Recognizing and Countering Anti-Fat Bias in Healthcare

In this episode of MedEd Thread, we talk with Dr. Alison Reiheld, Professor of Philosophy and medical ethicist at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, about how anti-fat bias impacts patient care and clinical decision-making. Dr. Reiheld shares why assumptions about body size can lead to delayed treatment, missed diagnoses and diminished trust—and offers strategies to counter these biases through patient-centered communication and systemic change. They discuss why conditioning care on weight loss is ethically problematic, how common scripts perpetuate stereotypes and what clinicians can do to ensure fat patients receive care in the bodies they have. Tune in for a thought-provoking conversation that challenges assumptions and highlights steps toward more equitable healthcare.