Understand the complexities of weight and stigma

As discussed, a key reason for weight stigma is the misperception that obesity is due to a person’s lack of personal responsibility with regards to their own health. People fail to understand that in actual fact, obesity is caused by a complex mix of genetic, biological, and environmental factors, many of which are beyond the control of the person with obesity.^{1, 14}

From week 2, you know that weight is complex and that energy intake, sedentary behaviour and physical activity levels are only some of the many contributing factors. There are many other factors, including the body’s regulatory system that strongly defends weight.