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News: Lost weight? Why your friends still view you as fat

Imagine losing 50, 60 or 100 pounds and finally being able to slip into those coveted skinny jeans, only to still be considered "the fat girl" by your friends and colleagues. Kind of discouraging isn't it?

But that's the reality many female dieters face according to a new study published in the journal Obesity. Researchers found that even after a dramatic weight loss female dieters are still stigmatized as fat, reports The Globe and Mail.

Participants in the study were asked to read descriptions of women who had either lost 70 pounds or remained at a stable weight and give them ratings based on attributes such as attractiveness. Overall, participants rated the previously heavier women as less attractive.

"We were surprised to find that currently thin women were viewed differently depending on their weight history," says Janet Latner, study leader at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. "Those who had been obese in the past were perceived as less attractive than those who had always been thin, despite having identical height and weight."

The authors of the study suggest that the obesity stigma persists long after an individual has lost weight. "Descriptions of weight loss, such as those often promoted on television, may significantly worsen obesity stigma," says Dr. Latner. "Believing that obese people can easily lose weight may make individuals blame and dislike obese people even more."

Why do you think society continues to judge a person even after they've lost weight? Do dramatic celebrity weight loss stories and reality weight loss shows contribute to the view that it's easy to lose weight?

Related:
• Debate: Are reality weight loss shows motivating?
• 4 myths and truths about weight loss
• Top 10 weight-loss mistakes

Posted by Melissa Greer onThursday, May 31st, 2012 - 2:59pm

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2 Comments

Today's society is totally fixated on appearance and the status conveyed by a young, thin, athletic, well groomed, hair-free, medically enhanced designer clad physical exterior. Unfortunately, just as with the newly rich or society climbing individuals of old, the YTAWGHFMEDC are constantly patrolling their ranks to find someone to ostracize or denigrate. Weight loss stories as well as all the other reality based genre are a symptom of the society, not the other way around. We have a society built on finding how others are inferior to ourselves so that we can continue in our self-absorption, A far more interesting study would be how much time is wasted on studies by individuals who, if they have been properly trained, could be attempting to find a cure for various mental illnesses or (gasp!) providing real assistance to people who have real needs (famines, war, natural disasters). Actually doing something--what a concept!

Submitted by Klarisse on Mon, 2012-06-04 9:00am.

Having just lost over 60 lbs (in a year), and while it was somewhat easier for me this time, it was my 5th attempt at losing. I am being told by friends that I have lost "too much" weight and that I'm "fading away to nothing", all of which is untrue. I'm still a few pounds over the maximum for my weight range, and plan to only get to the top of the range, but to read rubbish like this, and to think that anyone would think it is "easy".

You can't quit eating, life doesn't work like that. It's a war that lasts a lifetime and you can only hope to win the battles one at a time. Good luck to anyone wanting to lose and don't give up, if you really want it, it will happen!!

Submitted by Suzie on Mon, 2012-06-04 7:21am.