"As a researcher and psychologist studying body image for nearly 30 years, I have collaborated with doctors, psychologists, dietitians, social workers, educators, activists, and journalists. These different professionals, embedded in very different contexts, tend to describe bodies-in particular, their size-differently. In medical settings, the terms "obese" or "person with obesity" are commonly used, while body-image researchers often use terms like "relatively thin" and "higher weight.""
"Like descriptors for race, ethnicity, gender, or disability, the words we use for body size have changed over time, and will likely continue to change. What once seemed acceptable may later feel outdated or even harmful. The last thing I ever want to do is offend someone-especially when my objective is to educate, support, and reduce stigma. Yet what is recommended in professional guidelines is often inconsistent with what research actually reveals about people's preferences and emotional responses to weight-related language."
Different professionals use distinct terms for body size across settings, with medical contexts favoring labels like "obese" or "person with obesity" and researchers using phrases such as "relatively thin" or "higher weight." Language about body size shapes how people feel about themselves, how much weight bias they internalize, motivation to engage in health behaviors, and the quality of clinical communication. Terms for body size have evolved similarly to descriptors for race, ethnicity, gender, and disability, and language will likely continue to change. Professional guidelines often conflict with research evidence about preferences and emotional responses to weight-related language. The phrase "the obesity epidemic" rose in public health discourse during the 1990s.
Read at Psychology Today
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