title: Attitudes of health care professionals towards female obese patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The health care setting has been reported to be one main source of weight stigma repeatedly; however, studies comparing different professions have been lacking.
  
  
  METHODS
  682 health care professionals (HCP) of a large German university hospital were asked to fill out a questionnaire on stigmatizing attitudes, perceived causes of obesity, and work-related impact of obesity. Stigmatizing attitudes were assessed on the Fat Phobia Scale (FPS) based on a vignette describing a female obese patient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only 25% graded current health care of obese patients to be 'good' or 'very good'. 63% of all HCPs 'somewhat' or 'strongly' agreed that it was often difficult to get the resources needed in order to care for obese patients. The mean FPS score was comparable to that in the general public (M = 3.59), while nursing staff showed slightly more positive attitudes compared to physicians and therapists. Higher age, higher BMI, and ascribing personal responsibility for obesity to the individual were associated with a higher level of stigmatizing attitudes. The nursing staff agreed on obesity as an illness to a greater extent while physicians attributed obesity to the individual.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In summary, by making complex models on the causes of obesity known among health care professionals, stigmatizing attitudes might be reduced. Ongoing further education for health care professionals ought to be part of anti-stigma campaigns in the medical field.
authors.affiliation: Leipzig University Medical Center, IFB Adiposity Diseases, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sikorski
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Luppa
authors.forename: Heide
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Glaesmer
authors.forename: Elmar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brähler
authors.forename: Hans-Helmut
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: König
authors.forename: Steffi G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Riedel-Heller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006295:Health Resources; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009726:Nurses; D009765:Obesity; D010820:Physicians; D011287:Prejudice; D012938:Social Perception; D013240:Stereotyping; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires