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BMC Public Health
Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2011

Open Access 01-12-2011 | Research article

The stigma of obesity in the general public and its implications for public health - a systematic review

Authors: Claudia Sikorski, Melanie Luppa, Marie Kaiser, Heide Glaesmer, Georg Schomerus, Hans-Helmut König, Steffi G Riedel-Heller

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2011

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Abstract

Background

Up to this date, prevalence rates of obesity are still rising. Aside from co-morbid diseases, perceived discrimination and stigmatization leads to worsen outcomes in obese individuals. Higher stigmatizing attitudes towards obese individuals may also result in less support of preventive and interventive measures. In light of the immense burden of obesity on health care systems and also on the individuals' quality of life, accepted and subsidized preventive measures are needed. Policy support might be determined by views of the lay public on causes of obesity and resulting weight stigma. This study seeks to answer how representative samples of the lay public perceive people with obesity or overweight status (stigmatizing attitudes); what these samples attribute obesity to (causal attribution) and what types of interventions are supported by the lay public and which factors determine that support (prevention support).

Methods

A systematic literature search was conducted. All studies of representative samples reporting results on (a) stigmatizing attitudes towards overweight and obese individuals, (b) causal beliefs and (c) prevention support were included.

Results

Only 7 articles were found. One study reported prevalence rates of stigmatizing attitudes. About a quarter of the population in Germany displayed definite stigmatizing attitudes. Other studies reported causal attributions. While external influences on weight are considered as well, it seems that internal factors are rated to be of higher importance. Across the studies found, regulative prevention is supported by about half of the population, while childhood prevention has highest approval rates. Results on sociodemographic determinants differ substantially.

Conclusions

Further research on public attitudes toward and perception of overweight and obesity is urgently needed to depict the prevailing degree of stigmatization. Introducing a multidimensional concept of the etiology of obesity to the lay public might be a starting point in stigma reduction.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
The stigma of obesity in the general public and its implications for public health - a systematic review
Authors
Claudia Sikorski
Melanie Luppa
Marie Kaiser
Heide Glaesmer
Georg Schomerus
Hans-Helmut König
Steffi G Riedel-Heller
Publication date
01-12-2011
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2011
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-11-661

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