A recent study conducted in the United Kingdom suggests that overweight people are less likely to get jobs than their slimmer counterparts.

The study was conducted with 1000 employers and it found that half of them were less likely to recruit an obese candidate during the interview stages.

Even with the same experience and qualifications, an obese applicant will be overlooked because they are perceived to be less productive.

Speaking to radio 702, Labour Lawyer Gregory Duncan said that there aren’t laws in South Africa protecting fat people specifically but if they can prove that they have been discriminated after not getting job then the law can be on their side.

“But that’s the point, how do you prove it? Because ultimately it’s the employers prerogative as to whom they want to employ and they will find any other reason but to state that because you are obese we can’t employ you or don’t want to employ you.

“So it is a difficult call for the applicant to prove that the employer discriminated on the basis of obesity,” explained Duncan.

He however explained that discrimination against fat people can be justified in other jobs such as police force and other jobs that might require physical strength.

“It depends on the job, for instance a city police person being employed who is obese would never be effectively chase down a criminal or an offender, so that would be justified if you want to put it in a particular way,” he said.

"But generally you cannot, on the basis of obesity, refuse to employ a person."