Weight Discrimination In The U.S.
Literature review
According to Velez (2009), there has been an observed trend in the recent trend where weight discrimination has been on the increase in the United States and according to some reports, it now ranks as high as racial discrimination in terms of prevalence. According to Larkin (2004), weight discrimination mainly affects more women that men and according to a recent study by Huczynski, A. (2010), about 46% of ladies as compared to 27% of men said they had been discriminated against based on their weight in the recent past. The prevalence of weight discrimination has indeed become a serious issue in the United States and in her own words, Rebecca Rudd notes that “Weight discrimination must be addressed urgently before it gets out of hand, particularly in the United states.” Ms Rudd is a director of the Yale University Centre for Food and Obesity.
Ikramuddin et al. (2009) continues to note that weight discrimination is as prevalent in interpersonal relations as it is in institutional relations. However, what has caught the eye of many include institutional cases of weight discrimination at a time when we have laws declaring that each end every individual has the right to employment in the U.S irregardless of sex, religion, race etc. A large portion of cases of weight discrimination in institutions involve promotions, responsibility allocation, healthcare etc.According to Puhl et al. (2008), people considered to be overweight are looked down upon is almost all employment facets. This includes during the hiring process, vetting process, short listing as well as when firing decisions are being made. This seems to be always the case irregardless of the experience or skills of the individual.
In a study co-authored by Pelelako Kristen & College Mercy, 68% of the respondents interviewed reported to have been discriminated against in one instance or another based on their gender, race, religion etc. Amongst the 68% who reported of having been discriminated against, a whooping 27% reported of having been discriminated based on their weight. This clearly shows that discrimination based on weight at the workplace could be steadily increasing. Further, according to Libal (2006), in a study carried out by Obesity Action Coalition over a ten year period between 1995 and 2005, there was an observed 67% increase in the weight discrimination prevalence. It is important to note that though the obesity rates were on the increase as well in this period, they were not in any way to blame for the raising prevalence of weight discrimination (Jones 2007).Indeed, the Mt. Marion, N.Y., Council on Size and Weight Discrimination director of medical advocacy McAfee Lynn does not see such findings as surprising. To put it into perspective, he argues that “unless authorities walk the talk on the issue of weight discrimination, there is no way this issue shall be conclusively dealt with going forward.”
When it comes to interpersonal discrimination, Horner (2004) notes that it tends to be centered on harassment, abuses and insults from colleagues. Horner (2004) goes ahead to note that the war against weight discrimination is far from over given that currently, no explicit federal laws ban discrimination on the basis of weight. However, some cities have in the recent past locally banned discrimination of that kind. These cities include San Francisco and Washington D.C. However, according to Jones (2007) it takes more than just the enactment of laws to win the battle against weight discrimination. He notes that it will take the concerted efforts of all the stakeholders to keep in check discrimination based on weight. Gay (2009) reinforces this assertion by noting that we need to have more individuals reporting instances of weight discrimination be it interpersonal or institutional.
Those who seem to have taken the hue from Gay (2009) include Peggy Howell. Currently, Howell is a volunteer at an Oakland based non-profit organization called the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance. Howell has encountered weight issues firsthand after being asked to choose between retaining her job and loosing weight by her boss in her previous workplace where she earned her daily living as a librarian. Forced to comply with this directive, Howell had to join a fitness club and after loosing 120 pounds in a short while, she quit her position and plunged into the business world where she offered for sale items that were meant to fight weight and obesity stereotypes. Ms Howell now says she is sensitizing other members of the society who have encountered weight discrimination firsthand to at least do something that will help fight stereotypes about weight and obesity instead of remaining mute.
There are those who are of the opinion that the only way to address the issue of weight discrimination in the U.S is by first understanding the root cause as well as basis of such discrimination. Bryan (2008) argues that a majority of individuals have fear of becoming obese as well as fear of obese people as the basis of their prejudice as well as discrimination against those who are considered obese. Brownell (2005) also argues that many psychologists believe that weight discrimination is based on a number of stereotypes individuals particularly in the U.S hold. He continues to argue that many people associate overweight people with un-productivity, poor health, undisciplined, instability as well as laziness. These perceptions have indeed been blamed for the slow pace the fight against weight discrimination has taken (Anonymous 2002).
According to Bromfield (2009), weight discrimination in the united states is slowly limiting the ability of those not considered to ‘belong’ to a certain ‘weight class’ to compete on a level playing field as hey tend to loose out as far as jobs, professional development and financial stability is concerned. Further, Aphramor (2009) is of the opinion that if discrimination on the basis of weight is not conclusively dealt with in the U.S., then the earning capability or power of close to 65% of its populace shall be dealt a blow. This is based on the premise that about 65% of obese individuals in the United States could in one way or the other be predisposed weight discrimination. In Horner (2004) own words, “weight discrimination seems to be the only kind of legalized discrimination.” These sentiments could be informed by the fact that unlike other forms of discrimination, weight discrimination tends to be practiced or at least embraced across the board. For instance, to underscore this, Bryan (2008) notes that only 6% of the upper-level managers of the fortune 500 companies are overweight. This shows how hard it is for those considered to be overweight to raise through the ranks.Based on the evidence presented herein, it is clear that weight discrimination is a reality and if nothing is due to rectify the situation, them we are bound to observe an increasing prevalence of weight discrimination going forward.
References
Aphramor, L. (January 01, 2009). Disability and the anti-obesity offensive. Disability & Society, 24, 7, 897-909.
Bromfield, P. (January 01, 2009). Childhood obesity: psychosocial outcomes and the role of weight bias and stigma. Educational Psychology in Practice, 25, 3, 193-209.
Brownell, K. D. (2005). Weight bias: Nature, consequences, and remedies. New York: Guilford Press.
Bryan, D.-M. (2008). Obesity discrimination. Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.
Gay, K. (2009). Body image and appearance: The ultimate teen guide. Lanham, Md: Scarecrow Press.
Jones, E. B. (January 01, 2007). Preventing weight bias in workplace lifestyle intervention programs. Archives of Internal Medicine, 167, 19.)
Horner, K. (January 01, 2004). A Growing Problem: Why the Federal Government Needs to Shoulder the Burden in Protecting Workers from Weight Discrimination. CatholicUniversity Law Review, 54, 2, 589-626.
Huczynski, A. (2010). Influencing within organizations. Routledge
Libal, A. (2006). Social discrimination and body size: Too big to fit. Philadelphia, PA: Mason Crest Publishers.
Pelelako, K. & College, M. (2009). Weight discrimination against women in the United
States
Puhl, R. M., Andreyeva, T., & Brownell, K. D. (January 01, 2008). Perceptions of weight discrimination: prevalence and comparison to race and gender discrimination in America. International Journal of Obesity (2005), 32, 6, 992-1000.
Ikramuddin, S; Klingman, D; Swan, T; Minshall, ME (2009). Cost-effectiveness of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass in type 2 diabetes patients. The American Journal of Managed Care, 15(9),607 – 615
Anonymous (2002). Episode detail: George helps Ernie see the cellu-light. Retrieved from the TV Guide website. http://www.tvguide.com/detail/tv-show.aspx?tvobjectid=100172&more=ucepisodelist&episodeid=5350397
Velez, Freddy (December 09, 2009). Why America is now the fattest nation in the world. Associated Content website: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1261009/why_america_is_now_the_fattest_nation.htm
Larkin, Howard. (2004). Insurance bypass. Hospitals and Health Networks, 78 (8), p22
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