In the past, people dealing with obesity have had negative experiences when interacting with their healthcare providers. For example, Patty Nece faced stigma from a young age when the school nurse publicly declared that she was overweight. Despite achieving success in her career and managing to lose 70 pounds with the help of a different doctor, she continued to face bias from a specialist who dismissed her concerns. This kind of treatment has led many individuals to avoid seeking medical care altogether. However, a coalition of more than 35 advocacy, aging and health organizations aims to change this by introducing an “Obesity Bill of Rights”. The purpose of this bill is to demand better treatment for individuals who meet the clinical definition for obesity.
The declaration outlines eight “rights” including the right to receive accurate, clear, trusted and accessible information, the right to respect, and the right to accessible obesity treatment in settings that accommodate larger-sized patients.Nece hopes that the bill of rights will raise awareness about the stigma faced by people with obesity in the healthcare system and empower them to demand unbiased and compassionate care. Tigress Osborn, board chair of the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance, believes that individuals with obesity deserve more respect and access to appropriately sized medical equipment. However, she is wary of the coalition behind the new bill and its intentions, suggesting that the focus on treating obesity rather than the overall health of individuals might be driven by corporate interests. 
Osborn feels that the bill is more focused on treatments for obesity than on the general well-being of the patients.More than 40% of Americans meet the definition for having obesity, yet only a small portion of them qualify for health coverage that includes newer-generation weight-loss medications. Some advocates believe that these medications could offer effective solutions for weight loss, but they also emphasize the importance of addressing the stigma and misunderstandings about obesity in society and healthcare institutions. The bill of rights is seen as a crucial step in making healthcare more inclusive and accessible to all individuals, and it has the potential to start a national conversation about creating a fairer healthcare system. Hopefully, it will also raise awareness among healthcare providers about how to better approach patients with obesity in a respectful and comprehensive manner.
