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Medical students' attitudes toward the obese and the morbidly obese
Author(s) -
Blumberg Phyllis,
Mellis Linda P.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
international journal of eating disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.785
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1098-108X
pISSN - 0276-3478
DOI - 10.1002/1098-108x(198505)4:2<169::aid-eat2260040204>3.0.co;2-f
Subject(s) - morbidly obese , feeling , obesity , psychology , affect (linguistics) , morbid obesity , clinical psychology , weight loss , medicine , psychiatry , social psychology , communication
One hundred third year medical students completed a questionnaire which elicited their reactions to obesity, including morbid obesity. The students' reactions toward the moderately obese were neutral or negative; while their reactions to the morbidly obese were almost uniformly negative. This is in contrast to their reactions to persons of average weight, which were neutral or positive. The negative prejudices expressed toward the morbidly obese extended beyond characteristics attributed to weight. Their negative feelings towards the obese did not change after direct contact with morbidly obese patients. Further research is needed to assess how prejudicial views toward obese people affect their medical care.