Obesity remains a socially acceptable injustice and often referred to as “the last acceptable form of discrimination.” Overweight individuals are often the subject of jokes in the media which can translate to real life discrimination. In this article, printed with permission of the Obesity Action Coalition, Rebecca Phul, PhD discusses the difference between “stigma” and “discrimination” and what legal ramifications, if any, can take place to protect overweight individuals

Body image is loosely defined as a person’s perception of their own physical appearance, or the internal sense of how one’s body appears to others. Although it is a complex subject, research suggests that body image dissatisfaction is greater in women than in men. Research also indicates that a person’s body image is often dramatically different from the way their body actually appears to others.