Problem With Obesity, or Problem With Human Rights?

            The covers of People Magazine, Vogue, and Seventeen are splashed with photos of thin celebrities and models staring emptily at the reader, while social media attempts to portray them in “real life” by displaying photos of them devouring hamburgers, exposing their cellulite at the beach, or sporting no makeup and sweatpants. Although the media captures these two different sides as one, the message is ultimately the same – these are the beautiful people that grace the front pages of magazines, and those are the people that are judged. With such a pervasive obsession with weight and beauty, it is no surprise that many Americans struggle with eating disorders and distorted perceptions of body image.

             Body image is defined as the “way someone perceives their body and assumes that others perceive them. This image is often influenced by family, friends, social pressure, and the media” (“11 Facts About Body Image,” n.d.). The definition itself indicates the extent of impressionability on one's bodily perception, as well as evidence of image trends and how the “ideal” body image has evolved with the changes in social and cultural norms. Even on college campuses, the obsession with thinness can be observed among the packs of sorority girls in line for small salads that they later only nibble at with no dressing, no carbs, edamame, (basically) no flavor, and a water. Substantial meal, right? As if this diet trend was not frustrating enough to witness, conversations about being “good” and only eating one small snack or meal the entire day can be overheard – as if looking for confirmation of a drastic loss in weight or reassurance that such behavior was not necessary. The race to obtain the coveted “ideal” body is a predetermined failure. Statistics show that approximately 91% of females disapprove of their bodies and try to achieve their ideal body through dieting. Unfortunately, only 5% of the female population naturally possess the ideal body shape portrayed in magazines, music videos, and other media forms (“11 Facts, n.d.). In other words, the majority of the population is racing to a finish line that is not even there.

            What is the origin of this obsession with thinness though? No one is saying thinness is a requirement but sometimes it is not what goes unsaid, but what is conveyed instead that sends the strongest message. A disparaging caption in a February issue of Marie Claire that was adorned with a glossy photo of a thin Penelope Cruz read: “Why America Hates Fat Women.” In the meantime, society is engrossed in repulsive reality television shows like “The Biggest Loser,” “Nip Tuck,” or “Ugly Betty” that only contribute to the negative stigma of people who are fatter than societal norms allow (Martens, 2006). What is worse, is that this perception fat people is developing at the ripe young age of three. Children in elementary school use the term “fat” as an insult – and it is the culture that perpetuates this behavior, not just the media. Children start associating fat with “bad” and thin with “good” because they begin to learn that those around them that are on the heavier side never get chosen in gym class or recess and are socially isolated, while their most popular peers are the ones who are thin and well-liked (Hetter, 2012). The terms are no longer used as an assessment of weight, but instead as a judgment of character and predictor of quality of life. And yet despite this obsession with incredibly skinny ideals of beauty that has ultimately led to eating disorders, the percentage of Americans who are overweight and obese is actually much greater than those who are anorexic – with over 78 million adults and 12.5 million children and adolescents suffering from obesity in 2009-2010 (Ogden, C. L., Carroll, M. D., Kit, B. K., & Flegal, K. M., 2012). The contrast of what society strives to be and tries to avoid with what society actually is reveals an interesting dichotomy. How did Americans become the spitting image of everything they condemned?

            The unfortunate side of obesity is that not only does it defy society's ideals of beauty, but it leads to a devalued sense of identity. Unlike those suffering from anorexia, those suffering from obesity are faced with a greater amount of reinforced biased attitudes, discrimination, or prejudice created by weight stigma (Oliver-Pratt, 2013). Weight stigma particularly comes from physicians, who often reduce patients to a stereotype and tend to provide a behavioral weight loss plan which marginalizes those with Binge Eating Disorder because their shame is heightened and they enter a hopeless-helpless paradigm as a result of their initial inability to control their behavior on their own (Oliver-Pratt, 2013). Their disorder is more than just overeating and/or not exercising, but one that involves psychological, sociocultural, and biological factors. Unfortunately, weight stigma is one of the most socially acceptable forms of prejudice with no repercussions for the biased individual as a result of societal messages and beliefs that shaming a person affected by obesity will serve as motivation to lose weight. Due to the fact that the person affected by obesity is not protected under any discrimination laws, weight stigma often leads to lower promotion prospects, wage inequalities, and a decreased chance in employment. Additionally, weight stigma cultivates a bias in education characterized by biased attitudes from teachers and administrators, peer victimization, and lower academic achievement (Obesity Action Coalition, 2014). Such biased behaviors in the schools only worsen the problem and lead to a decrease in self-confidence, self-harm, intensive bullying/cyberbullying, and suicide. Perhaps what is most alarming is the weight stigma present in the healthcare system. Research has shown that 46% of women affected by obesity did not receive proper healthcare as a result of the small gowns, narrow exam tables, and inappropriately sized medical equipment (Obesity Action Coalition, 2014). Aside from the hospital environment itself and its accommodations for those affected by obesity, patients are also stigmatized by medical professionals. A reported 69% of overweight people had been stigmatized by doctors, while one of every three in 400 doctors admittedly responded negatively to those affected by obesity and were less likely to perform preventative health screenings and provide interventions (Friedman & Puhl, 2012). Such behavior is consistent with their beliefs that the patients who are obese bring it upon themselves because of laziness and a lack of self-discipline, in addition to their palpable reluctance to have direct contact with the exposed patient.

What society fails to realize is that just as creating unrealistic ideals of an ideal body can result in eating disorders that cause significant weight loss and impair one's functioning, so can weight bias with individuals suffering from obesity. Many of those individuals already have an eating disorder and experiences of weight stigma only create a perpetuating problem in which the individual withdraws from the bias and discrimination and returns to dependence on food as a way of coping with the negative feelings from weight stigma. The consequences of weight stigma are detrimental and subject the oppressed individual to depression, anxiety, distorted body image, low self-esteem, lack of interpersonal relationships, and even more unhealthy weight control practices (Obesity Action Coalition, 2014). If we can recognize discrimination against gender, race, religion, ethnicity, or age, how is it that we have failed to recognize weight stigma as a prejudice against people who do not reflect our perceptions of an ideal appearance? Surely we want people to make healthy life choices, but to dehumanize them with a simple assessment of weight and use it to deprive them of an education, a job, medical services, or of a proper social experience, is denying them basic human rights based on appearance. This is precisely why Americans struggle with obesity – because like the rest of oppressed groups, we are averse to helping them properly, if at all.