Exploring stigma among bariatric surgery patients: The impact of stigma on individuals who consider or underwent surgery. Preliminary results of a scoping review

Although bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment for people with severe obesity, its underutilization remains noticeable. This can be explained by a multitude of factors, including the social stigma surrounding the procedure. People with obesity who are considering or about to undergo surgery are often perceived as lazy and lacking in willpower compared to others who lose weight through, for example, diet and exercise. The surgery itself is also stigmatized and perceived by others, and sometimes patients, as ‘the easy way out’ and ‘low effort’ method to lose weight. In this presentation we will discuss the preliminary findings of our review regarding the nature and impact of bariatric surgery stigma from the perspective of patients, in particular how patients perceive stigma, how patients cope with this stigma, and how this stigma impacts patient’s everyday life.