ArticleBMC medicine2018
How and why weight stigma drives the obesity 'epidemic' and harms health.
Article in BMC medicine, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 294 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
294 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 661 citations in OpenAlex.
- Experienced Weight Stigma Changes Following Bariatric Surgery: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity · 2026Pooled it
- Humanistic Burden and Gaps in Care and Treatment Policies of Obesity in Canada: A Systematic Review.Advances in therapy · 2026Pooled it
- Impact of Weight Bias, Stigma and Discrimination on Physical, Mental, and Quality of Life Outcomes of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery: A Systematic Review.Obesity surgery · 2026Pooled it
- Social media-based interventions for adults with obesity and overweight: a meta-analysis and meta-regression.International journal of obesity (2005) · 2023Pooled it
- A systematic review of inequalities in the uptake of, adherence to, and effectiveness of behavioral weight management interventions in adults.Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity · 2022Pooled it
- Weight Stigma and Mental Health in Youth: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of pediatric psychology · 2022Pooled it
- An experimental investigation of the stigmatization of weight loss and regain from GLP-1 receptor agonist use and cessation.International journal of obesity (2005) · 2026Trial
- Exercise-based obesity simulation reduces weight bias and improves clinical decision-making in health professions students: a randomized controlled trial.BMC medical education · 2026Trial
- A Randomised Feasibility Study Assessing Acute Physiological Responses to Weight Stigma in Women Living With Obesity.Clinical obesity · 2026Trial
- A randomized controlled trial of an acceptance and commitment therapy-informed diabetes prevention program reduces body shame and distress.Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association · 2025Trial
- Effects of a Cognitive-Behavioral Group Counseling Program on Weight Bias Internalization and Psychological Outcomes Among Obese Youth in Mahasarakham University, Thailand.Journal of research in health sciences · 2024Trial
- Associations Among Stress, Internalized Weight Stigma, Emotional Eating, and Body Composition in Active-Duty Service Members Enrolling in a Randomized Controlled Trial of a Weight Management Program.International journal of behavioral medicine · 2024Trial
- Brief Post-Surgical Stress Management Reduces Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines in Overweight and Obese Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Primary Treatment.Frontiers in bioscience (Landmark edition) · 2022Trial
- Addressing Weight Stigma in WIC: A Qualitative Study Exploring Advice and Training Needs of Minnesota WIC Staff.Childhood obesity (Print) · 2026Article
- 'Something Was Missing': A Qualitative Study of Parents' Expectations in Weight-Related Health Care for Children.Journal of advanced nursing · 2026Article
- The Weight Management Hope Scale: Initial Validation of a Measure to Assess Goal-Directed Thinking in Obesity Research and Practice.Obesity science & practice · 2026Article
- Photovoice as a Methodology in Obesity Research: A Scoping Review.Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity · 2026Article
- Trends in Diagnosing Obesity: The CALOR Study.Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.) · 2026Article
- Longitudinal Changes in Healthy Eating Index-2020 Score and Impacts on Body Mass Index among Adolescents in the Growing Up Today Study: A Prospective Cohort Study.The Journal of nutrition · 2026Article
- Approaches to obesity among adults with accurate body-size perception: a qualitative thematic analysis.BMC psychology · 2026Article
234 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors at 7 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundIn an era when obesity prevalence is high throughout much of the world, there is a correspondingly pervasive and strong culture of weight stigma. For example, representative studies show that some forms of weight discrimination are more prevalent even than discrimination based on race or ethnicity. DISCUSSION: In this Opinion article, we review compelling evidence that weight stigma is harmful to health, over and above objective body mass index. Weight stigma is prospectively related to heightened mortality and other chronic diseases and conditions. Most ironically, it actually begets heightened risk of obesity through multiple obesogenic pathways. Weight stigma is particularly prevalent and detrimental in healthcare settings, with documented high levels of 'anti-fat' bias in healthcare providers, patients with obesity receiving poorer care and having worse outcomes, and medical students with obesity reporting high levels of alcohol and substance use to cope with internalized weight stigma. In terms of solutions, the most effective and ethical approaches should be aimed at changing the behaviors and attitudes of those who stigmatize, rather than towards the targets of weight stigma. Medical training must address weight bias, training healthcare professionals about how it is perpetuated and on its potentially harmful effects on their patients.
conclusionWeight stigma is likely to drive weight gain and poor health and thus should be eradicated. This effort can begin by training compassionate and knowledgeable healthcare providers who will deliver better care and ultimately lessen the negative effects of weight stigma.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.