing yourself to positive images.

Bias is the evaluation of something or someone that can be positive or negative, and implicit or unconscious bias is when the person is unaware of their evaluation. 1,2. It is negative implicit bias that is of particular concern within healthcare.

Bias can lead to people receiving poor treatment, receiving inaccurate diagnoses, or experiencing delays in diagnosis. It can also lead to stress, which can worsen health conditions.