Franshelis Garcia earns PhD for research on obesity stigma

Franshelis Garcia received a PhD from Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands on Friday 25 September 2026 after defending a thesis on stigma surrounding obesity and metabolic and bariatric surgery.

Her thesis, The Social Weight of Surgery: Understanding Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Stigma through Public Attitudes, Professional Practice, and Patient Experience, examined the views of the public, healthcare professionals and patients.

Garcia’s research found that negative assumptions about obesity remain widespread and examined how those views affect people with obesity, including people who have bariatric surgery.

Sint Maarten’s 2023–2024 STEPS survey, covering 2,042 adults aged 18 to 69, found that 73.6% were overweight and nearly 44% were obese. A 2015 survey found that 29% of adults on the Dutch side were obese and 38% were pre-obese.