Weight Bias in the Hospital: Implicit Attitudes Shape Care

I’m honored to be quoted in the recent Medscape article exploring how implicit weight bias among hospital staff continues to shape patient care. The piece highlights a harsh reality: in many medical settings, people with obesity still face assumptions, stigma, and unequal treatment, even when their concerns should be treated with the same respect as anyone else’s.

As someone who’s spent decades working in pediatric and adult obesity care, I’ve seen firsthand how bias can sabotage health outcomes, discouraging patients from seeking help or sticking with treatment. That’s why I’ve always advocated for care rooted in science, empathy, and respect, not judgment. I believe we must shift away from blaming patients toward understanding obesity as the complex, chronic disease it is.

Being included in this article isn’t just an honor, it reinforces the urgency of reshaping medical education and clinical culture. If we want real progress, we have to meet people where they are: with compassion, fact-based treatment, and unwavering support.

Read the full article here.