■ www.yaleruddcenter.

org

2009

WEIGHT BIAS
A Social Justice Issue
A Policy Brief

309 Edwards Street, New Haven, CT 06520-8369 ■ 203 432 6700 ■ fax 203 432 9674 ■ rudd.center@yale.edu
 Introduction Overweight Individuals Experience Weight Bias
from Employers, Doctors, and Teachers
Science has documented clear, consistent
■ Employers/Supervisors ■ Doctors ■ Teachers/Professors
evidence that overweight people face
discrimination in employment, education, 80

Percentage of overweight/obese adults

and health care.1 In a country where 70
two out of three adults and one out of 60
two children are overweight or obese,
50
weight bias affects millions, at a steadily
increasing rate. In 1995-96, weight 40
discrimination was reported by 7% of US 30
43 69 32
adults. In 2004-2006, that percentage 20
rose to 12% of adults.2
10

Weight bias 0
Ever experienced weight bias
(Puhl, Brownell 2001)3
■ has serious medical and
psychological consequences;
The table above shows the results of a
■ reduces earning potential;
survey of 2,449 obese and overweight
■ affects hiring and promotion
adults on their experience of weight bias.
opportunities;
affects academic opportunities and
Consequences
■

achievement. “Obesity carries with it one

Right now, no federal laws protect of the last forms of socially
What are the consequences
overweight people from discrimination.
of weight bias? acceptable discrimination.
Including weight as a category of
Weight bias can have a significant We, as a society, need to
discrimination in federal, state, and local
impact on social, economic, and physical
statutes has the potential to: make every possible effort to
health.
■ reduce unfair treatment of overweight eradicate it from our culture.
Social and economic consequences
people;
include social rejection, poor quality of One important step would be
■ make weight bias an unacceptable
relationships, worse academic outcomes,
form of prejudice, similar to bias on by enacting meaningful public
and lower socio-economic status.4
the basis of race or gender;
policy to protect those who
■ prevent some of the social and Health consequences can include
medical consequences of obesity. behaviors such as binge eating, have been subject to weight
discrimination.”
Inside this brief: —Joseph Nadglowski, Jr.,
President and CEO, Obesity Action
Consequences of Bias . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Coalition
Bias in Employment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Bias in Health Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Bias in Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Current Law and Policy Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2 Rudd Report WEIGHT BIAS
Responses to Arguments Against Weight Bias . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
 unhealthy weight control practices, activity. Weight bias can also lead to The diagram below illustrates some of
coping with stigma by eating more, higher blood pressure, more stress, and the negative psychological consequences
refusing to diet, and avoiding physical an overall poor quality of life.5 of weight bias on children and adults.

Psychological consequences of weight bias6

Weight bias

Vulnerability for

Depression Anxiety Low self-esteem Poor body image Suicidal acts & thoughts

“If weight discrimination against obese individuals continues without sanction, thousands of people
will suffer the emotional, social, and physical health consequences. Legislation to protect overweight
and obese individuals from unfair treatment is badly needed.”
—Rebecca Puhl, PhD, Rudd Center, Yale University

Why does weight bias exist?

Weight bias exists because of beliefs that:

■ stigma and shame will motivate people to go on diets and lose weight;
■ the only reason people fail to lose weight is because of poor self-discipline or a lack of
willpower.
Weight bias also exists because our culture:
■ sanctions its overt expression;
■ values thinness and perpetuates societal messages that obesity is the mark of a defective
person;
■ blames the victim rather than addressing environmental conditions that cause obesity;
■ allows the media to portray obese individuals in a biased, negative way.

3 Rudd Report WEIGHT BIAS

 Weight Bias in ■ Forty-three percent of overweight
people report that they have
Consequences

Employment experienced weight bias from

Overweight people:

employers and supervisors.9 ■ earn 1 to 6 percent less than non-

In the hiring process ■ Some companies are planning overweight people in comparable
to regularly charge overweight positions, and obese females suffer
Compared to job applicants with the
employees unless they meet more than obese males;12
same qualifications, obese applicants are
standards for weight, cholesterol, and ■ get fewer promotions;13
rated more negatively and are less likely
blood pressure.10 ■ are viewed as lazy, less competent,
to be hired. Obese applicants are also
and lacking in self-discipline by
perceived to be unfit for jobs involving
their employers and co-workers;14
face-to-face interactions.
27% of obese more than half (54%) of overweight
In addition, overweight and obese women report participants in a study reported they
applicants are viewed as having weight-based had been stigmatized by co-workers;15
employment ■ can be fired or suspended because of
■ poor self-discipline; discrimination.
their weight, despite demonstrating
■ low supervisory potential;
good job performance and even
■ poor personal hygiene;
though weight is unrelated to their
■ less ambition and productivity.7
“Appearance, especially weight, job responsibilities.16

In the workplace has a lot to do with advancing.

A 2007 study of over 2,800 Americans I have been normal size and
Weight Bias in
Health Care
■

found that overweight adults were 12

have advanced. But since
times more likely to report weight-
based employment discrimination I have been heavy, no one Bias among medical
compared to “normal” weight adults, professionals
wants me. I have a high IQ and
obese persons were 37 times more
■ In a study of 400 doctors, one of every
likely, and severely obese adults my productivity is extremely
three listed obesity as a condition
were 100 times more likely. Women
high. But, no one cares.” to which they respond negatively.
appear particularly vulnerable: over
They ranked it behind only drug
one-quarter (27%) of them report —Employee11
addiction, alcoholism, and mental
employment discrimination.8
illness. They associated obesity with
noncompliance, hostility, dishonesty,
and poor hygiene.17
Bias examples
■ Self-report studies show that doctors
view obese patients as lazy, lacking
■ not being hired because of weight;
in self-control, non-compliant,
■ becoming the target of derogatory comments and jokes by unintelligent, weakwilled, and
employers and coworkers; dishonest.18
■ Psychologists ascribe more pathology,
■ being fired for failure to lose weight;
more negative and severe symptoms,
■ being penalized for weight, through company benefits and worse prognosis to obese
programs. patients compared to thinner patients

4 Rudd Report WEIGHT BIAS

 presenting identical psychological
profiles.19
Weight Bias in
■ In a survey of 2,449 overweight and Education
obese women, 69 percent said they
had experienced bias against them by Bias examples Bias by teachers
doctors, and among 52 percent the
■ Teachers say overweight students are
bias had occurred on more than one ■ being the target of untidy, more emotional, less likely to
occasion.20 derogatory comments succeed at work, and more likely to
and jokes by doctors, have family problems.27
Consequences nurses, nutritionists, ■ Forty-three percent of teachers agree
Overweight patients and other health that “most people feel uncomfortable
professionals; when they associate with obese
■ are reluctant to seek medical care;21
■ not being provided people.”28
■ cancel or delay medical
appointments;22 appropriate-sized ■ Teachers have lower expectations for

■ put off important preventative medical equipment such overweight students (compared to

healthcare services.23 as blood pressure cuffs thinner students) across a range of

and patient gowns. ability areas.29
Doctors seeing overweight patients
In one study of nurses
■ spend less time with the patient;
■ 31 percent said they According to the National
■ engage in less discussion;
■ are reluctant to perform preventive would prefer not to care Education Association, “For fat
health screenings such as pelvic for obese patients;
students, the school experience
exams, cancer screenings, and ■ 24 percent agreed that
mammograms; obese patients “repulsed is one of ongoing prejudice,
■ do less intervention.24 them”; unnoticed discrimination, and
■ 12 percent said they almost constant harassment.…
would prefer not to
More than two of touch obese patients.26 From nursery school through
every three (69%) college, fat students experience
overweight people
report having been ostracism, discouragement,
stigmatized by doctors.
and sometimes violence.”
—NEA, 199430

“I think the worst was my family doctor who made a habit of

Bias by educational
shrugging off my health concerns …the last time I went to him
institutions
with a problem, he said, ‘You just need to learn to push yourself
Obese students are significantly less
away from the table.’ It later turned out that not only was I going likely to be accepted for admission to
college despite comparable academic
through menopause, but my thyroid was barely working.”
performance.31
—Patient25

5 Rudd Report WEIGHT BIAS

 One of three children has experienced weight bias from a teacher.
Two of every three have experienced it from a classmate.

“… I was sick and absent from school one day. The teacher taking attendance came across my name
and said, ‘She must have stayed home to eat.’ The other kids told me about this the next day.”
—Person seeking treatment for obesity32

Bias by classmates Consequences to depression, low self-esteem, poor

body image, and suicidal thoughts.39
■ Close to one of three overweight ■ Obese elementary school children
■ Weight-based teasing makes young
girls and one of four overweight miss more days of school than their
people more likely to engage in
boys report being teased by peers at non-obese peers.36
unhealthy eating patterns and avoid
school. Among the heaviest group ■ Obese adolescent girls are less likely
physical activity.40
of young people, that figure rises to to attend college compared to non-
three out of every five.33 obese girls.37
■ Peers see obese children as ■ Students who were obese at age
undesirable playmates who are lazy, 16 had fewer years of education
stupid, ugly, mean, and unhappy.34 compared to non-obese peers.38
■ Negative attitudes begin in pre-school ■ Youth who are victimized because
and may get worse as children age.35 of their weight are more vulnerable

6 Rudd Report WEIGHT BIAS

 Current Law
Some state and local laws cover weight
discrimination
Current federal
Michigan has the only state law prohibiting discrimination against overweight
people, enacted in 1977. The law, entitled the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act,
laws do not
prohibits discrimination practices based on 10 categories, including weight. The
cover weight
practices include obtaining employment, housing, and real estate; and using public
discrimination
accommodations, public service, and educational facilities.
■ The Americans with
Three cities have laws prohibiting weight Disabilities Act of 1990
discrimination (ADA) requires people to
■ Washington DC: the Human Rights Law includes “personal appearance” in its
prove their obesity is a
protected categories;
“disability.”
■ San Francisco, CA: the Human Rights Commission added “weight and height” to the This not only creates
municipal code to ensure that programs, services, and facilities would be accessible; further stigmatization
■ Santa Cruz, CA: the municipal code on discrimination includes “height, weight, or for those who do not
physical characteristics” as protected categories. consider themselves
disabled, but also fails
Proposed Legislation to address the problem
Legislators in Massachusetts, Nevada, and Oregon filed weight bias bills in 2009. because courts rarely
recognize such claims
Policy Recommendations even when the person is
morbidly obese.
To improve working conditions, healthcare, and overall quality of life for millions
■ The Rehabilitation
of Americans, include weight on the list of categories that are covered in anti-
discrimination laws. This can be accomplished on a federal, state, or local level.
Act of 1973 is similar
to the ADA, except
In employment that this act governs
Include weight in the Civil Rights Act or create separate federal anti-discrimination
discrimination by the
legislation based on weight.
federal government,
contractors, and/
In health care or programs that get
Encourage health care organizations to include language on weight bias in
federal funding.
their patients’ rights policies, and require weight bias training for all health care ■ The Civil Rights Act of
professionals. 1964 deals exclusively
with employment
In schools and does not include
Protect overweight and obese children from bullying and intimidation in school by weight as a category of
requiring states and/or school districts to adopt and enforce policies prohibiting discrimination.
harassment, intimidation, or bullying on school property. Include weight as a specific
protected category.

7 Rudd Report WEIGHT BIAS

 RESPONSES TO ARGUMENTS AGAINST WEIGHT BIAS
Argument Response
Weight bias? It’s not a big deal, and Weight bias is serious and pervasive. It leads to negative emotional, social, economic,
besides, people who say negative things and physical health consequences for overweight and obese people.
about overweight people are just having
some friendly fun.

Weight isn’t worthy of protected status. The two-thirds of Americans who are overweight or obese deserve equitable
treatment under the law.

Science has not established weight There is substantial scientific evidence to make weight a protected status under the
discrimination as a compelling social law. For example:
problem worthy of protected status.
■ The frequency of weight discrimination increases with body weight. A 2005 study
found that 26 percent of overweight adults were more likely than normal weight
persons to report work-related discrimination. Obese persons were 50 percent more
likely, and very obese persons were 84 percent more likely to report job-related
discrimination, compared to non-overweight individuals.

■ A 2006 study found that 43 percent reported weight bias from employers and
supervisors and 53 percent experienced weight bias from co-workers.

If you fight weight stigma, you’ll actually The opposite is true. A 2006 study of over 2400 overweight and obese adults found
discourage people from trying to lose that close to three of every four coped with weight bias by eating more and refusing
weight. The criticism is motivating. to diet.

People who feel they’ve been Claiming disability using the ADA has not been successful in the courts except when a
discriminated against already have person is significantly disabled due to illnesses or other conditions related to his or her
a legal recourse: they can use the weight. This is of little help to overweight people who suffer discrimination on a daily
Americans with Disabilities Act to claim basis. Also, labeling persons as “disabled” who have been treated unfairly because of
discrimination based on disability. weight is itself stigmatizing.

Overweight and obese people don’t Many years of scientific evidence show that significant weight loss is difficult to
need legal protection. If they want to achieve and sustain over time. Only a very small percentage of people can achieve this
avoid discrimination, they should simply goal. The vast majority cannot.
lose weight.

We should be focusing on education Education is important but can’t succeed without legal protection. States don’t rely
rather than the law. solely on education about fairness to stop racial and sexual discrimination; rather, they
step in to protect people who are treated unfairly.

Anti-discrimination laws will generate Each time a group has been added to anti-discrimination regulations, opponents
a lot more lawsuits in the workplace, have predicted a huge increase in lawsuits—and each time the prediction has been
which we don’t need. wrong. In the 30 years that the Michigan law has been enforced, it has resulted in few
lawsuits.

8 Rudd Report WEIGHT BIAS

 RESPONSES TO ARGUMENTS AGAINST WEIGHT BIAS continued
Argument Response
With all the work being done to We need to fight obesity, not obese people!
reduce obesity in this country, it’s a
Stigma, bias, and discrimination aimed at overweight and obese people are pervasive,
contradiction to want to make people
powerful, and wrong. Little has been done to stop this discrimination. Improving the
thinner but also protect them when
food environment to help people reach a healthy weight goes hand in hand with
they’re fat.
reducing weight bias.

Medicine and public health offer many precedents for addressing both a problem and
the stigma associated with it. For example,

■ When alcoholism was declared a disease, blaming decreased and resources

increased for prevention.

■ With cancer, bold and aggressive efforts for prevention proceed side-by-side with
efforts to reduce stigma.

■ Reducing the stigma associated with AIDS allowed for advancement in treatment
and prevention.

The aim is not to punish people with alcoholism, cancer, AIDS—or obesity. Quite the
contrary. It is to protect their basic human rights.

Real change will require compassion and a clear

method of defending basic human rights.

9 Rudd Report WEIGHT BIAS

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of weight related teasing, body image, and
Sobol AM, Dietz WH. Social and eating disturbance in Swedish and Australian 16 Rothblum ED, Brand PA, Miller CT,
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Rasmussen F, Hemmingsson T, Tynelius P. teasing among adolescents: correlations 1990;37:251-66.
Obesity and attained education: Cohort study with weight status and disordered eating 17 Klein D, Najman J, Kohrman AF, Muncro
of more than 700,000 Swedish men. Obesity. behaviors. Intl J Obes. 2002;26:123-31; Puhl C. Patient characteristics that elicit negative
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Prinstein MJ. Adolescent obesity, overt and health of the nation’s children. Psychol Bull. 1982;14:881-88.
relational peer victimization, and romantic 2007;133(4):557-80; Shroff H, Thompson JK.
relationships. Obes Res. May 2002;10(5):386- 18 Puhl RM, Moss-Racusin C, Schwartz M,
Body image and eating disturbance in India:
93; Sargent JD, Blanchflower DG. Obesity Brownell, K. Weight stigmatization and bias
Media and interpersonal influences. Int J Eat
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D, Schlundt DG, Herman-Wenderoth
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L, Bozylinski K. Obesity, appearance,
Social marginalization of overweight children. 19 Davis-Coelho K, Waltz J, Davis-Coelho R.
and psychosocial adaptation in young
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5 Haines J, Neumark-Sztainer D, Eisenberg Practice. 2000;31(6): 682-84.
7 Bellizzi JA, Hasty RW. Territory assignment
ME, Hannan PJ. Weight teasing and 20 Puhl RM. (2006) Op. cit.
decisions and supervising unethical selling
disordered eating behaviors in adolescents: 21 Amy NK, Aalborg A, Lyons P, Keranen
behavior: The effects of obesity and gender
Longitudinal findings from Project EAT (Eating L. Barriers to routine gynecological cancer
as moderated by job-related factors. J Pers
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Sell Sales Manag. 1998;2:35-49; Everett M.
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and white adolescents. Health Psychol. persons need apply: Experimental studies Overweight women delay medical care. Arch
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Falker N, Story M, Perry C, Hannan PJ, preference. Sociol Work Occup. 1979;6:312-27; 23 Fontaine, KR, Faith MS, Allison DB, Cheskin
Mulert S. Weight-teasing among adolescents: Pingitore R, Dugoni R, Tindale S, Spring LJ. Body weight and health care among
correlations with weight status and disordered B. Bias against overweight job applicants in women in the general population. Arch Fam
eating behaviors. Intl J Obes. 2002;26:123-31; a simulated employment interview. J Appl Med. 1998;7:381-84.
Puhl RM. (2006) Op.cit.; Schwimmer JB, Psychol. 1994;79:909-17.
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8 Roehling MV, Roehling PV, Pichler S. on primary care visits. Obes Res. 2005;13:1615-
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 REFERENCes
Hebl MR, Xu J. Weighing the care: Physicians 28 Price JH, Desmond SM, Stelzer CM. 35 Crystal DS, Watanabe H, Chen RS. Reactions
reactions to the size of a patient. Int J Obes Elementary school principals’ perceptions of to morphological deviance: A comparison
Relat Metab Dis. 2001;25:1246-52; Kristeller childhood obesity. J Sch Health. 1987;57:367- of Japanese and American children and
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Snyder FF, O’Connell JK. Family practice Obes. 2007;31:308-14. 2000;24:1705–06.
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26 Maroney D, Golub S. Nurses’ attitudes toward 31 Canning H, Mayer J. Obesity—its possible 37 Crosnoe R. Gender, obesity, and education.
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27 Neumark-Sztainer D, Story M, Harris T. 32 Brownell KD. (2005) Op.cit., p. 2. stature in adolescence and earnings in young
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2007;133:557-80. 40 Ibid.

11 Rudd Report WEIGHT BIAS

 For a comprehensive list of Rudd Center
publications on weight bias, tools for researchers,
faculty presentations, and web links, visit
www.yaleruddcenter.org.

The Rudd Center for Food Policy and

Obesity at Yale University is directed by Kelly
D. Brownell, PhD, and works to improve the
world’s diet, prevent obesity, and reduce weight
stigma by making creative connections between
science and public policy.

Rebecca M. Puhl, PhD, is the Director of

Research and Weight Stigma Initiatives at the
Rudd Center, and is responsible for identifying and
coordinating research aimed at reducing weight
bias.

This brief was prepared by Roberta R.

Friedman, ScM, Director of Public Policy,
roberta.friedman@yale.edu, (203) 432-4717.

12 Rudd Report WEIGHT BIAS