Table 1.

Evaluation of fictional obese individuals compared to fictional average-weight individuals on work-relevant categories

Category	Belief	Study
General job performance	lower job success lower job performance incompetent lower abilities poorer work habits less effective/productive at work work slowly have to put in greater effort	Larkin and Pines, 1979 [15] Larwood, 1995 [51] Jasper and Klassen, 1990 [38] Klesges et al., 1990 [14] O’Brien et al., 2008 [19] Hebl and Heatherton, 2008 [52]
Particular job suitability	unfit for a challenging job lower leadership potential lower supervisory potential receive easier work assignments lower ability to perform a physically strenuous job	Rothblum et al., 1988 [53] Larwood, 1995 [51] Popovich et al., 1997 [30] Bellizzi and Hasty, 1998 [16] O’Brien et al., 2008 [19] Hebl and Heatherton, 2008 [52]
Interpersonal skills/problems	fewer interpersonal skills more interpersonal problems less accepted by subordinates less trusted lower popularity	Jasper and Klassen, 1990 [38] Klesges et al., 1990 [14] Bordieri et al., 1997 [18] Finkelstein et al., 2007 [13] Hebl and Heatherton, 2008 [52]
Self control / willpower	lack of self-discipline lazy less ambitious	Larkin and Pines, 1979 [15] Rothblum et al., 1988 [53] Bellizzi and Norvell, 1991 [17] Klassen et al., 1993 [39]
Motivation / drive	idle need prompting sluggish do not take initiative inactive give up easily	Larkin and Pines, 1979 [15]
Intelligence	less intelligent	Hebl and Heatherton, 2008 [52]
Reliability	less conscientious and reliable more non-medical absenteeism less serious	Klesges et al., 1990 [14] Bellizzi and Norvell, 1991 [17]
Self confidence / emotional stability	(emotionally) insecure unstable low self regard weak	Larkin and Pines, 1979 [15] Bellizzi and Norvell, 1991 [17] Klassen et al., 1993 [39]
Other	less adaptable indecisive less clean cut untidy disorganized	Larkin and Pines, 1979 [15] Bellizzi and Norvell, 1991 [17] Finkelstein et al., 2007 [13]