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- 1 Is long term paracetamol effective for arthritis knee pain + a private exchange
- 2 Whats womac + a private exchange
- 3 This is somewhat dismissive of pain -that because pain is subjective, it is not as important as structural changes. In terms of quality of life, that's inadequate. Tell me about research into arthritic pain esp impact on older women + a private exchange
- 4 Tell me more about the education and exercise programme. What was the education and which exercises + a private exchange
- 5 Has anyone researched the impact of stigma, discrimination and shame on obesity and bed, especially in women
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Has anyone researched the impact of stigma, discrimination and shame on obesity and bed, especially in women
The short version: yes, the research on stigma, shame, and discrimination in obesity and BED is extensive, and it tells you things you may not have encountered in your reading on arthritis and general mental health.
The evidence here shows that weight stigma is not just a social problem. It gets under the skin. A 2011 study of over 1,800 US adults found that perceived weight discrimination predicted worsening health and disability over a 10-year span, and that effect ran partly through how people came to see themselves as overweight [1]. The discrimination mattered more than the BMI itself. A 2020 study of 166 Asian American adults with overweight or obesity found that experienced weight stigma predicted binge eating independently of racism and general stress [5]. The stigma was the driver, not the weight.
The pattern is especially sharp for women. A 2010 study of severely obese women found that younger women reported more discrimination, while older women focused more on health consequences [2]. A 2025 study of 313 midlife and older women with food insecurity found that those who also had binge eating reported higher anxiety, depression, internalized weight stigma, and body shame, and lower quality of life, even after accounting for how severe their food insecurity was [4]. The binge eating added a layer of psychosocial burden on top of the stigma.
Even health professionals who specialize in obesity carry anti-fat bias. A 2003 study found that obesity specialists showed significant implicit bias on measures of "good-bad," "lazy-motivated," and "smart-stupid" [3]. The people you go to for help may hold the same stereotypes.
| Study | Population | Key finding |
|---|---|---|
| [1] 2011 | 1,856 US adults, 10-year follow-up | Weight discrimination predicts worsening health and disability, partly through changed self-perception |
| [5] 2020 | 166 Asian American adults with overweight/obesity | Weight stigma predicts binge eating independently of racism and stress |
| [2] 2010 | Severely obese women before and after gastric banding | Younger women report more discrimination; older women focus on health |
| [4] 2025 | 313 midlife/older women with food insecurity | Binge eating adds anxiety, depression, weight stigma, and body shame beyond food insecurity alone |
| [3] 2003 | Obesity specialists | Significant implicit anti-fat bias on multiple measures |
My call: the research on stigma, shame, and discrimination in obesity and BED is substantial and goes beyond what most people encounter in general health reading. It shows that stigma is a causal factor in worsening health and binge eating, not just a side effect. If you have not read the weight stigma literature specifically, these studies would tell you things you do not know. Confidence: high.
Sources used 5
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The Stigma of Obesity
Perceived weight discrimination worsens health and reshapes self-perceived weight over a 10-year span, with weight identity partially mediating the discrimination–health link in US adults.
DOI: 10.1177/0190272511398197 -
Perceived Discrimination and Stigmatisation against Severely Obese Women: Age and Weight Loss Make a Difference
This study investigates the perceptions of discrimination and stigmatisation among severely obese women, comparing experiences before and after significant weight loss through laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding, revealing that younger women report greater discrimination whi…
DOI: 10.1159/000273206 -
Weight Bias among Health Professionals Specializing in Obesity
This study investigates the prevalence of anti-fat bias among health professionals specializing in obesity, revealing significant implicit and explicit biases linked to personal characteristics such as age, sex, and professional experience.
DOI: 10.1038/oby.2003.142 -
The Additive Psychosocial Effects of Binge Eating and Food Insecurity Among Midlife and Older Women
This cross-sectional study (N=313) of midlife and older women experiencing food insecurity compares those with binge eating (BE) plus FI to FI without BE, showing BE adds to psychosocial burden (anxiety, depression, ED-related impairment, internalized weight stigma, body shame) …
DOI: 10.3390/nu17040730 -
Weight Stigmatization and Binge Eating in Asian Americans with Overweight and Obesity
In a cross-sectional sample of 166 higher-weight Asian American adults in North Carolina, the study assesses how experienced weight stigma relates to binge eating and whether acculturation moderates this link, finding weight stigma predicts binge eating independently of racism a…
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17124319