Today is World Obesity Daya condition that often brings with it insecurities and fragility, both physical and psychological. Almost 60% of adults and around one in three children in Europe are overweight or live with obesity. The World Health Organization defines obesity as a complex chronic disease and multifactorial, resulting from the interaction of biological, genetic, environmental and socio-cultural determinants. Yet, those who suffer from it often come up against a widespread prejudice that blames the individual.
According to the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, this stigma has concrete consequences on health: the fear of being judged or listened to poorly by doctors pushes many people to avoid checks, leading to delays in diagnoses. In this way, the weight of prejudice ends up worsening social inequalities, hitting hard those who are already in a fragile condition.
«Words have a real weight: they can hurt, exclude or blame those who live with obesity, but they can also become treatment tools. With this glossary we want to offer conscious and respectful linguistic tools, because changing words is the first step to changing the outlook and restoring dignity to people”, commented Rosy Russo, president of Parole O-Stili.
To address this problem, Parole O-Stili (in collaboration with Lilly) has created the first European glossary which analyzes and explains which terms (and which not) to use to promote a more inclusive language. “There is no more correct form”collects and analyzes 25 terms and concepts such as “body shaming”, “fatphobia”, “body positivity” or “comorbidity”.
The theme of prejudice is also central in the words of Federico Villa (Lilly Italy Hub)who reiterated how stigma continues to hinder the lives of people with obesity. Villa emphasized the importance of words, capable of fueling judgment or, on the contrary, offering support. Commenting on the European launch of the guide to inclusive language “There is no more correct form”, he explained that this initiative aims to be a concrete step towards greater awareness, reflecting the company’s commitment towards those living with this pathology and towards public health.
