Considerations:

Use images of people with larger bodies interchangeably with images of people with "average" or slim body types.

Show individuals with larger bodies smiling, walking, talking with a medical professional, acting as a medical professional, etc.

Cautions:

Avoid using images and language that perpetuate stereotypes of people with larger bodies as lazy, gluttonous, unhappy, etc.

Considerations:

Use nonjudgmental language when describing a patient's weight/size. For example:

• The patient's weight is…

• The patient has a BMI of…

Cautions:

Avoid using undesirable terms to refer to a patient's weight/size—fat, heavy, large, etc. Note that some people are comfortable using the term “fat” as a personal descriptor. If a patient uses the term and is comfortable with others using the term to describe them, it would be appropriate to use the term in an educational setting specifically referring to that person. Otherwise, it is best to avoid.

Do not use the term “obese” as an adjective to describe a person (e.g., the obese patient.) Obesity is a disease/disorder/condition, not a descriptor. Instead of "the patient is obese" say, "the patient has obesity."

Do not use the term "morbid" to describe the extent of obesity. Instead, use "severe" or be specific about weight/BMI.

Considerations:

Consider all aspects of a patient's health when presenting history or discussing treatment recommendations in a case study, not just weight. Weight bias often leads to missed symptoms and diagnoses.

When discussing reasons for obesity, consider factors outside of the patient's control.

Cautions:

Avoid assumptions about a person's values or lifestyle based on their weight/body size. For example: Don't assume that a person with a larger body is not physically active.