Arya M. Sharma, MD

Weight stigma can itself increase weight gain: study

Jan. 26, 2012 Montreal Gazette – Dr. Arya Sharma, scientific director of the Canadian Obesity Network, says it's clear Western culture needs to stop stigmatizing weight gain and start understanding what causes it. "If we don't stop looking at obesity as a character flaw instead of a complex health condition, then we won't be addressing the underlying issues. Shaming, blaming and taxing aren't constructive or positive strategies." Read the article

Fat, obese and other dirty words for weight problems

Jan. 17, 2012 National Post – “What I always tell people is ‘obesity is not a four-letter word,’” said Dr. Sharma, who is also professor of medicine and chairman in obesity research and management at the University of Alberta. “They don’t look at it as a medical definition, which of course it is [since it’s a] BMI-based definition. They look at it as a stereotype. And because of the negative imagery that is very commonly used when talking about obesity … when you see those images [of morbidly obese people] you think ‘that’s not me.’” Read the article

‘Obesity’ a dirty word when discussing body weight: study

Jan. 8, 2012 Montreal Gazette – The findings come as Canada's leading obesity organization - the Canadian Obesity Network - prepares to release recommendations to doctors on managing obesity that will advise doctors seek permission before even raising the issue of excess weight or offering any advice, and that any such discussion be done in private, said Dr. Arya Sharma, the network's scientific director. Read the article

Exercise is about a lot more than burning calories

Dec. 22, 2011 Chatelaine – James S. Fell: "Dr. Arya Sharma taught me about how exercise can improve “ingestive behaviour,” meaning it positively changes eating behaviours to achieve weight loss — I knew this one too, but never pushed it that much." Read the article

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