Why “Morbid Obesity” Still Hurts — and Why the Language Matters

[TheBigBlue]

There's solid research showing a strong association between childhood trauma and adult obesity. Trauma affects the stress-response system, emotional regulation, and health behaviors across the lifespan. So for many of us with CPTSD, weight is not a simple "willpower issue" but a long-term biopsychosocial consequence of early adversity.

And then there is the term "morbid obesity."

"Morbid" literally means deadly. It's still used by many clinicians for the most severe form of obesity (BMI ≥ 40), even though the WHO's ICD-11 now uses the more neutral Obesity Class III. The CDC also explicitly advises health professionals: "By using clinically accurate terms such as 'Class 3 Obesity' instead of 'morbid obesity due to excess calories,' providers can create a more supportive environment for patients with obesity" and "... can help reduce weight bias and stigma ..." (https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/media/pdfs/2024/12/adult-partner-promotion-materials-icd-10-codes-508.pdf).

But in practice, this hasn't filtered into everyday care. Many of us still walk into appointments and hear:
"You are morbidly obese."
"Morbid obesity is your main problem."

No one would ever call a patient "you are a deadly cancer", yet morbid gets used as if it were a neutral descriptor - and it hits with the full weight of stigma.

For trauma survivors, the impact is amplified:
- CPTSD already comes with shame, body distrust, and a long history of being blamed or judged.
- Early relational trauma and neglect shape the nervous system and often the body.
- Then the medical system mirrors the childhood message: You are the problem.

"Obesity Class III" still communicates medical risk. But it just doesn't define the person as morbid.

Language won't fix trauma, but it can stop adding new wounds.
The coding system has already changed. The science has already moved.
It's time for clinical language to follow.