Stigma and health promotion messaging
How can public health messaging around healthy eating and weight be delivered without impacting on the development of eating disorders and inducing weight stigma?
Research into effective ways to reduce stigma associated with eating disorders is vital. Stigma and stigmatising views about mental illness are known to impact on treatment seeking (or disclosing illness), exclusion and isolation, and have adverse impacts on personal relationships, social interactions, employment, education and community involvement. For people with eating disorders, stigma has been found to be a barrier to accessing help and recovery – impacting on psychological wellbeing, social and physical health outcomes, the likelihood of help-seeking and eating disorder symptoms.