The effect of the peer support on stigma among patients with obesity: A quasi-experimental study

Li Wei (Southwest Medical University, China)
Zhang Min (Southwest Medical University, China)
Wang Jun (Ching Kuo Institute of Management and Health, Taiwan)

Journal of Community Nursing and Primary Care
Vol. 3 No. 1 (2026): January - June

Background: Obesity is a growing global public health concern that is frequently accompanied by weight-related stigma, which negatively affects psychological well-being, social participation, and engagement in health services. Stigma represents a critical psychosocial barrier in obesity management that is often insufficiently addressed by conventional interventions focusing primarily on behavioral and clinical outcomes. Peer support has emerged as a promising approach to address psychosocial challenges through shared experiences and mutual support in community settings. Objective: This study aimed to examine the effect of peer support on stigma among patients with obesity in a community-based context. Methods: A quasi-experimental study with a pretest–posttest control group design was conducted among adults with obesity recruited from community health programs. Participants were allocated into an intervention group receiving a structured peer support program and a control group receiving usual community-based health education. Stigma was measured using a validated weight stigma instrument before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics to assess within-group and between-group differences. Results: The intervention group demonstrated a significant reduction in overall stigma scores following the peer support program, whereas the control group showed no significant change. Post-intervention stigma levels were significantly lower in the intervention group compared to the control group. Subdomain analysis revealed substantial improvements in internalized stigma and perceived social rejection, with a moderate improvement in emotional distress. The findings indicate a clinically meaningful and statistically significant effect of peer support on stigma reduction. Conclusion: Peer support is an effective community-based intervention for reducing stigma among patients with obesity. The intervention addresses key psychosocial dimensions of obesity by enhancing self-acceptance, emotional support, and social connectedness.Community obesity programs should integrate peer support as a complementary strategy to conventional interventions, and future research should explore long-term outcomes and scalability across diverse populations.