Researchers used software called the Weight Implicit Association Test to measure the unconscious preferences and biases regarding weight among 300 medical students during the study period (2008 to 2011). Conscious preferences were collected through a questionnaire.
The results showed that 39 percent of medical students have a moderate or strong bias against obese people, though less than 25 percent were aware of their bias.
“Because anti-fat stigma is so prevalent and a significant barrier to the treatment of obesity, teaching medical students to recognize and mitigate this bias is crucial to improving the care for the two-thirds of American adults who are now overweight or obese,” said lead author David Miller, MD, in a news release.
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