Weight bias, weight stigma and weight-based discrimination affect people of all ages and across settings, including in schools, at home, workplaces, healthcare systems and in popular media.
Unfortunately, this narrative is also pervasive in public health policies , which tend to focus obesity discussion around individual behaviours and perceived failures, while neglecting to take into consideration important biological, social and environmental factors that drive obesity at the population level.
Changing obesity narratives in public policies will require a reflective and critical approach to identifying deeply rooted assumptions and beliefs about obesity. The Government of Canada has used Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) to assess how policies and programs may impact diverse groups of people. Recognizing that we all have multiple identify factors that intersect to make us who we are, this analytical process helps public policy makers to consider how diverse groups of people may experience public policies. Unfortunately, obesity is not one of the factors that is considered in the GBA+ analytical process.
This section has been written/provided by Obesity Canada with the goal of educating Canadians. The content on the website is intended for educational and informational purposes only. The content is not intended to provide medical advice and, to the extent that medical advice is required, users should consult with qualified medical professionals.