During a recent panel discussion, Oprah Winfrey openly shared her experiences with weight stigma, revealing how she felt singled out when shopping while weighing over 200 pounds at her heaviest point several years ago. The event, entitled “The Life You Want Class: The State of Weight,” focused on the global obesity and weight crisis, affecting an estimated 2 billion adults worldwide. Alongside renowned obesity specialists, Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford and Dr. Melanie Jay, psychologist Dr. Rachel Goldman and Sima Sistani, CEO of WeightWatchers, Winfrey led the discussion with heartfelt candor and determination to tackle the issue.
“You all know I’ve been on this journey for most of my life. My highest weight was 237 lbs,” she told attendees in the audience. “I don’t know if there is another public person whose weight struggle has been exploited as much as mine over the years,” she added. The television personality, 68, continued: “You all have watched me diet and diet and diet.” The businesswoman stressed that this is a “recurring thing because my body always seems to want to go back to a certain weight.”
Oprah Winfrey Gets Candid About The 'Stigma' She Faced At Her Heaviest Weight In Moving Panel Discussion
Winfrey recounted that she observed a marked difference in the way people treated her when her weight surpassed 200 lbs. "This is a world that has shamed people for being overweight forever," she said, adding: "and all of us who’ve lived it know that people treat you differently, they just do."
The media proprietor recalled that she faced the greatest amount of stigma while out shopping. "It’s that thing where people are like, 'Let me show you the gloves. Would you like to look at the handbags? Because we know that there’s nothing in here for you,'" she went on. Winfrey continued: "There is a condescension. There is stigma." Later on during the discussion, the Emmy winner shared her thoughts on taking Ozempic, an FDA-approved medication prescribed for individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
This particular drug is referred to by several names, including Wegovy and Mounjaro, and is classified as semaglutide and tirzepatide. It operates within the brain to influence satiety, making it the newest Hollywood trend for weight loss. However, this medication is not without controversy.
"Shouldn't we all just be more accepting of whatever body you choose to be in? That should be your choice," Winfrey expressed. She added: "Even when I first started hearing about the weight loss drugs, at the same time I was going through knee surgery, and I felt, 'I've got to do this on my own.' Because if I take the drug, that's the easy way out.'" The Wrinkle in Time actress also told the crowd that she was "shamed in the tabloids every week about for 25 years" for "not having the willpower" regarding her health and weight loss.
