Reducing weight bias in obesity management, practice and policy
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7196/SAMJ.2025.v115i9b.3598Keywords:
obesity, bias, Guideline, South AfricaAbstract
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. HCPs should assess their own attitudes and beliefs regarding obesity and consider how their attitudes and beliefs may influence care delivery (Level 1a, Grade A).
2. HCPs should recognise that internalised weight bias (bias towards oneself) in PLWO can affect behavioural and health outcomes (Level 2a, Grade B).
3. HCPs should avoid using judgemental words (Level 1a, Grade A), images (Level 2b, Grade B)[2] and practices (Level 2a, Grade B)[13] when working with PLWO.
4. We recommend that HCPs avoid making assumptions that an ailment or complaint a patient presents is related to their body weight (Level 3, Grade C).
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