Obesity research from the patient perspective

What if we started planning a research study for weight loss from the perspective of someone who is living with obesity?

1. Obesity Conveys Shame—Even When We Don’t Mean It To

Designing trials that center dignity requires more than inclusive language. It requires us to be mindful of every moment that might unintentionally reinforce stigma: from recruitment messaging to how we train site staff to greet participants. Clinical protocols may frame obesity as a modifiable risk factor, but participants experience a more personal burden—the shame society projects onto their bodies.

2. The Waiting Room Can Exclude Before a Word Is Spoken

Imagine entering a medical facility and seeing only one kind of chair—narrow, rigid, with arms that do not fit you. If your chairs don’t fit people of size, your trial doesn’t either. Inclusive site design isn’t a “nice to have.” It’s a baseline requirement for equitable participation.

3. Move the Scale—And Reconsider What Comes First

Weigh-ins are often the first step of a visit. But for many people, especially those who’ve experienced weight-related trauma in healthcare settings, it can be a triggering and deeply uncomfortable moment. Particularly for new patients, maybe introduce yourself before you ask me to weigh myself in front of you? Consider relocating the scale out of public view. Consider delaying the weigh-in until rapport is built. And above all, consider the experience from the participant’s side of the clipboard.

4. Exam Rooms, Tables, Gowns: The Details Matter

Thin paper gowns that rip. Narrow exam tables with low weight limits. Chairs with arms that dig into hips. These aren’t minor oversights—they’re signals of whether someone feels welcome and safe. Participants notice these things. And when they do, they tell others. Word of mouth travels fast, especially among people who have felt the sting of medical gaslighting or worse. Inclusive furniture can be budgeted. Visit schedules and lists of procedures can flex to build trust before vulnerability.

The lesson is clear: The best way to improve a weight loss study is to ask someone who’s lived it.

What Can We Do Differently? Listening Is the First Intervention

At Hashimoto Consulting Services, I help clinical teams uncover insights like these before they show up as poor recruitment and low retention. Patient insights aren’t just nice stories—they’re actionable tools to design studies that succeed by being more humane. Let’s chat