A new study has indicated that students undergoing medical training to work in the health service should receive better training to prevent obese patients being discriminated against.

Previous studies have previously shown that health professionals frequently display high levels of predjudice towards those who are overweight. The international team of researchers pointed out that over the past decade, predjudice towards the overweight has increased by 66% amongst the general public.

Surveys indicate that negative perceptions of the obese are even more common amongst those who work in the healthcare field, whether in administrative positions or as doctors and nurses.

Patients who are overweight often say that they feel uncomfortable visiting their doctor to discuss their weight issues and do not believe that healthcare services can help them come up with a realistic weight loss plan.

There is a significant market for over-the-counter supplements, pills and potions promising rapid weight loss, most of which have not been clinically trialled, which could be related to patients being unwilling to visit their own doctors for advice.

However the latest study has proved that these attitudes can be changed with targeted training during the initial studies to qualify.

The participants, 159 students in total, were split up into three groups during a 7 week training period.  One group were taught about diet and exercise being the main reason for obesity, as well as the key to successful treatment. Another group was taught about the relationship between obesity and alcohol consumption.

The final group was taught about uncontrollable factors that can lead to obesity, such as genetics and environmental factors, including advertising for junk food.

All participants were then asked to take part in a series of tests which measured their implicit, subconscious prejudiced towards the overweight, as well as openly acknowledged views.

When their responses were tracked, it was discovered that those who had been taught about environmental and genetic risk factors for being overweight were 27% less prejudiced and also were less likely to be explicitly prejudiced.

The findings suggest that were training to be less focused on diet and more on the risk factors for obesity, that doctors would be better able to help their patients stick to a weight loss plan.

Dr Kerry O’Brien, who lead the study,  said that when students are taught only about diet and exercise, the traditional obesity programme, it can lead them to conclude that patients are overweight simply because they can’t be bothered to exercise and are greedy. However he warned that obesity is often related to family history and environment and that health professionals need to be aware of these influences.

He said, “The key is not to be stigmatising these patients. Making people feel bad about their condition is not going to help.

“Obese people are constantly fighting their physiology and environment. If professionals keep this in mind it may help in not stigmatising their clients.”