We Must Address the Antiobesity Biases We Espouse in Our Operating Rooms

Abstract

Objective: To describe anti-obesity bias in medical education including impact on patients, growth of biases over time, and education-based initiatives aimed at reducing bias.

Design: We reviewed available literature on anti-obesity bias in medical education and initiatives to address this bias.

Setting: Information from a wide variety of medical educational settings was included.

Participants: N/A RESULTS: Anti-obesity bias in healthcare is an independent risk factor for poor health outcomes and is pervasive throughout the culture of medicine. Medical students identify operating rooms as the number one location for anti-obesity comments, and students' biases increase throughout medical school. We propose several interventions (the 6 I's) as the next step in addressing this bias.

Keywords: Medical education; Obesity; Surgical education; anti-obesity bias.