How Doctors Can Stop Stigmatizing — And Start Helping — Kids With Obesity

Kids with obesity face a host of health problems related to their weight, like high blood pressure, diabetes, and joint problems.

Research points to another way heavier children and teens are at risk: their own doctors' bias. This prejudice has real health consequences for kids, making families less likely to show up for appointments or get recommended vaccines.

I am a family physician at a community health center in Washington, D.C., and many of my young patients have obesity. It's no surprise. Obesity is the most common chronic disease that affects children and teens in the U.S. One third of American kids are overweight or obese.

But I often feel totally unprepared to talk about it in a way that puts kids at ease. We have to cram in a physical exam, shots, and parent questions into a 15-minute appointment, and a discussion about a healthy lifestyle sometimes feels like an afterthought.

I remember one recent visit with a teenage girl and her mom,