Whether you seek the latest obesity-related scientific developments, a qualified spokesperson, recent press releases, or would like to connect through social media, The Obesity Society has the resources you need.

Meeting the Media’s Needs

According to the American Medical Association (AMA), obesity is a complex, chronic disease and has reached epidemic status in many locations across the globe. Efforts by the media (and others who publicly share information) to raise awareness about obesity, communicate the facts, and offer insights, can greatly aid the experts who are fighting this disease, while also helping the millions of individuals who are affected.

The Obesity Society (TOS) strives to continually increase the available knowledge and understanding of this intractable problem. We want to make it easy for credentialed journalists, writers, bloggers and others to:

Obesity and People-First Language

For people with obesity, bias and discrimination are daily facts of life. Negative perceptions, stigmatizing language and other forms of bias mean that people with obesity are denied jobs and promotions, face rejection by peers, and even receive inappropriate treatment from healthcare providers.

Experts say that appropriate language can help reduce the stigma of obesity. The Obesity Society therefore recommends the use of “people first” language.

This people-first approach is commonly used for most chronic diseases and is the accepted norm when addressing people with mental and physical disabilities. The American Psychological Association has endorsed the use of language that puts “people first, not their disability” and the American Medical Association Manual of Style agrees, saying: “Avoid labeling people with their disabilities or diseases (e.g., the blind, schizophrenics, epileptics).”

The Obesity Society strongly endorses using people-first language when discussing obesity. For example, reporters and writers are encouraged to use the phrase “persons with obesity” rather than “obese patients.”