Stamping Out Weight Stigma: A Checklist for the Workforce

04 Mar 2021 Stamping Out Weight Stigma: A Checklist for the Workforce

To mark this year’s annual World Obesity Day (4^th March), Food Active are launching a new resource to help local councils and beyond to address weight stigmatisation and bias across a wide range of communications.

‘Stamping out weight stigma: a checklist for the workforce’ has been designed to give the writer, trainer or health and social care professional the confidence and tools to examine whether the content of an article, training package, blog, policy paper or report is free from stigmatising language, stereotypes and images.

The checklist features a simple step-by-step guide to identifying language, terminology and imagery that is stigmatising, and suggestions and signposting on how to eliminate this.

The new resource is being launched at the Food Active North West Network Meeting this morning, which is focussing on addressing weight stigma with a fantastic guest presentation from Dr Stuart W Flint, Associate Professor of Psychology of Obesity, University of Leeds and Director of Obesity UK. We are also welcoming local authority public health colleagues from Leeds City Council and Doncaster Council, who are sharing their experience of working towards stigma-free communications within their own councils.

We are also launching a brief position statement on addressing weight stigma today, too. Both resources are available to view and download below.

World Obesity Day is an annual event which aims to bring together the global community to work towards building happier, healthier and longer life for everybody.

You can find out more about the event and access a wide range of resources here. 

Join in the conversation online by following @WorldObesityDay @WorldObesity #WorldObesityDay

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