Season 5, Episode 2: Obesity Research And Weight Stigma

Abstract

Health research related to weight and the idea of obesity is a frequent topic in the news. Just recently, we’ve been hearing about the diabetes medication Ozempic being used for weight loss and that the American Academy of Pediatrics revised their guidelines for treating children diagnosed with obesity to include weight loss medications and potentially surgery starting at age 13. Obesity and weight loss research is a complex and sometimes emotionally difficult topic and we wanted to try to look at it from multiple viewpoints to get a fuller picture of the research being done and how it’s shaping healthcare. So, for this show, we talked to a recent graduate from the Master's of Public Health program about her experiences in fat activism and research in the fat community, and we also spoke to a professor and researcher from the School of Public Health who focuses on weight-related health. The following organizations were mentioned in this show: The Radical Health Alliance, Cake Plus-Size Resale, National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance, and the Association for Size Diversity and Health.