This section provides links to resources and guidance that will help partners address weight stigma using positive, non-stigmatising language.
We must avoid stigmatising people living with overweight or obesity: the psychological and social consequences make the problem worse. At the same time, we should remember that excess weight is not an aesthetic issue it’s a health issue and should be treated as such – with management of the causes and support for those affected.
Better Health Staffordshire is committed to using clear, respectful and inclusive wording in our communications.
Resources for addressing weight stigma and using positive language
- NG246 Overweight and obesity management: Visual summary on principles of care 14/01/2025
- The World Obesity Federation has produced a helpful guide to using appropriate language
- The World Obesity Federation has also produced an image bank, with a gallery of free-to-use images to ensure accurate, non-biased images are widely available, here: Image Bank | World Obesity Federation
- Healthy voices language guidelines
Resources for parents and carers
PSHE Education Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire hosts a guide and short video developed by the University of Bath that can be shared with parents and carers to support conversations with their child about weight. These resources can be found in the ‘Being Healthy’ section.
To find out more: Parents & carers: talking to your child about weight (PSHE Education):
Evidence and Research to support understanding of weight stigma
National Library of Medicine:
- The importance of language in engagement between health-care professionals and people living with obesity: a joint consensus statement - PubMed (nih.gov)
- In Response to "Normalization of Plus Size and the Danger of Unseen Overweight and Obesity in England" - PubMed (nih.gov)
Guidelines for BDA communications - Respecting people’s self-definition:
Research article by Brown and Flint:
- Brown A, Flint SW. Preferences and emotional response to weight-related terminology used by healthcare professionals to describe body weight in people living with overweight and obesity. Clin Obes. 2021;11(5):e12470. Brown A, Flint SW