Scale Up Your Practice by Obesity Canada

The Impact of Weight Bias & Stigma with Dr. Angela Alberga

Scale Up Your Practice by Obesity Canada

Show Notes

National obesity researcher Dr. Angela Alberga returns for a deep dive into one of the most pervasive and harmful forces in society: weight bias and stigma. From subtle stereotypes to systemic barriers, weight bias shows up in ways we often don’t even see—especially in schools, sports, and healthcare. Its impact? Profound mental health effects, poorer care, and lifelong harm for many people living with obesity—especially children and teens. In this conversation, we explore where weight bias hides, how it harms, and how we can begin dismantling it, across systems and as individuals.

In this episode: Where weight bias hides in everyday environments—beyond the clinic

How stigma impacts young people in schools, sports, and healthcare

The mental health and long-term impacts of chronic exposure to bias

How bias becomes embedded in well-meaning systems—and how to disrupt it

Practical first steps clinicians, educators, and leaders can take to address bias

Resources mentioned: Canadian Pediatric Obesity Clinical Practice Guidelines: https://utm.guru/uitVE

Free course: The impact of weight bias & stigma: https://utm.guru/uitVF

Harvard Implicit Weight Bias Test: https://utm.guru/uitVH

Obesity Canada’s positive image gallery: https://utm.guru/uiuXW Recognizing weight bias, stigma, & discrimination: https://utm.guru/uiuXY Canadian Adult Obesity Clinical Practice Guidelines: Reducing Weight Bias in Obesity Management, Practice and Policy: https://utm.guru/uiuXZ Clinical Space Checklist to avoid weight stigma in equipment & our environments: https://utm.guru/uiuX0 Free evidence-informed online learning module to reduce weight bias and stigma among health professionals, Balanced View: https://utm.guru/uiuX1 Supportive Obesity Care, UConn Rudd Center & Rebecca Puhl: https://utm.guru/uiuX2 Resources on how health professionals and families can hold sensitive weight-related conversations: https://utm.guru/uiuX6

Send us your questions or topic requests: [email protected]

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Thanks for listening—and stay tuned as we continue to scale up your practice.

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