Keywords
Weight stigma, Healthcare bias, Anti-Fat Bias, Body Mass Index (BMI), Diagnostic overshadowing, Fat Studies, Fatness, Structural stigma, Medical Gatekeeping, Health disparities, Patient-provider relationships, Weight-inclusive care, Patient Advocacy, Health at Every Size (HAES), Healthcare Bias
Disciplines
Medicine and Health Sciences
Mentor
Rachel Fox
Abstract
Weight stigma in healthcare manifests at multiple levels—internalized, interpersonal, and structural—shaping both patient experiences and provider attitudes. While previous research has extensively examined internalized and interpersonal stigma, structural stigma remains underexplored. Structural stigma operates through societal norms, policies, and institutional practices that systematically disadvantage fat individuals, influencing both healthcare environments and clinical decision-making. This literature review examines two critical structural mechanisms: the use of Body Mass Index (BMI) as a form of medical gatekeeping and diagnostic overshadowing, where weight becomes the dominant focus of clinical encounters, often leading to misdiagnoses and delayed care. Drawing from research on weight bias, patient-provider interactions, and healthcare policies, this review highlights the ways in which weight stigma exacerbates health disparities. By identifying these structural barriers, this study highlights the need for weight-inclusive healthcare models and policy reforms to ensure equitable, patient-centered care for individuals of all body sizes.
ScholarWorks Citation
Hallead, Magdalyn, "Structural Weight Stigma in Healthcare: Consequences of BMI-Based Medical Gatekeeping and Diagnostic Overshadowing" (2025). Honors Projects. 964.
https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/honorsprojects/964
