Start by asking whether they want to talk about it. If they do, listen and ask what kind of support they want; if they do not, respect that boundary. Avoid unsolicited comments about their body, appetite, food, weight change, or medication, and leave medical decisions to them and their qualified healthcare professional.
Ask before bringing up their body or treatment
Even a well-meant question can make someone feel scrutinized. NICE recommends asking permission before discussing weight and respecting a person’s choice not to continue. Its guidance is written for care settings, but the principle also offers a considerate way to approach a personal conversation.
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You could say, “Would it feel helpful to talk about how things are going, or would you rather talk about something else?” If they say “not now,” change the subject without asking them to explain or promising to raise it again later.
Let them choose what support means
Do not guess whether they want encouragement, advice, practical help, or privacy. Ask a simple, open question, then follow their lead. NIDDK’s clinical guidance recommends collaboration and asking what support would help; in a personal relationship, that might mean listening, keeping plans as usual, or leaving treatment out of the conversation.
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- A MENTAL HEALTH JOURNAL is a personal tool used to track and manage your mental health. It's a dedicated space where you can express your thoughts, emotions, and experiences, often with the aim of understanding and improving your mental well-being.
- DAILY LOGS These are brief, regular entries that record the key events, emotions, and thoughts of your day. A daily log captures what happened, how you felt, and any notable observations. It’s a straightforward, factual recount of your day, serving as a foundation for self-reflection.
- SELF-REFLECTION is the process of analyzing and interpreting the information in your daily logs. It involves looking beyond the surface of what happened to explore why it happened, how it affected you, and what you can learn from it.
- MOOD TRACKING is a method of regularly monitoring and recording your emotional state to gain insights into your mental health. It helps you identify patterns, triggers, and correlations between your mood and various factors in your life, such as sleep, diet, stress, and activities.
- REVIEW PAST REFLECTIONS Periodically, look back at your previous therapy reflections to observe your progress over time. What patterns do you see? How have your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors evolved? What areas still need work?
- “What kind of support would feel good from me?”
- “Would you like me to listen, help with something practical, or leave this topic alone?”
- “I’m glad you told me. What would you like me to understand?”
These are suggested phrases, not a script they have to follow. Give them room to answer in their own way—or not to answer.
Keep their body and progress out of unsolicited commentary
Do not treat weight loss as the only meaningful sign of progress. NIDDK recommends recognizing health and behavior improvements regardless of weight change. More broadly, unless they invite your opinion, avoid evaluating their appearance, appetite, food choices, or results. Even praise can feel like scrutiny if it makes their body the focus.
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- TRACK YOUR PAIN (WITH FEMALE BODY DIAGRAMS): Track speed of onset, type of pain, severity and timing.
- MOOD TRACKER: Rate how your pain is affecting your mood on a scale from 1 to 10.
- SUSPECTED TRIGGERS & RELIEF MEASURES: What do you think caused/aggravates your pain and what makes it better?
- OTHER/ASSOCIATED SYMPTOMS: e.g. nausea, vomiting, stiffness.
- SLEEP, MENTAL CLARITY, ENERGY LEVEL AND STRESS LOGS: Your pain can affect every aspect of your life (and vice versa), and you can track it all here.
If they tell you about a milestone, respond to what they say matters to them. You can acknowledge that they shared it without assuming they want congratulations, questions, advice, or a discussion of details.
Respect privacy and the words they prefer
Taking medication is not an invitation to share someone’s health information. Do not tell relatives or friends, ask them to defend a prescription, or press for details about their diagnosis, dose, or goals. If they have shared information with you, keep it private unless they clearly agree otherwise.
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- Obesity Awareness design that reads: "I Conquered My Curves".
- Obesity Awareness design as perfect idea for men, women or kids who are affected by obesity or have defeated obesity or want to defeat obesity. You can also use it to show your support for Obesity Awareness.
- Hardcover journal with 240 line-ruled pages (120 sheets)
- Built-in elastic closure and ribbon bookmark
- Includes an expandable inner storage pocket and a pen holder
People may prefer different terms for their health or treatment. The Obesity Society’s June 2026 policy guidance recommends “obesity medications” rather than “anti-obesity medications,” because “anti-” can sound adversarial and reinforce stigma. That does not mean you should correct someone who uses another term for themselves: ask what wording they prefer and use it.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Do not make assumptions about why they use medication
Body size and medication use do not reveal a person’s character, effort, diagnosis, or motivation. The Obesity Society describes obesity as influenced by biological, environmental, social, and behavioral factors, and recommends language that avoids blame and shame. You do not need to know someone’s reasons to treat their choice with respect.
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- Obesity Awareness design that reads: "From Heavy To Happy".
- Obesity Awareness design as perfect idea for men, women or kids who are affected by obesity or have defeated obesity or want to defeat obesity. You can also use it to show your support for Obesity Awareness.
- Hardcover journal with 240 line-ruled pages (120 sheets)
- Built-in elastic closure and ribbon bookmark
- Includes an expandable inner storage pocket and a pen holder
Weight stigma can contribute to lower self-esteem, mental-health and eating-related harms, social isolation, and avoiding or delaying medical care, according to NIDDK. That is a reason to take your words seriously—not a guarantee that any one conversation will cause a particular outcome.
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Leave medication decisions to their care team
If they mention side effects, safety worries, or uncertainty about treatment, you can listen and encourage them to contact their prescriber or pharmacist. Do not advise them to start, stop, change a dose, or substitute another treatment. WHO describes GLP-1 medicines as one component of comprehensive, person-centered care and says they should be prescribed by qualified healthcare providers.
WHO’s December 2025 guidance conditionally recommends GLP-1 therapies for long-term obesity treatment in adults, excluding pregnant women, and conditionally supports offering intensive behavioral interventions alongside them. The conditional recommendations reflect issues including limited long-term efficacy and safety data, uncertainty about maintenance and discontinuation, cost, health-system readiness, and equity. They are population-level guidance, not a way to decide what is right for the person you care about.
Make support ordinary, not conditional on weight
Unless they ask for something different, keep sharing meals, invitations, conversation, and affection without turning them into tests of progress. Offer practical help only when they want it, and accept that what feels useful may change. A supportive relationship does not require monitoring someone’s body or treatment.
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