We wish to acknowledge the complexity of the term “obesity” and language around this topic. “Obesity” is a medical diagnosis based on body mass index, which identifies people as having this medical condition based solely on their body size and has significant shortcomings as a clinical tool. Different terms may be preferred by individuals, including “fat,” “overweight,” “big,” “heavy,” “higher-weight,” “unhealthy weight,” and others. Unsurprisingly, this is an area of debate both within medicine and in the general public. However, it is important to note that the word “obesity is felt by many to be stigmatizing, and that many people at higher weights have experienced bias and discrimination not just by society at large, but by medical professionals. Some also feel that World Obesity Day itself perpetuates weight bias and stigma. In putting together this special issue, it is not our intent to contribute to this stigma, only to contribute to knowledge. Please reach out to the editorial team if you have any concerns, and we welcome articles with differing perspectives by all readers regardless of background.
For more reading on the language and advocacy around these issues, we recommend the following:
