Researchers have gathered historical data from over 3.4 million individuals living in the U.S. and the U.K. Their study indicates that obesity tends to cause milder medical and psychological issues when those affected feel less visible.
People dealing with obesity encounter various social and health challenges, but these issues may be less intense if they reside in communities where obesity is common, according to a recent study.
The results of this study appear in Psychological Science, a publication of the Association for Psychological Science.
Led by Jana Berkessel from the University of Mannheim in Germany, the research team examined data from over 3.4 million individuals in the U.S. and U.K. They discovered that the medical and psychological impact of obesity is often less severe when individuals feel less noticeable within their community.
“This suggests that some negative effects of obesity may be socially constructed and can therefore be mitigated,” said Berkessel.
The impact of obesity, both personally and socially, is extensive. The World Health Organization reports that global obesity rates nearly tripled from 1975 to 2021. In the U.S., healthcare expenditures related to obesity approximate $147 billion, as per government statistics. Studies reveal that individuals with obesity experience higher unemployment rates, have fewer social connections, and suffer from poorer physical and mental health compared to those without obesity. They often face bias and discrimination as well.
However, obesity rates differ across countries, states, provinces, and other areas. For instance, certain regions in the U.S. show that nearly half the population is affected by obesity, while in others, the rate can be as low as 5%.
Berkessel and her team hypothesized that the negative effects of obesity are influenced by how common obesity is in a particular region.
“It’s easy to see how individuals with obesity in areas where it is less prevalent would stand out more and thus have very different everyday social experiences,” explained Berkessel, who studies how social contexts affect well-being.
The researchers analyzed three extensive datasets involving individuals from thousands of U.S. counties and hundreds of U.K. districts. This data included participants’ weight and height, their place of residence, as well as various social, health, and economic outcomes. They defined obesity using a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or higher, while a healthy BMI is considered to be between 18.5 and 24.9.
In one dataset from the U.S., the researchers found that obesity rates were generally higher in the Midwest, South, and certain parts of the East Coast, while they were lower in New England, Florida, and the Western states. In the U.K. dataset, high obesity rates were noted in the Central and Northern regions, especially Southern Wales, while the Southern region, including London, showed the lowest rates.
Overall, Berkessel and her colleagues identified that participants living with obesity reported more significant social, economic, and health challenges compared to those without obesity. Notably, individuals in low-obesity areas were considerably more likely to be unemployed and to report lower health statuses compared to those residing in high-obesity regions.
The team also explored U.S. data that included participants’ attitudes toward others’ weight. They found that weight bias appeared to be lower in areas with high obesity rates, which could explain why those with obesity in such regions are less likely to be single and are more likely to report better health than counterparts in regions with high weight bias.
Despite the differences in attitudes towards obesity in various regions, the researchers stressed the need for public health experts to focus on reducing obesity due to the associated health risks.
Co-authors of Berkessel include Jochen E. Gebauer from the University of Mannheim and the University of Copenhagen, Tobias Ebert from the University of St. Gallen, and Peter J. Rentfrow from the University of Cambridge.
