Project Lead: Verena Steiner-Hofbauer
Authors: Verena Steiner-Hofbauer, Lucia Gassner
Duration: Q1 2026 to Q4 2026 (5 PM)
Language: German (with English summary)
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), in 2022, 20 per cent of children and adolescents aged between five and 19 worldwide were overweight, whilst 8 per cent were diagnosed as obese. Many young people report being disadvantaged because of their weight. Experiences of stigmatisation due to weight affect physical, mental and social health. These can lead, amongst other things, to further weight gain, depression, anxiety and a higher risk of self-harm or suicidal behaviour.
As experiences of stigmatisation occur particularly frequently in school settings, targeted measures in educational institutions offer a promising avenue for reducing weight-based stigmatisation at an early stage and providing long-term protection for the children and young people affected.
AIHTA was commissioned to produce a systematic review of scientifically researched and recommended interventions aimed at reducing weight-based stigma among children and young people in the education sector, and to examine the effectiveness of these interventions.