The 4th edition of the nationwide educational campaign 'Let's talk frankly about obesity' was launched on 15 June. Its aim is to build public awareness that obesity is a disease, and that the people it affects deserve the same treatment and empathy as anyone else who is ill. The lack of understanding of obesity as a disease translates into the belief that it is a conscious choice on the part of the sufferer and the result of poor will or an inappropriate lifestyle, which is unfair to this group of sufferers. This year's campaign is being held under the slogan 'Obesity - change your outlook'. The basis for change is a conversation - an open and frank one in which we use inclusive language. It is communication that deals with patients facing the disease in a subjective way. The heroes of this year's campaign, including actress Aneta Zając and actor Robert Kudelski, highlight the huge misunderstanding, stigma and exclusion that people with obesity face on a daily basis. The ambassadors also emphasise that people with obesity are constantly judged by their appearance, which unfairly defines their characteristics, competences and often their rights.
More than half of Poles (54%) believe that people with obesity are discriminated against because of their condition[1]. They face constant pressure, face social expectations that are difficult to live up to and, moreover, are constantly being judged, which does not go unnoticed by their level of social or professional activity. Unfortunately, patients often give up trying to recover because they lack the strength and belief that someone will want to help them, when they, like all other patients, deserve professional help and medical care.
New faces of the campaign - let's "change the look" together
Stigmatisation and hectoring towards obese patients increases the stress and suffering of these individuals. This makes it difficult to take action to improve health and treatment. In addition, negative stereotypes and discrimination limit patients' professional and social opportunities, contributing to social inequalities. From my perspective, it is important to strive to create a more supportive and inclusive environment where every person is respected and accepted regardless of their weight. It is precisely to be able to co-create such an environment, full of empathy and understanding, that I decided to participate in the campaign. - comments Aneta Zając, actress, ambassador of the campaign 'Let's talk frankly about obesity'.
As an actor, I have on more than one occasion experienced judgement related to my body weight from others. I also know how difficult it is to act independently of said judgement, which causes me to want to run away and close myself off from others. Obesity is a disease, but there is still a lack of common knowledge about it. I would like to be part of the change that is taking place and will hopefully take place before our eyes, and the equal treatment of people with obesity, just like all other patients - explains Robert Kudelski, actor, ambassador of the campaign 'Let's talk frankly about obesity'.
This year's edition is also supported by Karolina Cwalina-Stępniak, Life & Business Coach & Mentor, also known online as 'Sexy begins in the head', who suffers from obesity. As a child, Karolina experienced verbal abuse, discrimination and stigmatisation because of her body weight. Despite her unpleasant experiences, she did not succumb to the negative judgement of others and found the strength and courage to talk frankly about her struggles with her obesity disease. She told her story, among others, in the podcast 'Health begins in the head' by psychologist Adrianna Sobol, which was produced as part of the campaign 'Let's talk frankly about obesity'. Each podcast is an engaging conversation, with a guest who introduces the listener to her story, experience and perspective on obesity-related illness. Season 2 of the podcast series is already available on streaming services.
Multi-level support to the patient environment
The patients I work with on a daily basis often share their experiences. They face verbal, expressed directly, stigmatisation on many levels: professional, social and even family life, where they should receive support and understanding. As representatives of the Polish Society for the Treatment of Obesity (PTLO), we undertake various activities to counteract this situation. This is one of the reasons why, on the initiative of the Society and the Institute for Patients' Rights and Health Education, the "The Obesity Bill of Rights". It is a unique document that organises the basic rights of people suffering from obesity based on current legislation in Poland and the World Health Organisation (WHO) Declaration of Patients' Rights. The Charter is also a helpful tool for having informed and supportive discussions about obesity in doctors' surgeries - comments Professor Paweł Bogdanski, MD, PhD, Chair and Department of Obesity Treatment, Metabolic Disorders and Clinical Dietetics, Karol Marcinkowski Poznań Medical University, President of the Polish Obesity Treatment Association (PTLO).
Discrimination against obese patients often takes the form of verbal violence through the use of hurtful and stigmatising phrases that are passed on and perpetuated from generation to generation. As many as 69% Poles have witnessed a situation in which a person with obesity has been negatively commented on[2]. Language shapes the reality around us, which is why it is also so important in communication about obesity. One of the aims of the campaign is to sensitise the public to the fact that the way we speak about and to sufferers really affects their motivation and subsequent prognosis, as well as their self-esteem and mental state. The campaign promotes communication about obesity that puts the person first, not the disease.
Another tool to build understanding of obesity disease
In order to show that the way we talk about the disease itself, but also about the patients, has an impact on how obesity is perceived by society, a practical dictionary has been created "How to talk supportively about the disease of obesity?". https://ootylosci.pl/slownik-otylosci/.
The study takes the form of a practical a guide aimed at anyone who wants to write and talk about obesity and people living with obesity in a way that is empathetic, responsible and without reproducing hurtful stereotypes.
For the purposes of the project, a representative opinion poll was carried out in May this year, with more than 1,000 respondents: both those suffering from obesity and those not affected by obesity. The results of the survey made it possible to analyse the quality and frequency of words used in relation to people with obesity and describing the symptoms of this disease. On this basis, stigmatising and supportive words were identified, and practical examples and recommendations were developed on how to consciously build empathic communication that puts the patient and their dignity as an inalienable human right first.
The dictionary also presents a number of terms that operate around obesity, such as fatphobia, weightsm, negging and others. It thus brings order to the multitude of different viewpoints.
The study was produced with the support of interdisciplinary Experts: Professor Paweł Bogdański, MD, PhD - President of the Polish Society for the Treatment of Obesity, Mariusz Wyleżoł, MD, PhD - Vice-President of the Polish Society for the Treatment of Obesity, Adrianna Sobol - psychologist, working with people suffering from obesity and creator of the portal "W trosce o chorego pracownika", and Beata Tadli - TV and radio journalist and presenter.
The results of the study were additionally accompanied by personal comments from female obesity patients: Katarzyna Głowińska - President of the Foundation for the Treatment of Obesity - and Emilia Modrzyńska - Ambassador of the 'Let's talk frankly about obesity' campaign.
Words are a reflection of our emotions. When we choose a word, we choose our attitude towards the person or phenomenon being described. Unfortunately, we often do not realise how great a responsibility this is. Meanwhile, psychological mechanisms work in such a way that Stigmatising words, addressed repeatedly to others, become their own judgements about themselves. The person with obesity, as the recipient of hurtful words, begins to think of themselves only in negative terms. This is why education is sorely needed in the area of talking about obesity. The study "How to talk about obesity in a supportive way" opens the door to communication without violence, without prejudice and with the respect due to all patients. - comments Adrianna Sobol, psychologist and psycho-oncologist, creator of the 'Caring for the sick worker' portal.
Patronage of the study was taken by: the Council for the Polish Language of the Polish Academy of Sciences, the Institute for Patient Rights and Health Education, FLO - Foundation for the Treatment of Obesity, the portal "W trosce o chorego pracownika". The media patronage was provided by the Oh Me portal.
Message to the patient community
The 4th edition of the campaign also includes a photo exhibition of campaign ambassadors who share their message to other patients, but also to the general public. The exhibition can be viewed on the campaign website ootylosci.pl.
Participants included Aneta Zając, Robert Kudelski, Agnieszka Liszkowska-Hała, Emilia Modrzyńska and Adam Gajewski.
[1] Survey carried out between 23-29.05.2023. The survey included 1012 questionnaires, where 701 were conducted on a representative group of Poles, and a purposive sample of 311 respondents with obesity or overweight was selected based on calculated BMI .
[2] The survey was carried out between 23-29.05.2023. The survey included 1012 questionnaires, where 701 were conducted on a representative group of Poles, and a purposive sample of 311 respondents with obesity or overweight was selected based on calculated BMI .