The researchers identified that weight-inclusive approaches to education in healthcare - such as ethics seminars discussing patient experiences, embedding virtual storytelling of patient case studies, or empathy evoking activities in the curriculum, such as following a calorie restricted diet or participation in clinical encounters with patients living with overweight and obesity - were effective in challenging stereotypes and improving attitudes.
"In this review, it was clear more needs to be done to educate healthcare professionals and medical students on the complex range of factors regulating body weight," she said, and to address weight stigma, "emphasising its prevalence, origins, and impact".
"We need to move away from a solely weight-centric approach to healthcare to a health-focussed weight-inclusive one," she urged. Dr Kalea added that improving the ways that healthcare professionals are educated early on is a starting point. "We need to communicate better, listen carefully to our patients needs and let these inform our teaching and research agendas," she emphasised.
Maybe stop advocating 'healthy at any size' propaganda