The Psychosocial Burden of Obesity

 In 2016, 39% of adults were overweight, with 13% obese. Obesity is a risk factor for chronic diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. Obesity is a huge problem that needs to go. While we are doing this, we must be empathetic to the psychological burden of obesity experienced by people and cease victim-blaming.

Most people do not choose to be obese.

Today, there is a multitude of causes liable for obesity ranging from genetics to environmental factors. It is easy to over-simplify these causes. We say to the obese, “eat less, be more active.” We imply that such measures are easy to take and that they lead to quick and sustainable results. Hence, this leads to weight bias which places unrealistic expectations and incredible stress on the obese.

1. Psychological consequences of this bias can include lowered self-esteem, depression, and anxiety.
2. This societal stigma causes eating disorders such as binge eating, bulimia, and anorexia.
3. It also directly creates health and education inequalities which affect the quality of life for people who are obese.
4. Studies indicate that school-aged children with obesity experience a 63% higher chance of being bullied, producing a negative body image from a young age.

We need to change how we communicate with our friends, family, and peers suffering from obesity.

The pressure we may unconsciously place on them impairs their mental health, and we must take measures to be more compassionate and understanding. We can do this by:

1. Examing the unconscious bias we have regarding obesity. Do you judge the work of an obese person more harshly than that of another? Do you interact differently with an overweight stranger?
2. Showing them that their obesity does not define them, their body, or their mind.
3. Not placing unrealistic weight-loss expectations on our loved ones.