UCL: Weight discrimination is linked to significantly lower quality of life,
and accounts for approximately 40% of the negative psychological effects
associated with obesity, finds new UCL research funded by Cancer Research UK. The study, which analysed data from 5,056 UK adults, found that those who
felt discriminated against on the basis of their weight had a 70% increase in
symptoms of depression, a 14% drop in quality of life and 12% lower life
satisfaction relative to those who did not perceive weight discrimination.
To assess weight discrimination, participants were asked whether they
experienced day-to-day discrimination that they attributed to their weight.
Examples of discrimination include being treated disrespectfully, receiving
poor service in shops, and being harassed.* Psychological wellbeing was
assessed with standard measures of quality of life, life satisfaction and
symptoms of depression.
The data come from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), a
study of adults aged 50 or older. The researchers analysed the results to check
whether the known association between obesity and poorer psychological
wellbeing could in any part be explained by weight-related discrimination. They
found that when perceived weight discrimination was accounted for, differences
in wellbeing between obese and non-obese individuals were reduced substantially,
suggesting that discrimination may be an important cause of low wellbeing for
obese people.
"Discriminatory experiences contribute to poorer psychological wellbeing in individuals with obesity, but there are currently no laws prohibiting weight discrimination. This might send the message to people that weight discrimination is socially acceptable." Dr Sarah Jackson
“In the United Kingdom, the Equality Act 2010 legally protects
individuals from discrimination on the basis of age, sex, race, disability,
religion or beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, or gender
reassignment; making it clear that discriminatory behaviour of this nature is
not to be accepted,” says lead author Dr Sarah Jackson (UCL Epidemiology &
Public Health). “However, our results indicate that discriminatory experiences contribute
to poorer psychological wellbeing in individuals with obesity, but there are
currently no laws prohibiting weight discrimination. This might send the
message to people that weight discrimination is socially acceptable.”
Senior author Professor Jane Wardle, director of the Cancer Research UK
Health Behaviour Centre at UCL, says: “Combined with our previous work showing
that weight discrimination does not encourage weight loss, we can see that
weight discrimination is part of the obesity problem and not the solution. Weight
bias has been documented not only among the general public but also among health
professionals; and many obese patients report being treated disrespectfully by
doctors because of their weight. Everyone, including doctors, should stop
blaming and shaming people for their weight, and offer support, and where
appropriate, treatment.”
- See more at: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/news-articles/0315/240315-weight-discrimination-quality-of-life#sthash.25E94k9m.dpuf