Many Medical Students Have Anti-Fat Bias, Study Finds

Two out of five medical students have an unconscious bias against obese people, a new study found. The study authors, from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, noted the anti-fat stigma is a significant barrier to the treatment of obesity. They concluded that teaching medical students to recognize this bias is necessary to improve care for the millions of Americans who are overweight or obese. "Bias can affect clinical care and the doctor-patient relationship, and even a patient's willingness or desire to go see their physician, so it is crucial that we try to deal with any bias during medical school," study lead author Dr. David Miller. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_137176.html