Weight Discrimination Contributes to Increased Health Problems

Published in the Social Psychology Quarterly March issue, a new Purdue University research study reports that obese people may encounter a direct impact on their well-being and physical health due to feeling discrimination against them.

One study researcher indicated that these people are pulling in the prejudice and stigma they feel internally, and it’s directly impacting their physical health. This study may lead to more obese people taking a closer inspection at bariatric surgery, as part of a weight loss surgery analysis.

This Purdue study took a look at 1,500 people between the ages of 25 and 74. The study examined patients’ health and their perceptions of discrimination from their weight to their body mass index (BMI).

Of the study participants that fared worse in the survey after 10 years, 33 were severely obese and 11 percent were considered moderately obese; and these were the participants that reported discriminatory feelings. Those who were obese showed the largest decrease in performing everyday physical activities.

This research study is noteworthy in that it highlights that more attention should be placed on weight discrimination, taking into account it may have a lineal relationship to health. The study also indicates that there has been significant progress in both racial and gender discrimination, but not much attention has been focused on weight discrimination. Further, obese people are at an elevated risk for diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers.

If you are overweight or obese and thinking about weight loss surgery, consult with your Hollywood, Florida bariatric surgeon.