Obese people are discriminated against when applying for jobs, get passed over for promotion and are more likely to be made redundant.
A survey of more than 2,000 HR professionals by Personnel Today magazine revealed that nine out of 10 respondents would choose a 'normal weight' applicant over an obese applicant with the same experience and qualifications.
One in three HR professionals also believe obesity is a valid medical reason for not employing a person, while almost one in seven agree that they would be less likely to promote an obese employee.
More than one in 10 also think they can fairly dismiss an employee because of their size.
