Is Obesity common today?

Among normal-weight participants, fewer than 1 in 100 (0.7 percent) reported experiencing weight discrimination, among the overweight (those with a BMI between 25 and 29.9), fewer than 2 in 200 (1.4 percent) reported discrimination, and among the obese an average of 15.6 percent reported experiencing weight discrimination across three categories, with the most discrimination (35.9 percent) being reported by the most obese, Discovery News reported.

Averaged across all categories, weight discrimination was reported by 5.1 percent of participants, thus, the vast majority of people, 95 percent on average, said they have not been discriminated against because of their weight.

The authors noted that the amount of reported discrimination found in the study was not unusual and "in line with previous prevalence estimates in this age group."

Lead researcher Sarah Jackson at London's University College said that the overall prevalence was relatively low because their sample was not restricted solely to those who were overweight or obese, 36 percent of participants were normal weight or underweight, 36 percent were overweight, and 28 percent were obese.

Jackson added that research suggests that many overweight people don't perceive themselves to be overweight, perhaps due to normalization of carrying excess weight and so they might expect them to be less likely to attribute experiences of discrimination to their weight.

The study is published in the journal Obesity.