"Shortcut" or Diet and Exercise? The Hidden Prejudice and Shame Associated With Weight Loss by Those Who Lost With Ozempic
- May 21
- 4 min read
Do you think losing weight with the help of medication is "cheating"? A new study shows that this belief may be loaded with judgment, and reveals who is most criticized for it.
The way society views weight loss is changing rapidly, especially with the popularization of medications like Ozempic. Although these treatments bring real health benefits, they also raise important social issues, such as the judgment and stigma associated with how someone loses weight. This study sought to better understand how these judgments are formed, and who is most affected by them.
The researchers started from the theory of intersectionality, which suggests that different aspects of a person's identity, such as race and body condition, can combine and intensify experiences of prejudice.
Based on this, the initial hypothesis was that Black women with obesity would face more stigma when using weight-loss medication than white women, precisely because they accumulate multiple forms of discrimination.
To investigate this, an experiment was conducted with over 400 women who were also overweight or obese. These participants were randomly divided into groups and given descriptions of a fictional character named Evette. In some cases, Evette was presented as a Black woman; in others, as a white woman.
Furthermore, their weight loss, equivalent to 15% of their body weight, was attributed to two different methods: diet and exercise, or the use of medications from the class of glucagon-like peptide receptor agonists, such as Ozempic.
After reading these descriptions, the participants answered a series of questions that assessed their perceptions and judgments about Evette. The researchers measured different forms of stigma, such as antipathy, a tendency to blame the character for her condition, discomfort in interacting with her, and beliefs related to the idea that she had chosen a "shortcut" to lose weight. This experimental design allowed them to isolate the impact of the weight loss method and the character's race on the participants' responses.
The results revealed an interesting, and unexpected, pattern. Overall, Evette was judged more harshly when her weight loss was associated with medication use, compared to diet and exercise.
This indicates that, even with scientific advances, there is still a social perception that losing weight with pharmacological assistance is “less legitimate” than through traditional means.
Surprisingly, the stigma was even greater when Evette was described as a white woman, contradicting the researchers' initial hypothesis. This effect was largely explained by the stronger belief that she was using a “shortcut.”
In other words, how weight loss is interpreted seems to depend not only on the method used, but also on implicit social expectations about who “should” or should not follow certain paths.
Another important point is that the participants' race did not significantly alter these judgments. This suggests that these perceptions are widespread in society, regardless of the identity of the evaluator. Overall, the study shows that the stigma surrounding obesity does not disappear with weight loss; it merely takes on new forms.
These findings reinforce the need to rethink social narratives about weight loss. By labeling certain methods as "acceptable" and others as "shortcuts," society may be contributing to stigma and, consequently, harming mental health and access to effective treatments. Questioning these ideas is an essential step towards promoting a fairer, evidence-based approach.
READ MORE:
Social perceptions of weight loss with glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists in Black and White women with obesity
Post SM, Stock ML, and Persky S
Stigma and Health. 2026
Abstract:
Intersectionality theory suggests that because stigma arises from the interplay of multiple marginalized identities, Black women with obesity may face stronger negative attitudes than White women when using glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, a newer class of obesity medications often perceived as an “easy way out.” This experimental study tested how exposure to different weight loss methods affected stigma toward a Black or White woman with obesity, as well as the influence of participant race on stigma. A sample of 402 Black and White women with overweight or obesity were randomly assigned to read about a Black or White woman named Evette who lost 15% of her total body weight with either diet/exercise or a GLP-1. Participants reported stigmatizing attitudes toward Evette (fat phobia, dislike, desire for social distance, and blame) and beliefs that she took a weight loss shortcut. Stigma was higher when Evette lost weight with a GLP-1 (vs. diet/exercise) and, contrary to hypotheses, when Evette was depicted as White (vs. Black). Moderated mediation analyses demonstrated that GLP-1-assisted weight loss (vs. diet/exercise) led to higher fat phobia, dislike, desire for social distance, and blame via stronger shortcut beliefs, and this effect was more pronounced when Evette was portrayed as White. Participant race did not influence how weight loss with a GLP-1 and Evette’s race, together, affected stigma through shortcut beliefs. Findings highlight the importance of challenging societal narratives about what constitutes “acceptable” weight loss strategies for women with obesity to reduce stigma and protect long-term health. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved)
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