BREAKING THE BIAS: WHY WOMEN SHOULD STOP BLAMING THEMSELVES FOR OBESITY

For many Canadian women, a weight management journey can be filled with challenges that extend far beyond diet and fitness trends. It’s a battle against societal pressures, low self-worth and barriers to accessing essential care, thanks to long-held misconceptions surrounding obesity and weight.

Characterized by abnormal or excessive amounts of body fat, obesity is a complex, progressive and relapsing disease that can harm an individual’s health and is linked to more than 200 chronic illnesses, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, respiratory diseases, osteoarthritis, cancer and certain mental health conditions. It’s not a “condition” or a “lifestyle choice.” 

Dr. Sasha High, a board-certified internal medicine and obesity physician, explains that obesity involves “physiologic dysfunction” in how the body regulates energy, appetite, hormones and even fat storage. This biological complexity means that for many, diet and exercise alone, while essential for overall health, are often not enough to treat this chronic disease.

The progressive nature of obesity means it tends to worsen over time. The body’s adaptations after weight loss often favour weight regain, making it a relapsing disease. Essentially, your body actively fights to return to its previous highest weight, even after successful weight loss. This also classifies it as a chronic disease, requiring ongoing long-term management rather than a quick fix.

“When we label it as just a condition or an illness, or a symptom of poor lifestyle choices, it really downplays the science and physiology that is driving the dysfunction,” says Dr. High. “That reinforces all the harmful stereotypes that we have around obesity today.”

The weight of misconceptions

The societal stigma surrounding obesity creates significant psychological and systemic barriers, especially for women. Many women internalize this bias, believing they “did this to themselves” and “should be able to fix it” through sheer willpower. This often prevents them from seeking necessary medical treatment. Sandra Elia, a certified food addiction counsellor and board chair of Obesity Matters, identifies obesity as a unique chronic disease burdened by decades of shame. “Patients are often dismissed with unhelpful advice like ‘just eat less and move more,’ which further hinders their access to appropriate care,” she says.

Beyond personal well-being, the misconceptions around obesity have tangible socio-economic consequences, as well. The Cost of Inaction report by Obesity Canada, which examines the economic implications of failing to recognize obesity as a chronic disease, starkly highlights these disparities. The results uncovered that women living with obesity face significant economic disadvantages, earning 12 per cent less annually than women of healthy-, leading to nearly $3.8 billion in lost income. They are also 5.3 per cent less likely to be employed, a disparity far less pronounced for men living with obesity at only 0.3 per cent.

Elia experienced first-hand how these biases play out, recalling a corporate trip to Bermuda. During a Survivor-style team-building game, she expressed concerns about being able to keep up with the pace, to which the leader responded, “Okay, so you’re out. Those are the rules. If you don’t participate in a game, you’re out.” Along with an older colleague, they were the first to be unceremoniously “kicked off the island.” This lack of inclusivity, especially in a corporate environment, can foster feelings of unworthiness while also exposing deep-seated systemic biases.

A new horizon in obesity care

Obesity care is evolving thanks to the growing inclusion of multifaceted care approaches. This includes advancements in medical intervention, offering individuals—including busy working women—a powerful new tool. These new medications help to regulate appetite and sustain long-term weight loss by addressing the underlying biology of obesity in the brain. 

As Dr. High points out, taking medication isn’t “cheating” or “the easy way out.” It’s about treating biology that was not previously addressed, helping people manage their disease and regain control over aspects of their lives that had been limited by obesity.

“If I told my patient that they have breast cancer and to seek chemotherapy, there would be no resistance because there is an acknowledgement that this is a disease and we have effective treatment for it,” says Dr. High. “It’s just not the case with obesity because of that ongoing bias, so there’s an avoidance of seeking care.”

Breaking down barriers, building compassion

For Canadian women living with obesity, understanding that it is a complex chronic disease, not a personal failure, is the first step toward empowerment. Dr. High emphasizes that women deserve to be taken seriously and given access to treatment.

Health care professionals play a critical role in destigmatizing obesity by checking their own biases, leading with empathy and curiosity, and educating themselves on the science behind the disease. Simple changes, such as using people-first language (i.e., person living with obesity instead of obese person) and creating safe, non-shaming health care environments, can foster greater trust with patients. If you are an individual living with obesity, consider speaking with your doctor about new advances in obesity care.

To learn more about obesity, and to access inclusive resources, visit the Obesity Canada and Obesity Matters web sites.

2025-08-05T13:32:09Z