American Association of Clinical Endocrinology Consensus Statement: Addressing Stigma and Bias in the Diagnosis and Management of Patients with Obesity/Adiposity-Based Chronic Disease and Assessing Bias and Stigmatization as Determinants of Disease Severity

Obesity is adiposity-based chronic disease (ABCD); these terms can be used in differing ways to communicate

Obesity classification categories should have improved nomenclature across the body mass index (BMI) spectrum, using ethnic-specific BMI ranges and waist circumference

Staging clinical severity of obesity by presence and severity of ABCD complications may reduce weight-centric contribution to weight stigma and internalized weight bias (IWB)

Weight stigma and internalized bias are both drivers and complications of ABCD; they can impair quality of life, predispose to psychological disorders and compromise effectiveness of therapeutic interventions

Stigmatization and IWB should be assessed in all patients and incorporated into staging of ABCD severity

Optimal care will necessitate increased awareness and development of educational and interventional tools for health care professionals that address IWB and stigma