Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Latest NewsHealth and safetyEquality, diversity and inclusionHR practiceMental health

Employers ignore the social stigma on obesity

by Karen Dempsey 9 Mar 2007
by Karen Dempsey 9 Mar 2007

There is a huge social stigma attached to obesity, and employers aren’t doing enough to tackle it.

That’s the finding of a survey carried out among 2,603 readers of Personnel Today and 331 members of obesity charity The Obesity Awareness & Solutions Trust (TOAST) for Obesity Awareness Week.

The majority of HR professionals (93%) agree obesity is stigmatised, two-thirds say it is not discussed enough in their organisation, and 71% say their organisation is not actively tackling obesity.

And when it comes to recruitment, 93% of employers would hire a ‘normal weight’ person instead of an obese one, where the candidates are identically qualified.

Yet the TOAST members who participated in the research believed that employers would be more likely to select obese people for redundancy or pass them over for promotion, and 86% said organisations were not sympathetic to obese employees.

TV personality Anne Diamond, who runs weight management site fathappens.com and is a patron of TOAST, says obesity should be “the new smoking”.

She adds: “Let’s start within the business world, and ask HR managers and bosses to blaze the trail. This current attitude to fat – this sneering, patronising, bullying, ignorant and blatant discrimination – has got to stop.”

Our survey also found that:

  • 96% of employers and 94% of employees thought it was unacceptable to tease obese people about their weight
  • 44% of employers and 42% of employees believe that obesity negatively affects employees’ output
  • 26% of employers and 48% of employees agree that obese people negatively affect the corporate image
  • 53% of employers and 44% of employees think that obese people lack self-discipline
  • 32% of employers and 41% of employees believe that obese people are more likely to have emotional problems

For the full survey results, see the 13 March issue of Personnel Today

Avatar
Karen Dempsey

previous post
British Airways gives into female pilot Jessica Starmer’s flexible working request
next post
Fear of fattism

You may also like

‘It’s International HR Day – wait, you didn’t...

20 May 2022

Policeman dubbed ‘Dolly Parton’ for working Nine to...

20 May 2022

Adapt culture to hybrid work: do not force...

20 May 2022

Three in 10 say physical health has worsened...

20 May 2022

Women in FTSE 350 leadership: ‘A lot of...

20 May 2022

City firms pledge to improve social mobility in...

20 May 2022

Obesity prevalence projections show 36% will be obese...

20 May 2022

Squishy, flabby, foggy HR? Andrew Bartlow talks to...

20 May 2022

Movers and shakers May 2022: John Lewis and...

20 May 2022

City workers desert offices in favour of hybrid...

20 May 2022

  • The importance of being an ethical leader and how to become one PROMOTED | What is ethical leadership?...Read more
  • RPO Report: 2022, The Year to Outsource PROMOTED | Employers should be overwhelmed with choice...Read more
  • Report: Enabling organisational agility through talent & people success PROMOTED | Work has been challenged...Read more
  • Employee Trends 2022 report PROMOTED | Edenred research on employees analysed the key employees’ trends for 2022...Read more
  • How finance apprenticeships can boost business PROMOTED | As the world’s most forward-thinking professional accountancy body...Read more
  • Paul Devoy: Showing appreciation to the Investors in People community PROMOTED | Ask most people what comes to mind when you mention Investors in People...Read more
  • White paper: How digitalisation can support evolving occupational health PROMOTED | Download this free white paper to discover how digitalisation can help occupational health meet emerging challenges...Read more

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today