Close view of an overweight nude woman.

Weight-shaming frequently backfires. Why do doctors and families do it?

Experts say it can lead to everything from depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and other mental-health effects to poor heart health and even death.

Stigmatizing people for their weight is “the last acceptable form of bias,” says A. Janet Tomiyama, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Photograph by KAREN KASMAUSKI, Nat Geo Image Collection

Pauline Sobelman, a 52-year-old employee benefits consultant in New York City, felt a squeezing sensation in her chest a few years ago. Worried it might signal a serious heart problem, she immediately sought out a doctor. The first issue Sobelman, who’s five feet, one inch tall, encountered was that none of the gowns in the exam room fit her 200-plus-pound, size 3XL frame. When the doctor entered, she says he looked at her body spilling out of the inadequate robe and, with his eyes wide and face contorted, registered his disgust. It’s a look Sobelman wouldn’t forget.

“I had an incredible feeling of shame, that my doctor is appalled by looking at my body,” she recalls.

Although the physician accurately diagnosed her

DON'T MISS THE REST OF THIS STORY!
Create a free account to continue and get unlimited access to hundreds of Nat Geo articles, plus newsletters.

Create your free account to continue reading

No credit card required. Unlimited access to free content.
Or get a Premium Subscription to access the best of Nat Geo - just $19
SUBSCRIBE

Read This Next

Did this mysterious human relative bury its dead?
This new birth control for cats doesn't require surgery
How the Zoot Suit Riots changed America

Go Further

Subscriber Exclusive Content

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet