“Fat shaming,” or discriminating against those who are overweight or obese, does not encourage them to lose weight, a new study shows. The new UCL research was funded by Cancer Research UK.

The study consisted of 2,944 UK adults over a span of four years and indicated that those who reported experiencing weight discrimination gained more weight than individuals who did not. After accounting for baseline differences, most participants, on average, who reported weight discrimination gained 0.95kg while those who did not lost 0.71kg, resulting in a difference of 1.66kg.

The research, published in the journal Obesity, contrasts the common belief that fat shaming may promote weight loss. Study participants were asked if they experienced day-to-day discrimination that they attributed to their weight. Examples of fat discrimination include those who were treated disrespectfully, received poor service in shops, and who were being harassed.

Due to the fact that the study was a population survey rather than an experimental study, there is no conclusive confirmation that the positive link between discrimination and weight gain is casual.

The study’s lead author, Dr. Sarah Jackson, of UCL Epidemiology & Public Health, said in a statement, “There is no justification for discriminating against people because of their weight.” She continued, “Our results show that weight discrimination does not encourage weight loss, and suggest that it may even exacerbate weight gain.”

According to the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, over one-third (34.9 percent or 78.6 million) of adults in the U.S. are obese.