Introduction: Recent years have witnessed a medicalization of obesity, promoting a classification as a disease or disability in order to reduce or protect against weight stigma and discrimination. This study sought to investigate the public understanding of the disability and disease concepts in obesity, their acceptance, and association with weight stigma. Methods: In a representative German population sample (n = 2,524), public views of obesity as a disease or disability were assessed via a self-report questionnaire. For the assessment of weight stigma, the Weight Control/Blame subscale from the Antifat Attitudes Test was used. Results: A significantly greater acceptance of the disease than the disability concept was found (37.1 vs. 15.4%). Both disease and disability were mainly viewed as physical conditions, although one-third also viewed obesity as a mental disease. While agreement with the disease concept – especially of physical and genetic disease – significantly predicted lower weight stigma; agreement with the disability concept – especially of mental or intellectual disability – predicted higher weight stigma. Conclusions: These results suggest a careful use of the disease and disability terms and precise definitions. The disability concept in particular carries notions that are publicly devalued.
Obes Facts

中文翻译：

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肥胖的体重耻辱与疾病和残疾概念：德国人口调查

简介：近年来，肥胖症医学化，促进将其归类为疾病或残疾，以减少或防止体重耻辱和歧视。本研究旨在调查公众对肥胖症的残疾和疾病概念的理解、接受度以及与体重耻辱的关联。方法：在具有代表性的德国人口样本 ( n = 2,524) 中，通过自我报告问卷评估了公众对肥胖作为疾病或残疾的看法。对于体重耻辱的评估，使用了来自 Antifat Attitudes Test 的体重控制/责备分量表。结果：发现对疾病的接受程度明显高于残疾概念（37.1% 对 15.4%）。疾病和残疾都主要被视为身体状况，尽管三分之一也将肥胖视为一种精神疾病。虽然同意疾病概念——尤其是身体和遗传疾病——显着预测了较低的体重耻辱感；与残疾概念的一致——尤其是精神或智力残疾——预示着更高的体重耻辱。结论：这些结果表明谨慎使用疾病和残疾术语以及精确定义。残疾概念尤其带有被公开贬低的概念。
肥胖事实