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Background: Those who suffer from obesity can feel stigmatised and shamed by society, which can prevent them from living life to the full. Objective: We need a deeper understanding of obese people’s experiences with stigmatisation and shame, of how stigma and shame are created and sustained, and the impacts of shame on this group. The health service needs insight into how stigmatisation leads to shame, and the consequences of shame for the individual. Method: The study has a phenomenological-hermeneutic approach and an exploratory design. We conducted qualitative in-depth interviews with 18 obese people. The interviews were analysed using Kvale’s phenomenological-hermeneutic method. Results: People living with obesity experience stigma both from society in general and from their immediate surroundings in particular. Internalised stigma creates shame, which can severely impact on how obese people view and perceive themselves. The shame can impact on self-actualisation. Conclusion: Shame resulting from self-stigma can be overcome by developing a resistance to being defined by shame. The sense of shame cannot be shed by an individual in isolation. It is therefore important for healthcare personnel to have an insight into the impacts of stigma and shame in order to adopt attitudes that reduce the shame. Social and health policy measures are also required to reduce stigmatisation.

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