Obesity discrimination: it’s going up in the U.S., it’s worse for women, and it’s almost as common as racial discrimination, according to an article in USA Today. The report is based on information from two new studies.
One of the studies is in the journal, Obesity . It finds discrimination based on weight has gone up 66 percent in the past 10 years – up from about 7 to 12 percent of adults in the U.S.
The second study is from the International Journal of Obesity. It shows the problem is common both at work and in personal environments, and is sometimes more common than gender or race discrimination. Among the severely obese, about 28 percent of men and 45 percent of women say they have been discriminated against because of their weight.
Some examples of discrimination at work include being fired, denied a job or promotion because of your weight. And outside the workplace, it can be insults, abuse, and harassment from others.
The research is based on surveys of more than 2,000 U.S. adults in 1995-96 and 2005-06.
Right now, there are no federal laws against weight discrimination.
Here from NaComLeavMo. I’ve been trying (unsuccessfully) to lose weight for what seems to be my whole life. Now, I’m prevented from having the one thing that I want in the world because of my weight. My doctor says that my husband and me are unlikely to get pregnant without IVF and the clinic will not allow anyone with a BMI over 40 to do IVF. Not because it would prevent pregnancy, or hurt myself or hurt a baby, no, it’s because they give you a sedative during the IVF procedure and they are worried about a malpractice case. It just stinks. Sorry for the rant.
Wow – that’s the first time I’ve heard of that. So sorry.
Okay, this is a big topic with me. I’m overweight, and there are times when I think I may want to change jobs or see what’s out there…
It does cross my mind, that people will see me as just overweight, and not look at my merits. But until I read this, I thought that it was just my own image issue…
Did you hear about the lady who road the bus with a book (with a fake cover) called Obesity is Contagious, the latest research (or something) People moved away from her on the bus, at the bus stop, etc.