The stigma of being “overweight” in three European countries

Prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased significantly over the past thirty years in Europe. While numerous studies have shown the importance of discrimination and stigmatisation experienced by obese people, few studies have analysed the experience of overweight people (BMI 25-30). This last category is nevertheless associated with obesity in media and public policy discourses. But can we really assimilate them? And what does “being overweight” mean from a sociological perspective?

In order to address these questions, we will analyse three culturally close countries that differ in terms of prevalence of overweight and obesity, which are France, England and Germany. Using a qualitative and micro-sociological approach, 60 semi-structured interviews were conducted with French, English and German overweight women, with different social-economic statuses, ages and various personal situations.

First, the objective will be to trace the history, the current medical controversies as well as the representations of this medical category of overweight as opposed to the social representations of obesity.

Second, we will observe the social consequences of overweight in the everyday life of respondents, in terms of social discriminations or stigmatisation, both within the family and at work, but also in social interactions and with nurses or doctors. These consequences will be compared with the data known on the obesity.

Finally, because a physical difference exists only when it is designated as significant by a culture, it will be interesting to understand the influence of national culture on the rejection or the acceptance of overweight. Is the socially admitted "threshold" of weight in public places different in these three countries? This question will allow us to analyse the notion of physical (ab)normality and will explain some difficulties of public policy devoted to preventing obesity.