A pledge to end the social stigma of obesity

Health

A pledge to end the social stigma of obesity

In a paper published in Nature Medicine on World Obesity Day 2020, a team of experts, led by Professor Francesco Rubino from King’s College London, outline an International Consensus Statement and related Pledge to Eradicate Weight Stigma.

The consensus statement and Pledge have been developed through a conference jointly organised by the World Obesity Federation, American Diabetes Association, American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, American Association for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, Diabetes UK, European Association for the Study of Obesity, International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders, Obesity Action Coalition, Obesity Canada, The Obesity Society.

On behalf of all our partners, we invite organisations and single individuals to sign up to take the Pledge and help eradicate weight-based stigma and discrimination

Pledge to eliminate weight bias and stigma of obesity

We recognise that:

Individuals affected by overweight and obesity face a pervasive form of social stigma based on the typically unproven assumption that their body weight derives primarily from a lack self-discipline and personal responsibility.
Such portrayal is inconsistent with current scientific evidence demonstrating that body weight regulation is not entirely under volitional control, and that biological, genetic and environmental factors critically contribute to obesity.
Weight bias and stigma can result in discrimination and undermine human rights, social rights, and the health of afflicted individuals.
Weight stigma and discrimination cannot be tolerated in modern societies.

We condemn:

The use of stigmatising language, images, attitudes, policies, and weight-based discrimination, wherever they occur.

We pledge:

To treat individuals with overweight and obesity with dignity and respect.
To refrain from using stereotypical language, images, and narratives that unfairly and inaccurately depict individuals with overweight and obesity as lazy, gluttonous, and lacking will power or self-discipline.
To encourage and support educational initiatives aimed at eradicating weight bias through dissemination of current knowledge of obesity and body weight regulation.
To encourage and support initiatives aimed at preventing weight discrimination in the workplace, education, and healthcare settings.

Sign the pledge

Project team

Francesco Rubino, Rebecca M. Puhl, David E. Cummings, Robert H. Eckel, Donna H. Ryan, Jeffrey I. Mechanick, Joe Nadglowski, Ximena Ramos Salas, Phillip R. Schauer, Douglas Twenefour, Caroline M. Apovian, Louis J. Aronne, Rachel L. Batterham, Hans-Rudolph Berthoud, Camilo Boza, Luca Busetto, Dror Dicker, Mary De Groot, Daniel Eisenberg, Stuart W. Flint, Terry T. Huang, Lee M. Kaplan, John P. Kirwan, Judith Korner, Ted K. Kyle, Blandine Laferrere, Carel W. le Roux, LaShawn McIver, Geltrude Mingrone, Patricia Nece, Tirissa J. Reid, Ann M. Rogers, Michael Rosenbaum, Randy J. Seeley, Antonio J. Torres, and John B. Dixon

Summary of Findings

Executive summary

Grade of Consensus (GoC): U = Unanimous; A = >90%

Weight stigma is reinforced by misconceived ideas about body weight regulation and lack of awareness of current scientific evidence. Weight stigma is unacceptable in modern societies, as it undermines human rights, social rights, and the health of afflicted individuals (GoC: A).

Research indicates that weight stigma can cause significant harm to affected individuals. Individuals who experience it suffer from both physical and psychological consequences, and are less likely to seek and receive adequate care (GoC: U).

Despite scientific evidence to the contrary, the prevailing view in society is that obesity is a choice which can be reversed by voluntary decisions to eat less and exercise more. These assumptions mislead public health policies, confuse messages in popular media, undermine access to evidence-based treatments, and compromise advances in research (GoC: A).

For the reasons above, weight stigma represents a major obstacle in efforts to effectively prevent and treat obesity and T2D. Tackling stigma is not only a matter of human rights and social justice, but also a way to advance prevention and treatment of these diseases (GoC: A).

Academic institutions, professional organizations, media, public health authorities, and government should encourage education about weight stigma and facilitate a new public narrative of obesity, coherent with modern scientific knowledge (GoC: U).

Impact

Over 100 medical and scientific organisations have endorsed the statement and pledge. See the list below of individuals and companies who have pledged and given consent for their details published online.

Individuals:

Claire Lee
Lindes Callejas-Diaz
Gail Pinnock
Alastair Lynn
Harry Rutter
Colin Simpson
Manel Riera
Jean-Philippe Magema
Vandhana Patel
Jim Hewes
Alejandra Noble
Rochelle Blacklock
Lucy Whitman
Jill Hamilton
Sebastien Murcia
Catherine Lin
Kimberley Peever
Ashish Desai
Peter Small
Jean-Philippe Chaput
Annick Pilon
Marie-Eve Brideau
Hilda Mulrooney
Brad Hussey
Stina Ståhl
Andre Tchernof
Pascal Turbide
Alba Xhixha
Jessica Macfarlane
Melissa Smith
Elaine Moores
maria ines alonso
Jose Eduardo Garcia Flores
Amy Smith
Kelly Gardner
James Byrne
Charlotte Matthysen
Michelle Vicari
Essa Aleassa
Vanessa Terrier
Cassandra sääf
Andrea Regina
Lisa Plank
Wendy Clem
Madalena Dearden
Joseph Nadglowski
Zahraa Abdul Sater
David Hopson
Jacqueline Jacques
Janice Knapp
Nick Jeal
Christine Hellendy
Mahsa Ghoreishi
Rosie Childerhose
Rolando Villarreal
Ashley McCarthy
Christel Glinker
Kelly Scott
Paul Davidson
Bruno da Costa
Robin Blackstone
Rosanne Rust, MS, RDN
Callum Garner
Desmond Hughes
James McCarthy
Melanie Gelfand
Patrick Ferreira
Richard Larouche
Sandi Niklas
Isabel Silva
Heather Angell
Vanessa Terrier
Taniya Nagpal
Andrew Beamish
Mohammed Alkilani
Stephanie McCarville
Leigh Anne Linville
Kenneth Drouillard
Catherine Goulet-Delorme
Jeanine Sherman
Arya M. Sharma
Sasha High
Susan Sheldon
Carley O'Kane
Sara Squires
Alexandro Zarruk
Michael Mantell, Ph.D.
Matt Hutter
Anil Asrani
Dana Gibson
Rachael Wall
Ashleigh Middleton
Allie Lougheed
Lorna Andersen
Fatima Waqar
Macarena Rueda
Annick Buchholz
Nadia Nappi
Anthony Pascale
Michel Blais
Kathryn Bourque
Rebecca Warne
Elizabeth Dettmer
Hyeri Debora Yook
Frederic Bost
Cecilia Prieto
Kelly Proulx
Alexandre Benani
Mirto Foletto
Leonie Harrison
Geeta Achyuthan
Lauren Wedekind
Connie Stuart
Jacob Seidell
Eva Wright
Sylvain Iceta
Hari Vasan
margaret easton
Christina Blekkenhorst
Ali Zentner
Veronica Kacinik
Sofiia Desiateryk
Jilla King
Heidi Bednarchuk
Lynne Johnston
Samer Humadi
Carol Frederick
Sarah Chapelsky
Jonathan Gabor
Ivana Anusic
James Crosbie
Daniela Consonni
Alisa Cohen
Ashley Bissett
Amanda Waning
Karyn Rasmussen
Santosh Agarwal
Marie-Claude Bossé
Susie Birney
Carol Harper
Professor Suzanne Norris
Cynthia Hennessey-Lewis
Elly Park
Christina Norlin
Louise Borre
Sheri MacKenzie
Cathy Breen
Ben Whelan
Karen Gaynor
A Michael Ianniruberto
Nicole Houghtaling
Kristine Godziuk
Laurie Twells
Walter Lindstrom
Faris Alassaf
Velos Christou
Vanessa Folope
Allen Browne
Julie Kleeberger
Marc Kochamba
Shona Jackson
Donna Cameron
Amy Buttar
Tony Goldstone
Pete Avara
Christine Chikurunhe
Dima Aboukasm
Valerie Carney
Silvia Mauri
Michelle Archer
Andrea Bretal
Tracy Clarke
Brittany Gurgel
Marcela Rodriguez Flores
Ekaterina Tibilova
Jillianne Hill
Coreen Rivard
Bernadette Keenan
Lucille McGraw
Maryfrances White
Karen Patte
Nicola Michaud
Dr James Krahn
Justine Thacker
Judith MacDonald
Joe Pascale
Karlijn Burridge
Anne Siemaszkiewicz
Rose Gorniak
Jodi Mitchell
Majella O’Keeffe
Brett Dutra
Michael Sutker
Shabnam Kar
Jennifer Brown
Sarah Gullins
Deborah Stewart
Gillian Martin
Priti Chawla
Rosa Tricia Asiain Vazquez
Ahmad Bashir
Hilary MacKenzie
Kozeta Miliku
Nancy Robinson
Luca Busetto
Stephanie Julien
Barbara Kermode-Scott
Lars Alling
Jessica Catchpole
Ghislain Grodard
Gurpeeet Aujla
Ghislain Grodard
Sheila Abadiano
Vincent Attalin
Joerg Zehetner
Klaus Andersen
Elizabeth Egan
Elke Smith
Nada Alsaleh
Sara Kirk
Maureen Hirschfeld
Charlie Hirschfeld
Giovanni Ceccarini
Marlène Galantier
Sheena Bhageerutty
Laurence Philip
Maria Eusebi
Lianna Titheridge
Violaine Pluche-Cullerre
Francesco Cavagnini
Rodriguez chantal
Anna Belligoli
Nathalie Mazure
Paolo Pilla
Lucio Gnessi
Massimo Cuzzolaro
Warren Collmer
Camillo Ezio Di Flaviano
Laure Fredj
Marina Payen
Shelly Russell-Mayhew
Monique Romon
Debrus Gregory
Venkatesh Kanakala
Paolo Sbracciaa
Bhav Barot
Alexis Elias Malavazos
Godenir Corinne
Andrew Tsang
Christine Rosenbloom
Elaine Hildebrandt
Maria Letizia Petroni
Riccardo Dalle Grave
Giulio Marchesini
Antonio Pratesi
Maria Grazia Carbonelli
Hellas Cena
Ashleigh Knowles
Emily Pummill
Melody Harding
Claudio Maffeis
Sebastien Grigioni
Anna Ciampolillo
Stefanie Gerlach
Lucia Frittita
Denise Millard
Philippe Palat
Rachael Millard
Martina de Zwaan
Ashlee Worden
Pierre Dechelotte
Micheal Pellen
Nagammapudur Balaji
Bex Foreman
Sarah Nutter
Katrina Boutilier
Sandi Tymchuk
Maureen Busby
Gregory Pacyk
Agnes Maurin
Nina Crowley
Manoel Galvao Neto
Luiz Mestieri
Martine Laville
Rodolfo Vasconcelos
Mourad Lyoubi
Ambro Bohsali
Emanuele Bosi
Caterina Conte
Ana Karen Aguilar
Jennifer Laberge
Arianna Salgado
Sonia Angélica Muñoz Cruz
Danielle Lefebvre
Julie St-Pierre
Audrey Chognard
Angelica Magdaleno
Rosanna La Carrubba
Abhinav Gupta
Ms Glassar
Ghislaine Picard
Martina de Zwaan
Joyce Cheung
Vicki-Anne Rodrigue
Gabriel Sophie
Béatrice Morio-Liondore
Suzanne Grady
Camille Canaple
Begoña Gil Barcenilla
Lise Lafargue
Christine Poulh
Farnaz Rahimi
Nicole DiBiagio
Miriam Avendaño
Stefan Engeli
Eduardo Márquez
Paloma Zubieta
Carly Hughes
Beth Greenslade
Anna Dayer Jankechova
Maxime St-Pierre
Béatrice Eulalie
Agnès Maurin
Emilie Boisvert
Sergio Bernasconi
Laura Boyer
Sue Jacques
Jennifer Sargent
Marianne Guenot
Riccardo Lera
Raffaele Limauro
Alberto Borraccino
Francesco Baggiani
Federica Zanetto
Alexander Warren
Carol Pizzuti
Karl Miller
Maureen Quigley
Dennis Smith
Sharon Krzyzanowski
Ciara Lopez
Walter Pories
Dale Bond
Jacques Himpens
Bruce Schirmer
Chris Eagon
Daryl Tol
Willie Pallares
Yeiris Soto
Corrigan McBride
Mitchell Roslin
Nadia Edeis
Dina Benetti
Margot Bergevin
Erika Becerra-Vera
Rachel Ignomirello
Julien Lacoue-Labarthe
Jo Hart
Sophie Thomas
Dorothee Lauvaux
Christian Tatschl
Elisa Bagni
Werner Göttling
Nakul Bhatia
Sridar Govindaraj
Grace Pailing
Ane Kokkvoll
Lizette Franks
Olivia Sewell
Vincenzo Trischitta
Mélissa Philis
David Sánchez-Carracedo
Eva Pereda-Pereda
Seedo Seedo
Heather Whittemore
Sanjana Khaira
Cristina Parrino
Antoine Epin
Daniel Jones
Guido Donato
Chiara Maffei
Stefania Brovero
Lavanya Parashivakumar
Christine Feillet-Coudray
Elizabeth Morris
Jilly Gibson Miller
Mckenzie Dow
Emer O' Malley
Claudia Coelho
Mirjam Heinen
Colin Simpson
Valentina Vitiello
Eva Pereda-Pereda
Elena Ruiz-Úcar
Riccardo Dalle Grave
Prof Pierre Dechelotte
Jacob C. Seidell
Engeli Stefan
Luca Busetto
Sara FL Kirk
Raghav Bansal
Mirto Foletto
David Sánchez Carracedo
Alessandra Valerio
Professor Harry Rutter
Caterina Conte
Desmond Hughes
Lucia Frittitta
Bethany Glassar
Michelle Vicari
Nina Stuart
Robin Quinn
Isabel Silva
Cecilia Prieto Bravo
Alba Xhixha
Jacques Himpens
Laurie Twells PhD
Michael Vallis
Amy Smith RN CDE
Melody Harding
Francesco Baggiani
Jean-Philippe Chaput
Sharon A. Krzyzanowski
Hellas Cena
Daniel B. Jones
Jennifer Brown
Allen F. Browne
Ian Patton
Jacqueline Jacques
Mary Forhan
Sarah Nutter
Stephanie McCarville
Marcela Rodríguez Flores
Dawn Hatanaka
Karlijn Burridge
Ashley McCarthy
Fatima Waqar
Michael Sutker
Catherine Lin
Emilie Boisvert
Raffaele Limauro
Christel Glinker
Dr Lynne Johnston
Rochelle Blacklock
Dr Hilda Mulrooney
Monique Romon
Julie St-Pierre
Matthew M. Hutter
Lauren Wedekind
Danielle Lefebvre
Patricia M. Nece
Paul Davidson
Inés Alonso
Anna Dayer Jankechova
Cristina Parrino
Gregory Pacyk
Susie Birney
Simone Davies
Jean-Philippe Magema
Stefanie Gerlach
Heather Angell
Bernadette Keenan
Veronika Benesova
JP (Juthika Pal)
Andrew Tsang
Jenny Cargiuolo
Beth Greenslade
Christine Hellendy
Zaher Toumi
Massimo Cuzzolaro
Gail Pinnock
Jonathan Gabor
Jose Eduardo Garcia- Flores
Ali Zentner
Ben Whelan
Jennifer Laberge
Mr Mike Pellen
Maria Letizia Petroni
Mohammed Al-Anati
Elena Ruiz-Úcar
Karen Gaynor
Olivia Sewell
Jilla King

Organisations:

The French Speaking Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (SFNCM), Chairman: Prof Pierre Dechelotte
HOBS- Hälsa oberoende av storlek
Hughes Krupica
La Ligue contre l'obésité
Obesity Action Coalition
Obesity Canada
SOCIEDAD ESPAÑOLA DE OBESIDAD -S EEDO
Obesity Canada
London Bridge Hospital, part of HCA Healthcare
Italian Society of Pediatrics, "Adolescence" study group
Obesity Group of the British Dietetic Association
Approach Center of excellence in kids Obesity (Montreal, Canada)
PCOS Vitality
Société Française de Nutrition
International Medical Press
Tallaght University Hospital
Irish Coalition for People Living with Obesity (ICPO)
European Coalition for People Living with Obesity (ECPO)
ETHICON, JOHNSON & JOHNSON
German Obesity Society (Deutsche Adipositas-Gesellschaft)
MTYBariatrics
Diabetes Training Inc (Canada)
LIGUE CONTRE L'OBESITE

Partner Organizations

American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE)
American Association for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS)
American Diabetes Association (ADA)
Diabetes UK
European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO)
International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and metabolic Disorders (IFSO)
Obesity Action Coalition (OAC)
Obesity Canada
The Obesity Society (TOS) – USA
World Obesity Federation (WOF)

Other Scientific and Patient Societies

American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM)
American Society for Nutrition (ASN)
Association of British Clinical Diabetologists (ABCD)
The Australian National Association of Clinical Obesity Services (NACOS)
Australian and New Zealand Metabolic and Obesity Surgery Society (ANZMOSS)
Austrian Society for Obesity and Metabolic Surgery
Brazilian Society for Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery (SBCBM)
British Obesity and Metabolic Surgery Society (BOMSS)
Canadian Association of Bariatric Physicians and Surgeons (CABPS)
Canadian Association of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation (CACPR)
Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists/Association Canadienne des ergothérapeutes
Canadian Psychiatric Association
The Canadian Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism (CSEM)
CIHR-SPOR Chair in Innovative, Patient-Oriented, Behavioural Clinical Trials.
Chilean Society for Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery
Colegio Mexicano de Cirurgia Para la Obesidad y Enfermedades Metabolicas
Croatian Society of Obesity
Dietitians of Canada
Dutch Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (DSMBS)
The Endocrine Society (USA)
European Coalition for People Living with Obesity (ECPO)
French Clinical Research Network in Obesity (FORCE)
French Society for Research and Care of Obesity (AFERO)
French Society of Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery (SOFFCO-MM)
Hellenic Medical Association for Obesity (HMAO)
Hellenic Society for Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery
Hellenic Society for the Study of Obesity, Metabolism and Eating Disorders
Hong Kong Association for the Study of Obesity
Hong Kong Obesity Society
Hong Kong Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery
Hungarian Society for the Study of Obesity
International Behavioural Trials Network (IBTN)
International Society for the Perioperative Care of the Obese Patient (ISPCOP)
Irish Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (IrSPEN)
The Israeli Association for the Study of Obesity
Italian Obesity Society (SIO)
Korean Society for the Study of Obesity (KSSO)
Latin American Federation of Obesity (FLASO)
The Lithuanian Society of Bariatric Surgery
Mexican Society of Obesity
National Lipid Association (USA)
Norwegian Society for the Surgery of Obesity
Obesity Australia
Obesity Care Advocacy Network (OCAN)
Obesity Collective
Obesity Medicine Association (USA)
Obesity Society of Nigeria
The Obesity Surgery Society India (OSSI)
Obesity UK
Romanian Bariatric Society
Romanian Federation of Diabetes, Nutrition, Metabolic diseases
The Royal College of Physicians -RCP- (UK)
Russian Society of Bariatric Surgeons
Sociedad Argentina de Cirugia de la Obesidad Enfermedad Metabolica y Otras
Relacionados con la Obesidad
Sociedad Argentina de Obesidad y Trastornos Alimentarios
The Sociedad Española de Cirugía de la Obesidad y Enfermedades Metabólicas (SECO)
Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES)
Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM)
The Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT)
South African Society for Surgery Obesity and Metabolism
UK Association for the Study of Obesity
Kayl Association for Combating Obesity