Fat people often experience discrimination and stigma when seeking medical treatment. It’s a major problem that leads to metabolic problems, increased inflammation, avoidance of medical care, and increased mortality. It can be challenging, but verbally advocating for yourself at doctor’s appointments can help reduce some of the negative impact of weight stigma.
The weight of stigma: heavier patients face the burden of prejudice
Researchers say that feeling stigmatized or stereotyped at a doctor’s appointment can make it harder for you to think and communicate effectively. If that sounds like your own doctor’s experience, you might want to start your next appointment with a cheat sheet of phrases recently shared by speaker, author, and researcher Ragen Chastain in her Weight and Healthcare Newsletter , in which she writes about the intersection of weight science, weight stigma, and health care.
“Of course, there are countless techniques to circumvent the stigma surrounding obesity, but when I think of the three key phrases, I think of options that help us get the care we want and need, even in a health care system that often tries to reduce the entire health care system to 'diagnose fat, prescribe weight loss,'” Chastain wrote.
Write this question on a notecard to treat as an actual script when you’re in the doctor’s office. It can be so intimidating to speak up, especially when we feel marginalized and devalued. Try saying the phrase out loud to yourself at home before your appointment so you’re not completely off the mark when you get there. It’s okay to check your notes and ask this very candid question.
