In an effort to reduce pejorative portrayals of persons with obesity in media reporting, we have created an Image Gallery that provides a collection of photographs that individuals with obesity in ways that are positive and non-stereotypical. These images provide a fair and non-biased representation of youth and adults who have overweight and obesity. Our gallery can help promote accurate coverage of obesity-related topics in news reporting and challenge harmful weight-based stereotypes.

All images are free to use, we just ask you to read and adhere to the below ‘Terms of Use’ and follow appropriate media guidelines when using our images.

Obesity Canada owns and retains the copyrights to all images. No copyright license is granted to the user, other than the right to reproduce the images. Please credit © Obesity Canada whenever images are in use.
  • You may, under no circumstances, redistribute or sell the images at any time. If you wish to share our imagery, please share a link to our site for other users to download imagery themselves.
  • Any use that may promote bias or be harmful to the persons appearing in the images is strictly prohibited.
  • All images are free to download and reproduced for the following purposes:
    • Print or online publication for news/media reporting purposes
    • Non-commercial promotional materials (i.e. brochures for healthcare or community programs)
    • Research and scientific purposes
    • Educational purposes and materials
    • Presentation of products to policy makers
  • Commercial use of these images is prohibited.  Prohibited use includes, but is not limited to:
    • Retail items or materials intended for sale such as books, calendars, postcards, place-mats, etc; personal or promotional materials
    • Packaging or promotion of products intended for sale
    • Advertising materials and/or campaigns in any medium intended to promote commercial, for-profit business

Copying or forwarding the images without adherence to all conditions is a breach of copyright law and is strictly forbidden.

If you have any questions about our images or their use, please refer them to: [email protected]

In downloading any images, I acknowledge the terms laid out on this page and will credit © Obesity Canada in all usages.

View images in Flickr

Additional Image and Media Collections

European Association for the Study of Obesity

Obesity Action Coalition

Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity

World Obesity Federation

Media Guidelines

Guidelines for Media Portrayals of Individuals Affected by Obesity (USA)

World Obesity Federation Media Guide 

The Responsible Reporting of Obesity: Media Guidelines (Obesity UK)

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