Obesity Discrimination

Obesity Discrimination

There appears in a local newspaper an ad for employment, and there are two positions available. Three applicants inquire about, and receive interviews for the jobs. All three applicants have comparable education, as well as similar work histories. Applicant number one has a history of serious mental illness while number two is a convicted felon who has served time. Applicant number three is obese. Who gets hired? All current employment data gathered from prospective employers clearly states that the applicant least likely to obtain one of the two openings is number three, the obese applicant (Roehling). Obesity discrimination permeates every aspect of our society and touches 25% of Americans. Obese citizens should be afforded the same rights and privileges as any other person and not merely disregarded simply because of how they look. Yet, this is not the reality that these people face. There is overwhelming evidence showing that obese citizens are unfairly discriminated against, thus demanding that individuals be educated in order to change their thinking and that legislative protection be offered to this segment of the population.

Every day activities such as work, school, seeking health attention or even taking a trip can be excruciatingly painful experiences for an obese person. What is a person to think when upon mere sight of them, the medical community at large dismisses them out of hand? Medical attention, for both physical and mental needs, is a fundamental right we all share, yet corpulent people are often afraid to seek needed help. Many times they fear being ostracized based solely on their weight. This is a valid fear, as there is a body of evidence showing that unfair treatment exists in this arena.

"Studies have shown that therapists expect less positive treatment outcomes for such clients and perceive them as more symptomatic and self-conscious as well as less physically attractive and engaged in treatment than more slender clients" (Dittman). How can a mental health professional conclude that a heavy person is going to be less engaging in aiding his or her own recovery in therapy? "Particularly alarming are findings that even specialists in obesity fall prey to negative associations when working with obese patients. For example, a recent study found that even health professionals--including psychologists--who specialize in obesity often used words such as "lazy," "stupid" and "worthless" to describe obese people they come into contact with in their personal and professional lives" (Dittman). While these professionals are not likely to use these terms in the presence of a large person, the fact that they use them at all shows a jaded view toward this population. This calls into question the quality of treatment the individual is receiving from the mental health professional. But, the discrimination does not end there. There are more obvious physical needs that the medical community fails to meet, as well.

Obese people should not have to make special requests when visiting the doctor, such as "large sized blood pressure cuffs, specialized scales, longer needles and wider examination tables" (Rosin). It can be embarrassing to bring these needs to the attention of the service provider, and yet the onus to do so seems to be on the patient. A nurse noticing that an elderly person needs help walking back to his appointment will likely help by offering a wheel chair. Why wouldn't she similarly notice that a heavy person needed special help, either with mobility or getting a simple flu shot?

The fact that a persons physical or mental well being might not be given the same attention as a slender person is a moot point in cases where employers refuse to even offer health insurance to an overweight employee. Health risks such as diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure that are often associated with obesity have caused insurance companies to place higher rates on at risk populations. Consequently, some employers have chosen not to insure these populations. One cannot argue the quality of care that a heavy person receives if they are not even offered the care in the first place. None of this should be contingent on one's weight, whether they are heavy, slender, or even anorexic.

In fact, ask an average person what the biggest "weight" issue facing society today is and the most likely answer would be anorexia. Why? Anorexia has Hollywood appeal; there are movies of the week, after school specials, and biographical accounts of celebrities who have battled the disease. Yet, childhood obesity is actually the principal issue that our nation's youth are faced with in regards to healthcare. "A nationwide survey reported in the October 1995 issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine shows the number of overweight children aged 6 to 17 has more than doubled climbing from 5 percent in the 1960s to 11 percent in the 1990s" (Halsey).

These are children who are facing the same discrimination that overweight adults bear, yet the ridicule aimed at them comes predominantly from classmates. Children lack tact and their comments to one another are often deliberate and hurtful. "96% of overweight adolescent girls reported perceived negative experiences because of their weight, including hurtful comments, weight-related teasing, jokes and derogatory names. Many reported being teased continually from elementary school to high school" (American Obesity Association). One child was driven to suicide, taking his own life at the tender age of twelve, when the constant teasing about his weight became too much to bear. Some researchers offer ways for the children to cope with the taunting. Dr. David Kallenis suggests "positioning an overweight child in peer groups where his or her talents can be seen as useful and even fun" (Aronson). Others say that simply ignoring the taunts is the best way to handle the situation, but how do you explain to a child that he or she should just simply ignore what someone is saying to them, and that they should not take it personally? Children take everything personally. From their very early beginnings, every interaction a child has only serves to shape him or her into the individual that he or she will one day become. As a society, we want our children to have safe, happy and healthy upbringings, yet a child with a weight problem will likely suffer from self-esteem issues that may last a lifetime. Neither the child ignoring the problem, nor our society ignoring it, is the right answer.

An interesting side note is the racial division associated with the perception of what exactly constitutes a pleasing appearance in the minds of adolescents. "Studies conducted