Skip to content
Surprising Science —

Fat Stigma Is on the Rise

Research conducted by Arizona State University anthropologists finds an increasing number of societies express negative attitudes towards overweight individuals—a reversal of earlier trends.
Sign up for Big Think on Substack
The most surprising and impactful new stories delivered to your inbox every week, for free.

What accounts for shifts in fat stigma? “Researchers believe global campaigns characterizing obesity as a disease has something to do with it. Media messages from Western societies commonly associating slimness with self-worth and societal value could influence opinions about fatness as well. Tracking such trends adds another facet to how health programs can better help individuals who may feel socially stigmatized by their weight. After all, the authors note, services exist to alleviate the physical burdens of obesity, but rarely consider its social effects.”

Sign up for Big Think on Substack
The most surprising and impactful new stories delivered to your inbox every week, for free.
Related
A bearded man wearing glasses and a plaid shirt speaks with a microphone clipped to his collar in front of a purple background with white dots.
The Well
How Rainn Wilson discovered sacredness
The hospital where Rainn Wilson’s wife and son nearly died became his own personal holy site. There, he discovered that the sacred can exist in places we least expect it. During his talk at A Night of Awe and Wonder, he explained how the awe we feel in moments of courage and love is moral beauty — and following it might be the start of our spiritual revolution.
▸
13 min
—
with
Rainn Wilson
Up Next
Surprising Science
Is the F.D.A. Broken?
Potentially dangerous food coloring has been removed from foods made by American companies—overseas. The coloring persists in the U.S. while the F.D.A. calls for more research.