Involving consumers and people with lived experience in research relating to weight issues, obesity and health raises important considerations of objectivity, impact and agency. Given the wide-ranging nature of the determinants of health as they relate to weight, research that focuses on one or two determinants of these can miss the reality of a person’s lived experience and context – to the possible detriment of the research goal. It is also important to consider what “consumer” lens is required for what stage of the research process.