Weight bias in medical care settings, which involves health care professionals stigmatizing and judging patients with the disease of obesity, is widespread. Obesity as a disease state leads to dangerous consequences for more than 40% of U.S. adults and 20% of U.S. children and adolescents, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)[1].

Below, we cover the effects weight bias can have on patients with obesity or excess weight, why weight bias is prevalent in health care and what to do if you’ve experienced weight bias when receiving medical care.