European Paediatric AssociationAddressing Weight Stigma and Weight-Based Discrimination in Children: Preparing Pediatricians to Meet the Challenge
Section snippets
Definition of Weight and Obesity Stigma
Stigma defines a negative attitude or discrimination against individuals based on a distinguishing characteristic of various kinds, including sexuality, race, religion, culture, and health condition.6 Misconceptions and prejudice can exacerbate the suffering and distress of individuals with many health conditions and generate disease stigma, as in the case of obesity. Specifically, weight stigma refers to discriminatory actions directed at individuals because of their weight, size, and look.
Weight Stigma and Identity Threat in Children
Weight-related prejudices, stereotypes, and preconceptions induce a threat to social identity in children and adolescents who experience stigma.7, 8, 9 Victimized individuals often are ridiculed or bullied by peers or regarded unfairly by people, frequently due to the common perception that weight stigma is justifiable and motivates children to adopt healthier behaviors. Children living with obesity who experience discrimination related to their weight often show poor psychological and
Internalized Weight Stigma
Literature on the processes that lead to the internalization of weight stigma by children and adolescents is scarce.10 Experiencing weight stigma does not necessarily lead to its internalization.11 However, several studies report the negative effects of internalized weight stigma on mental health in particularly fragile subjects such as children and adolescents.12 These subjects may undergo a process of self-stigmatization similar to that observed in mental illness and thus suffer a form of
Weight Stigma in Different Contexts and Its Many Consequences
Weight stigma is prevalent among youth, the media, schools, workplaces, and even families and health care facilities. Victimization, mockery, and bullying characterize the practice of weight stigma by young people.14 Beginning in kindergarten, children may apply negative stereotypes to their classmates with larger builds. Increasing reports show that educators and parents also exercise weight stigma through weight-based victimization of youth. Teachers and parents hold lower expectations in
Addressing Weight Stigma by Pediatricians and Educators
Pediatricians play an important role in protecting children from the risks of adverse events.18 They must engage in strategies that address the sensitive issue of weight to promote resilience and help children and their families cope with stigma (Table II; available at www.jpeds.com). Countering stigma in general and weight stigma in particular should play a central role in educational programs.19 Appropriate academic training and continuing education programs committed to countering stigma
Conclusions
Childhood and adolescence are periods of life in which social relationships are forged, and the experience of discrimination by weight stigma can be a damaging experience, particularly painful if experienced at a time when peer rejection is keenly felt.8,9 Pediatricians and pediatric health care providers can play an important role in addressing any form of discrimination, including child and adolescent stigma, by raising awareness that weight stigma is a form of discrimination and its related
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2024, Frontiers in PsychologyChallenges and Opportunities in Diagnosis and Management of Cardiometabolic Risk in Adolescents
2023, Current Diabetes ReportsAssessment and impact of paediatric internalized weight bias: A systematic review
2023, Pediatric Obesity
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.