More than a "monstrous obesity"! Time to overcome the "anti-fat" bias

Clin Obes. 2021 Feb;11(1):e12413. doi: 10.1111/cob.12413. Epub 2020 Sep 28.

Abstract

A 54-years-old woman complained of unintentional important body weight gain associated with abdominal bloating. For this reason, she had consulted many different diet and nutritional professionals, general practitioners and a gastroenterology specialist, but no one went beyond a simple diagnosis of "monstrous obesity". At our hospital division, based on physical examination, a computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen and pelvis was performed. It showed a voluminous intraperitoneal mass occupying the most part of the abdomen. The patient underwent laparotomy with resection of the abdomino-pelvic mass, originating from the left ovary, measuring 60 x 45 cm and weighing 46 kg. Histopathology examination revealed a tumor composed of three different areas, including a well-differentiated adenocarcinoma of intestinal-type. It is emblematic of a grotesque misdiagnosis generated by a non-comprehensive patient assessment and consequently by a too quick judgement related to the "anti-fat bias".

Keywords: anti-fat bias | intraperitoneal mass | misdiagnosis | obesity-stigma.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Abdomen*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Obesity* / diagnosis
  • Pelvis*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed