April 2024

Weight Stigma in the Medical Community

Dealing with weight stigma in the medical world can be incredibly difficult. Weight stigma in healthcare shows up as discriminatory attitudes and assumptions based on body size. It often results in substandard care, misdiagnosis, and poor outcomes. For people in a larger body this experience can bring up a lot, potentially setting you up to have old, unhelpful stories come up or lead to harmful behaviors. Given this ugly reality in our current medical system, we can take active steps to take care of ourselves. Know that you aren’t alone, I’ve outlined a few tips that may be helpful so that you can have a plan to minimize risk: 

  • Be Prepared 

Have your meals and snacks set out for the day of your appointment. Not only does it ensure you nourish our body appropriately when busy, it’s also a way to be prepared, in the event that you are triggered by something. When we are experiencing big emotions, it's likely that it may be harder to make decisions around food.

  • Vet your providers. 

It can be hard to find a provider that is HAES (Health at Every Size) aligned and familiar with Intuitive Eating. At a minimum, you should consider finding a practitioner who can provide care without focusing on weight. If you happen to have a friend that has been or a family member that has had a positive experience, inquire a bit more. If you have a mental health provider you are working with they may also be able to provide some referrals. Look up the provider and see what you find about their previous work experience. Sometimes it can give a clue as to whether they would be a good fit.

  • Share 

Be prepared to share with your provider what is helpful and what is not helpful. This one is scary. It can be very easy to freeze, leading you to be unable to advocate for yourself. Luckily, there are ways around it. Consider sending an email ahead of time. You can bring in a “don’t weigh me” card (https://more-love.org/resources/free-dont-weigh-me-cards/). If you’re working with another provider you can even have them reach out for you.

  • Phone A Friend 

Have your safe person to call and vent to if needed. Call the person who “gets it”, who’s views align with yours, and who will give you the space and validation that you need.

Most importantly, give yourself compassion and grace. We know medical appointments can bring up a good bit of fear. Good news is we have tools that we know can help ease the discomfort.