More than one-third of U.S. adults - 72 million people - were obese in 2006, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
However, despite growing trends in the U.S., being overweight still carries a stigma that many people find hard to shake.
At Ohio State, many students said they see size discrimination occur regularly.
Julie Lather, a second-year graduate student in communication, said that although it is often a taboo topic for conversation, students discriminate through their actions.
"I think there is probably size discrimination in people's minds, but they may not show it outwardly. It may just be from the looks they give people in passing," she said. "Education is the best way to decrease discrimination, and making people aware that everyone doesn't always have control over this issue is really important."
Kevin White, a third-year food agriculture and biology engineer, said that the university should "get larger desks," and people "just need an overall better tolerance."
However, some say that tolerance alone is not enough, and the quality of a person's life and their place in society should not be dictated by their weight, nor should they have to succumb to discrimination in their workplace, neighborhoods and home.
This theory led to the creation of the fat acceptance movement.
What is the fat acceptance movement
Much like the gay, black, and women's movements, the fat acceptance movement also began in the 1960s. Participants staged sit-ins, held "fat pride" parades and had "fat power" demonstrations to end discrimination based on weight.
Founded at the heart of the movement in 1969, The National Association for Fat Acceptance emerged with it's mission "to eliminate discrimination based on body size and provide fat people with the tools for self-empowerment though public education, advocacy, and support."
Janet Buckworth, an associate professor of sport and exercise sciences at OSU, said it isn't ethical to stigmatize any group because of differences, and said the movement is a positive way to encourage overweight people to be more social.
"If people can go to a health facility and feel accepted and not put down or ostracized for their weight, then it would promote more social behavior," she said.
Body image is something many people struggle with. Across all forms of media, the perception is that thin is beautiful.
Lather and White both agreed that there is too much emphasis put on size in American society.
"With girls, weight seems to be a regular topic of conversation." Lather said. "I think that it's not all bad, but it's sometimes overdone."
White has a similar opinion, but said that some are starting to realize different body types. "We idolize the skinny, but some clothing brands are starting to appeal to the people that don't have the perfect body," he said.
Discrimination against people who aren't thin is a growing concern in the educational system, workplace, and even in health care.
In the health care system, NAAFA says that discrimination is rampant and many overweight or obese patients do not receive the care they should because of their size.
Insurance companies might be reluctant to cover patients who are overweight, because of medical conditions that might occur.
NAAFA says size discrimination in the workplace affects individuals by making them "regularly, underpaid, limited in career advancement, denied benefits and terminated due to their size."
Members of the organization say size discrimination at schools occurs in the form of teasing and other harassment, which causes low self esteem and poor body image, among other consequences.
NAAFA's Health At Every Size program, outlined on their Web site, promotes satisfaction with any body size or shape. NAAFA is calling for many school districts to adopt HAES policies and prohibit bullying associated with weight.
Despite support for the overall concept of the movement, Buckworth did raise concerns about the health issues the movement might be sending.
"If the movement is to take away the idea that there is a problem or if it minimizes the health risks of obesity, then that is a problem," Buckworth said.
Health risks of obesity include high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and joint problems.
Although discrimination is still a roadblock in the fat acceptance movement and U.S. society is far from the movement's goals of complete anti-discrimination, there is still hope, according to the NAAFA: "While it is an uphill battle to achieve our goals, together we are making a difference."
Sarah McCaslin can be reached at mccaslin.17@osu.edu.N
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