obese, obesity

In general, it’s best to use “people-first” language when writing about people with obesity. Unless a person prefers one of these terms, don’t use obese or fat as an adjective or label. Say a person with obesity or a person who is overweight. Other acceptable neutral phrases include “individuals with higher weight/BMI’” or “people living with obesity.”

Use neutral terms like weight or excess weight rather than words that carry judgment like weight problem, fat or severely obese.

While some people in the Fat Acceptance Movement embrace the words fat or fatness, these terms are offensive to many people and should be used only in a context where people prefer this language.

Rethink Obesity: A media guide on how to report on obesity, produced by Obesity Australia, offers this guidance on language:

 

Problematic:	Preferred:
obese people	people with obesity
people who suffer from obesity	people who are affected by obesity
The woman was obese.	The woman was affected by obesity.
There are many obese and overweight people.	There are many people who are affected by obesity.
weight problem, fat, severely obese	weight, excess weight
people who are severely or morbidly obese	people with a BMI in the obese range
Obesity is a lifestyle issue.	Obesity is a complex and multifactorial disease/chronic condition.
Diet and exercise are crucial to weight loss.	Healthy eating and physical activity play an important role in weight loss.

Guidelines for Media Portrayals of Individuals Affected by Obesity, produced by the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at the University of Connecticut, The Obesity Society and the Obesity Action Coalition, also offers useful guidance.