We often hear about how stigma can prevent treatment for mental disorders and promote feelings of shame or low self-worth among those struggling. Did you know the same is true for obesity? Obesity is a complex disease, and stigma stems from a misunderstanding of what it is, what contributes, and how it can be treated.

Today, we're joined by Angela Fitch, MD, a leader in the field of obesity medicine, to help us learn more about what we can all do to support kids who are struggling with obesity and shift the culture around weight bias. We discuss personal biases, effective treatment, and the mental health toll obesity stigma can take on our kids who need us to step up on this issue.

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Media List

• Angela Fitch, MD, FACP, FOMA (Obesity Medicine Association)
• More About Knownwell (Knownwell.co)
• Consensus Statement on Obesity (The Obesity Society)
• What Is Body Composition? (WebMD)
• BMI ≠ Obesity = Excess Adiposity (ConscienHealth)
• Adipose Tissue (Body Fat) (Cleveland Clinic)
• Study: BMI Measurements Should Be Tailored to Race and Ethnicity (Verywell Health)
• Most Food in America is Hyper-Palatable and ‘Difficult to Stop Eating,’ Scientists Say (Newsweek)
• CBT Is Effective for Childhood Obesity (Beck Institute)
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, featuring Susan Sprich, PhD (MGH Clay Center)
• Is Your ADHD Brain Hard-Wired for Weight Gain? (ADDitude Magazine)
• Headless, Hungry, and Unhealthy: A Video Content Analysis of [Persons With Obesity] Portrayed in Online News (Journal of Health Communication)
• New guidelines for treating childhood obesity include medications and surgery for first time (NBC News)
• Weight Bias: People-First Language (Obesity Action Coalition)
• Digital Media and Body Image (MGH Clay Center)

Episode produced by Sara Rattigan

Music by Gene Beresin

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