The Role of Stigmatization in Fat People's Avoidance of Physical Exercise

The stigmatization that fat people face discourages them from engaging in physical exercise as a means of maintaining health; social factors (e.g., fear of being ridiculed by others; inaccessible exercise equipments, clothing and facilities) negatively influence fat people's motivation to exercise, and has an especially strong impact on women. The relationship between exercise and weight loss is discussed, and the assumption that fat people can become thin through physical exercise will be critiqued. Suggestions are made for improving the group exercise situation for fat people, and the need for further research is discussed.