Changing the global obesity narrative to recognize and reduce weight stigma: A position statement from the World Obesity Federation.

Weight stigma, defined as pervasive misconceptions and stereotypes associated with higher body weight, is both a social determinant of health and a human rights issue. It is imperative to consider how weight stigma may be impeding health promotion efforts on a global scale. The World Obesity Federation (WOF) convened a global working group of practitioners, researchers, policymakers, youth advocates, and individuals with lived experience of obesity to consider the ways that global obesity narratives may contribute to weight stigma. Specifically, the working group focused on how overall obesity narratives, food and physical activity narratives, and scientific and public-facing language may contribute to weight stigma. The impact of weight stigma across the lifespan was also considered. Taking a global perspective, nine recommendations resulted from this work for global health research and health promotion efforts that can help to reduce harmful obesity narratives, both inside and outside health contexts.

Social disparities in obesity treatment for children age 3-10 years: A systematic review.

Socio-economic status and ethnic background are recognized as predictors of risk for the development of obesity in childhood. The present review assesses the effectiveness of treatment for children according to their socio-economic and ethnic background. Sixty-four systematic reviews were included, from which there was difficulty reaching general conclusions on the approaches to treatment suitable for different social subgroups. Eighty-one primary studies cited in the systematic reviews met the inclusion criteria, of which five directly addressed differential effectiveness of treatment in relation to social disparities, with inconsistent conclusions. From a weak evidence base, it appears that treatment effectiveness may be affected by family-level factors including attitudes to overweight, understanding of the causes of weight gain and motivation to make and maintain family-level changes in health behaviours. Interventions should be culturally and socially sensitive, avoid stigma, encourage motivation, recognize barriers and reinforce opportunities and be achievable within the family's time and financial resources. However, the evidence base is remarkably limited, given the significance of social and economic disparities as risk factors. Research funding agencies need to ensure that a focus on social disparities in paediatric obesity treatment is a high priority for future research.

Costs, equity and acceptability of three policies to prevent obesity: A narrative review to support policy development.

Obesity prevention policies are a priority for many governments and intergovernmental agencies. Policy makers not only use systematic reviews of effectiveness but also consider contextual issues including cost and cost-effectiveness, equity, rights, acceptability and feasibility. To support their work, the present narrative review examines three contextual issues (costs, equity and acceptability) in relation to three policies for obesity prevention: sweetened beverage taxes, front-of-pack nutrition labelling and restrictions on advertising to children. Literature searches led to over 1100 documents, of which 125 informed the present review. Beverage taxes were found likely to be highly cost-effective, moderately favourable for health equity, supported by the public (depending on the use of revenues) and by health professionals and civil society groups and opposed by commercial interests. Depending on the design, front-of-pack nutritional labelling is likely to be highly cost-effective, moderately favourable for health equity, supported by the public, health professionals and civil society groups, and opposed by commercial interests. Restrictions on child-directed advertising are likely to be highly cost-effective in the longer term, moderately favourable for health equity, supported by the public, health professionals and civil society groups and opposed by commercial interests (unless voluntary). The evidence base needs strengthening, but the authors find that all three policies merit consideration by governmental authorities, and should be implemented to reduce obesity risk.