Experience of an overweight patient in medical interactions under the lens of fatphobia

Abstract

This paper aims to discuss fatphobia in the medical context. Medical fatphobia is characterized by prejudice practiced by healthcare professionals against overweight individuals, potentially leading to inaccurate diagnoses and discriminatory treatments. Additionally, the article discusses the influence of social factors on people's health and weight. The article was developed based on a case study with one participant, conducted through semi-structured interviews. The results reveal how medical fatphobia affects the listening to health complaints and underlies the forms of microaggressions that occur in the medical clinic context. Thus, the data point to the need to combat weight stigma and promote a more inclusive and compassionate approach in the healthcare field.