Obesity and discrimination
| Published date | 01 September 2014 |
| DOI | 10.1177/1358229114534550 |
| Author | Stuart W Flint,Jeremé Snook |
| Date | 01 September 2014 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Article
Obesity and
discrimination: The
next ‘big issue’?
Stuart W Flint
1
and Jereme
´Snook
2
Abstract
A concomitant increase has been observed between the prevalence of obesity and
the stigmatization and discrimination of the condition. Despite reports of such
negative experiences, there appears to be little deterrence for individuals to behave
in a non-discriminatory fashion towards the overweight and obese. This article
focuses on an emergent academic, legal and medical debate concerning obesity and
human well-being and its possible impacts in the workplace and on disability discrim-
ination laws. The disability laws in the United Kingdom require employers and
employees not to discriminate or harass their colleagues, yet the model of discrim-
ination seen in the United Kingdom emerges from a historical basis where sex and
race were accommodated by the Sex Discrimination Act (1975) and the Race Rela-
tions Act (1976) respectively, and laws prohibiting disability were introduced later
by the Disability Discrimination Act (1995). These laws in conjunction required
UK citizens in the workplace and beyond not to subject their fellow citizens, poten-
tial workmates and current employees to less favourable treatment and to provide
reasonable adjustments in the workplace where discrimination was a possible out-
come of behaviours or policy arrangements.
Keywords
Obesity, discrimination, stigma, workplace, anti-fat attitudes
1
Academy of Sport and Physical Activity, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK
2
The Department of Law, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK
Corresponding author:
Stuart W Flint, Academy of Sport and Physical Activity, Room A216 Collegiate Hall, Collegiate
Crescent Campus, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield S10 2BP, UK.
Email: s.flint@shu.ac.uk
International Journalof
Discrimination and theLaw
2014, Vol. 14(3) 183–193
ªThe Author(s) 2014
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DOI: 10.1177/1358229114534550
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