Humans

Western views of fat adopted around the world, a link between a messy environment and stereotypes, and more in this week's news

Fat stigma goes global
Overweight people now attract a heavy dose of reproach in societies around the world. Descriptions of fat people as ugly, undesirable, lazy and lacking self-control characterized survey responses of people from cities and urban areas in nine locations including American Samoa, Mexico City and several others where large, plump bodies have traditionally been favored, says a team led by anthropologist Alexandra Brewis of Arizona State University in Tempe.