Fostering Tolerance of Obesity through Empathy and Critical Reflection: A Curricular Unit Incorporating Filmed Testimonials

With the prevalence of overweight and obesity on the rise in America, the role of educators in creating transformative learning contexts that minimize obesity bias and that foster tolerance has become increasingly crucial. The purpose of this work was to develop and explore the effectiveness of a curricular unit to promote tolerance and multifaceted understanding about obesity among undergraduates by encouraging empathy for obese persons and critical reflection about obesity and obesity bias. The unit engaged undergraduates (n = 334) in a consideration of competing rhetoric about obesity and exposed them to filmed interviews with obese persons (i.e., "testimonials"). Qualitative responses to a unit activity were analyzed to evaluate the efficacy of the curriculum in achieving its goals. Responses revealed varying levels of empathy and critical reflection, with some but not all students questioning dominant knowledge claims about obesity, expressing empathic concern for obese persons, identifying with obese persons, and enumerating strategies to minimize obesity bias. Implications for future educational efforts are discussed.