Obesity Related Stigma as a Form of Oppression: Implications for Social Work Education

Abstract

Obesity is a growing health problem in the US. In addition to the health problems associated with being grossly overweight, obese individuals also must confront stigma and social exclusion. Weight bias and negative attitudes towards the obese have been widely confirmed in numerous professions. The purpose of this article is two-fold: (1) to discuss the implications of weight-related stigma on obese clients; and (2) to offer pedagogical approaches for reducing discriminatory attitudes against overweight individuals, among MSW students, so that they may provide more effective clinical services to clients struggling with obesity.

Marriage and Family Therapy Students’ Views on Including Weight Bias Training into Their Clinical Programs

“…Participants' ideas for including the training into their existing programs were to incorporate the training into diversity or ethics courses (required of all master's accredited COAMFTE programs), pre-practicum or pre-clinical training courses, or in supervision practicum experiences. Of the other weight bias trainings reviewed in this paper, Lawrence et al (2012) is the only training program that explicitly makes specific recommendations for training program integration. Focusing on social work education, Lawrence et al (2012) encourage educators to include obesity education in diversity courses, behavioral courses, interdisciplinary clinical practice courses, and policy and advocacy courses.…”

“…Of the other weight bias trainings reviewed in this paper, Lawrence et al (2012) is the only training program that explicitly makes specific recommendations for training program integration. Focusing on social work education, Lawrence et al (2012) encourage educators to include obesity education in diversity courses, behavioral courses, interdisciplinary clinical practice courses, and policy and advocacy courses. The Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity's (2015) Preventing weight bias training is offered online and is available for multidisciplinary providers at any level of practice but makes no specific recommendations for integration into training programs.…”

“…Three such programs, to the authors knowledge, have been developed (Lawrence et al 2012;Pratt and Cravens 2014;Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity 2015). Lawrence et al (2012) offered a pedagogical approach to reduce the discriminatory attitudes against overweight individuals and provide more effective clinical services for individuals struggling with overweight for students in masters of social work (MSW) programs. The authors provide social work educators with implementation strategies to include obesity content in specific areas of MSW training.…”

“…If weight bias is neglected while students are in training, or brought up on an ''as needed'' basis we could be encouraging undue harm to students, clients, and the therapist-client relationship. Two weight bias trainings that have included self-of-the-provider elements include (1) the recommendations for social work education (Lawrence et al 2012) and (2) Preventing weight bias (Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity 2015). Self-of-thetherapist training around weight bias in MFT supervision could provide students a place to work through their biases prior to initiating their clinical work, potentially mitigating harmful effects to their clients and themselves.…”

Marriage and Family Therapy Trainees' Reports of Explicit Weight Bias

“…Despite the incidence of weight bias among mental and healthcare professions, the problem has not gone unrecognized. Some weight bias and body awareness curriculums have been developed (Lawrence, Hazlett, & Abel, ; Puhl & Brownell, ). The Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity has developed a toolkit for healthcare providers titled, “Preventing Weight Bias, Helping without Harming in Clinical Practice.” The toolkit contains eight modules that inform the practitioner about different resources and strategies when working with clients who are overweight or obese and assists the practitioner in examining their own weight bias (The Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity, ).…”