Patient and Family Perspectives on Terms for Obesity
Online survey data from 2 panel survey samples between September and December 2021: youth aged 10 to 17 years (n = 2032) and parents of youth aged 10 to 17 years (n = 1936) were collected to assess perspectives of weight-based terminology in 2 racially/ethnically diverse samples of youth and parents. Youth reported preferences for words such as “healthy weight” and dislike of terms such as “obese,” “fat,” and “large,” which induced feelings of sadness, shame, and embarrassment. Differences in youth preferences and emotional reactions were present across sex, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, and weight status.
Full citation: Puhl, R., Lessard, L. M., Foster, G. D., & Cardel, M. I. (2022).Patient and Family Perspectives on Terms for Obesity. Pediatrics e2022058204. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2022-058204