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diagnosed with obesity: managing stigma, treatments and support

obesity can affect anyone. it is a complex disease that can negatively impact your overall quality of life as well as your physical and mental health.

by healthing.ca

feb 9 2024
read time 7 minute read
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talking to your physician and care team about support options is also a great way to start actively finding resources that could benefit you. getty images
one in four canadians aged 18 and older have obesity. it is a chronic and complex disease that occurs when a person’s body weight is above what is considered normal for their height. although the disease is prevalent in canada, proper care for these individuals is significantly lacking.
many contributing factors can lead to this disease, such as eating habits, genetics, lack of sleep, sedentary lifestyle, and certain medications. there is a common misconception that people living with obesity do so with an unhealthy diet, but that is not always the case. genetics determine about 70 to 80 per cent of a person’s bmi. expecting a child while having obesity can also lead to obesity in the baby once it has been born.
obesity is a chronic disease and requires long-term treatment and management. when a person gets treatment but discontinues care, it can turn into a lifelong struggle.
here’s how you can manage an obesity diagnosis.

understand your diagnosis

obesity can affect anyone. it is a complex disease that can negatively impact your overall quality of life as well as your physical and mental health. many contributing factors and side effects are associated with obesity, with those mentioned above being some of the most common.

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science has finally recognized that obesity is a chronic, progressive disease that has more to do with genetics and environmental factors than a person’s willpower.

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dr. david macklin is the director of medcan weight management, lecturer at the university of toronto faculty of medicine, staff at mount sinai hospital and a founding member of obesity canada.

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the disease can take a physical on your body as well, and some of the physical side effects or co-morbidities could include:
  • high blood pressure
  • heart disease
  • high cholesterol
  • liver disease
  • diabetes
  • sleep apnea
the mental health toll it takes is also heavy as it can sometimes cause:
  • low self-esteem
  • anxiety
  • depression
  • disordered eating or eating disorders
having obesity can also take a monetary toll, with costs associated with:
  • education
  • employment
  • professional development
  • weight loss programs
all of these are factored into the financial burden of the disease.
to diagnose obesity, medical providers use the body mass index (bmi) nomogram. a bmi over 30 is considered obese, although there are three classes to consider:
  • class 1: 30.0 to 34.9
  • class 2: 35.0 to 39.9
  • class 3: over 40
there is also a component to the bmi chart that has a risk level for developing other health problems related to the disease. level one is high risk, two is very high risk, and three is extremely high risk.

overcoming the stigma of obesity

many people struggling with obesity also have to contend with stigma and discrimination in the public eye. weight bias is when people have negative attitudes toward people with obesity because of misguided beliefs surrounding the disease, and weight stigma is the larger scale social stereotypes and misconceptions about people who have obesity. both can lead to unfair treatment—known as weight discrimination—when people with obesity are subjected to unfair treatment because of their weight.
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this discrimination can take many forms, including:
  • physical: harassment and/or assault against a person due to their weight
  • verbal/emotional: being insulted, teased, or rejected due to their weight
  • denial: denying healthcare to someone based on discriminatory beliefs surrounding their disease
beating the stigma surrounding obesity involves a lot of education about the misconceptions and stereotypes linked to the disease. obesity canada has said that some of these misconceptions and social stereotypes are that people living with obesity are lazy, unintelligent, unsuccessful, and lacking discipline or self-control.
however, this is not the case and that thinking can negatively impact a person with obesity. people with this disease can often develop low self-esteem where they experience negative thinking or a lack of confidence, and the continuing stigma surrounding obesity does not help.  for healthcare discrimination, a second opinion might be necessary if you do not feel like your medical practitioner is helping.

obesity support and resources

although access to care for people with obesity is not always easy, taking advantage of the supports that are currently available is crucial to help lead you in the right direction and get you started on a care path that is right for you.
  • ementalhealth.ca is a website that can help you find services in your area. it is not easy getting on the right track to finding help for obesity, but this can be a great start. some places require waitlists or monetary compensation, but ementalhealth.ca provides free options for those with tight financial situations.
  • the national eating disorder information centre (nedic) provides information, support, and referrals to anyone struggling with an eating disorder in canada. their public helpline is available and offers phone, email, or live chat options.
  • taking off pounds sensibly (tops) is a non-profit organization with a network of paid weight loss support groups across canada and the united states. it offers realistic tools and programs for 2022年世界杯名单猜测 and weight management.
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talking to your physician and care team about support options is also a great way to start actively finding resources that could benefit you.
mental health management during your journey through these programs is vital. counselling is a great way to promote a healthy headspace by encouraging you to learn more about the parts of your mentality that are unknown to you, shedding new light on areas where you may need extra assistance.
it also allows you to formulate a positive mindset since having obesity can take a significant mental toll on those with the disease, leading to a reduced quality of life.
to learn more about obesity, there are websites dedicated to educating medical professionals, the public, and people who have it. these websites are:
  • obesity canada is an organization providing information to learn more about the disease, risk factors, potential treatment paths, and more.
  • obesity matters is an organization focusing on the health and well-being of people with obesity.

educate yourself on obesity treatments

managing your disease will not only decrease the number on the scale but also improve your overall health and well-being.   if left unmanaged, things can progress, leading to worsened symptoms. management strategies should be realistic and sustainable. there is no quick fix—those that do promise fast results are typically unsustainable and usually cause the weight to reappear.

what is available are long-term treatments that foster long-term results.  treatment options  can include:

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  • modifying behaviours
  • meal replacement plans
  • pharmacotherapy
  • surgery (in extreme cases)
modifying your behaviours can take on many forms, including self-monitoring, increasing your daily physical activity, educating yourself on different eating patterns and where yours fit, going to support programs and meetings, and setting realistic and attainable goals for yourself, depending on where you are mentally.
a registered dietitian can make meal replacement plans to determine how eating differently could benefit you. they can assess your dietary habits and give you a tailored diet to follow to make tangible changes in your life and your relationship with food.
pharmacotherapy can be used for obesity if an assessment by a physician determines you are a viable candidate. only a few medications are provided in canada for obesity: contrave, saxenda and xenical.
bariatric surgery is meant to manage obesity, but a physician must evaluate you to see if you are eligible. this last-resort option is usually suggested after attempting one or more of the treatments above. there are three types of bariatric surgery: gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, and adjustable gastric banding.

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the goal of treating obesity is to improve your overall health and reduce obesity-related complications by reaching and maintaining a healthy weight. this can often mean working with a physician or a team of health professionals who can try and help you in a way that is tailored to you.

recognize potential barriers

getting help for obesity with the current stigma still going strong around it can be challenging, but it is not impossible. there is currently a lack of funding for this disease, which means some programs might be paid, but speaking with your physician is a step in the right direction to find a program that works for your health goals and finances. while waitlists are often a reality for many obesity programs, getting put on one is better than not seeking care at all.
another hurdle that many people with obesity face is the willingness to change and take steps toward healthier habits. changing habits is hard, and starting slowly into a new, healthier lifestyle is always preferable. although challenging, it is not impossible, and with determination, any bad habit can be broken.
speaking to a physician can be difficult, especially if you feel like they do not take you seriously. if that happens to you, a second opinion on what you can do and available support is always beneficial.

know that managing obesity is not always linear

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everyone defines success differently, but the most important thing to look for is long-term overall health and well-being. how you define success will matter in how you want to feel. setting manageable short-term and long-term goals can keep you feeling motivated throughout the process. an example of a manageable goal would be to have more energy throughout the day or to improve your self-esteem.
healing from the mental and physical toll obesity can take is another challenge to work through, and the journey will likely consist of cyclical changes between progress and setbacks. while feeling better physically can also mean an improved mental state, sometimes it does not.
working on bettering your health and taking on the challenge of change can be exhausting. because of that, it’s necessary to be kind to yourself while going through this process.

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