Many illnesses are embedded and shaped within cultural
meaning, which often influences how society responds to those
living with the condition, and peoples’ lived experiences.[1]
The social construction of illness may not always be rooted
in medical knowledge but lie within the inherent beliefs
and attitudes toward the condition, which may not always
be positive. For people living with overweight and obesity,
there are negative connotations associated with the condition.
A higher body weight is a visually apparent condition,
meaning immediate value judgement are more likely in terms
of assumptions and presuppositions. These attitudes can
impact on a person’s quality of life, and lead to stigmatization.
Bariatric surgery is an intervention which is not widely
understood by society, and is often perceived as a contested
intervention, described as cheating, taking the easy way out,
and that surgery does the work, not the patient. These value
judgments of bariatric surgery can lead to further stigma,
despite the person achieving often significant weight loss.[2]
Understanding how overweight, obesity, and bariatric surgery
are socially constructed are key to identifying and being aware
of roots of surrounding stigma, and how this can be challenged
to support, and reduce discrimination against those living with
excess weight who undergo bariatric surgical procedures.