비만 관련 용어에 대한 인식 및 선호도 조사: 비만 낙인 완화를 위한 언어적 접근

Abstract

Background: Obesity is often associated with social discrimination and stigma, underscoring the critical role of language in shaping public perceptions, influencing communication, and promoting treatment adherence. While extensive research in English-speaking context recommends person-first language, comparable studies in Korean language remain exceptionally rare. This study aimed to identify the Korean terminology that may help reduce weight-related stigma and bias. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey involving 321 adult women (aged 20-59, body mass index [BMI] ≥30 kg/m2) and 171 physicians affiliated with the HiDoc medical platform. Participants rated nine obesity-related terms and 14 expressions referring to individuals with obesity using a 5-point Likert scale. Open-ended responses were analyzed to understand the reasoning behind term preferences. Results: "Above healthy weight" was the most preferred term for obesity, and "person with a high BMI" was the most preferred term for individuals with obesity in both groups. Conversely, "obesity disease" and "patient with obesity disease" were consistently the least preferred terms for obesity and individuals with obesity, respectively, in both cohorts. Notably, person-first language recommended in English contexts (e.g., "person with obesity" and "person diagnosed with obesity") received midrange preference scores. Although the overall term preferences were similar across the groups, distinct perceptual differences emerged in their specific rankings and in the reasoning behind the evaluations. Conclusion: This study identified distinct preference hierarchies for Korean terms referring to obesity and individuals with obesity. While both groups generally agreed on the most and least preferred terms, notable differences existed in their precise preference rankings and detailed rationales for guiding their evaluations.