This week, New York City legislators approved a bill banning weight-based discrimination. New York ranks 42nd in states impacted by obesity. More than 29% of adults in New York have obesity, and almost 35% of adults have overweight. (Learn more from our  New York State Fact Sheet).

Weight bias is defined as holding negative attitudes about people’s weight or harming and shaming them because of their weight. Weight bias can exist in every aspect of life, including employment, health care, education, media and someone’s personal life. Forty-two percent of U.S. adults say they have experienced weight bias. Of that, 46% say that it has affected their ability to lose weight.

The Obesity Action Coalition believes that individuals with the disease of obesity should be treated with dignity and respect and should not face any bias or discrimination based on their size. We demand the elimination of weight bias in our society and laws to protect individuals with obesity from facing discrimination in all areas of life, such as employment, education and more.

“Weight bias is a major issue in our society and exists in every aspect of life, including employment and healthcare. Experiencing weight bias has a harmful impact on a person’s mental and physical health. We hear powerful stories from people affected by obesity every day, but oftentimes they are not heard because of how society treats people in larger bodies. We have felt silenced and ignored for too long. OAC applauds NYC for their efforts to end weight-based discrimination and the passage of Int 0209-2022,” said Joe Nadglowski, OAC’s President and CEO.

The Obesity Action Coalition and our Community are continuously fighting for a better world for people with obesity, and our action is making an impact. We commend decision-makers in New York City for banning weight discrimination – a major victory in our battle to eliminate weight bias and stigma.

Tell Us Your Story

If you have been affected by weight bias, or if you live in New York City and want to share how the passing of this ban on weight-based discrimination will positively impact your life, we want to hear from you! Please share your story below. Relaying real-life stories when OAC meets with decision-makers is significantly more impactful than simply sharing statistics.


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Take OAC Action to demand an end to weight-based discrimination.
Take OAC Action to demand an end to weight-based discrimination.

We still need your help in this fight. It’s time to take action to ensure that all U.S. states ban weight-based discrimination. Here’s how you can make a difference: