Obesity has been a growing issue globally with more than half a billion people worldwide having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 or higher. Obesity is a multifaceted problem involving physical, social, and psychological dimensions. Veterans are not exempt from this issue with the Veterans Affairs Department (VA) “estimating more than 165,000 Veterans who receive their health care from the department have a BMI of more than 40, which indicates a serious condition called morbid obesity”. A review of the literature shows healthcare providers have been found to interact with patients with obesity poorly due to obesity stigma thereby perpetuating the problem. One goal of the education was to increase providers awareness of internal bias. Another goal was to assess whether the education changed any beliefs or attitudes of the providers.
