1
|
Cain P, Donaghue N, Ditchburn G. Development and validation of the Fat Attitudes Assessment Toolkit (FAAT): A multidimensional nonstigmatizing measure of contemporary attitudes toward fatness and fat people. JOURNAL OF APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/jasp.12882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Cain
- School of Nursing and Midwifery Edith Cowan University Joondalup Australia
| | - Ngaire Donaghue
- School of Humanities University of Tasmania Hobart Australia
| | - Graeme Ditchburn
- College of Science, health, Engineering and Education Murdoch University Perth Australia
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Exploring associations between positive and negative valanced parental comments about adolescents' bodies and eating and eating problems: a community study. J Eat Disord 2022; 10:43. [PMID: 35331338 PMCID: PMC8953043 DOI: 10.1186/s40337-022-00561-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adolescence is a time of rapid emotional and physical development when foundational self-concepts (including beliefs about one's weight and shape) are established. Parents are key influencers of adolescent beliefs and behaviours. This study aimed to investigate associations between perceived positive and negative parental comments on weight/shape and eating, with sons' and daughters' psychological distress and eating disorder cognitions (EDCs). METHODS A representative mixed-sex sample of 2204 Australian adolescents (12-19 years) from the EveryBODY Study completed an online survey exploring eating behaviours, psychological wellbeing and experiences of parental comments regarding weight, shape and eating behaviours. RESULTS Correlation analyses revealed that adolescents' reports of perceived positive parental comments on shape/weight were significantly associated with lower psychological distress and EDCs only for daughters. All perceived negative parental comments on shape/weight or eating were associated with greater psychological distress and EDCs for both sons and daughters. In the final model of the regression analysis, only perceived parental negative shape/weight and maternal negative eating comments, adolescent stage and biological sex were significantly associated with EDCs. When known contributors such as BMI percentile and psychological distress were included in the regression model, adolescent stage and perceived negative paternal comments were no longer significantly associated with EDCs. CONCLUSIONS Overall, results show perceived negative comments were associated with poorer adolescent mental health, both their specific EDCs and general distress. Findings highlight the importance of raising awareness of potential negative impacts within family systems of comments around weight/shape and eating in these key formative years. Trial Registration The study was approved by the Macquarie University Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC 5201600312) and the New South Wales Department of Education.
Collapse
|
3
|
Yourell JL, Doty JL. Associations Between Weight-Based Bullying, Developmental Internal Assets, and Perceived Social Support Among Youth. THE JOURNAL OF SCHOOL HEALTH 2022; 92:42-51. [PMID: 34786727 DOI: 10.1111/josh.13101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Youth with obesity are likely to experience weight-based bullying victimization, and adolescents have the highest obesity rates among children. Factors that protect youth from traditional bullying victimization may protect youth from weight-based bullying victimization: internal assets such as positive identity and social competence, and external assets such as perceived support from parents and friends. METHODS To examine this proposition, data from 8th, 9th, and 11th graders were obtained from the 2016 Minnesota Student Survey (N = 126,495). Logistic regressions were conducted to identify the relationship between assets and weight-based bullying and to determine possible moderation by weight status. RESULTS Results demonstrate that positive identity, parent support, and friend support were associated with lower odds of experiencing weight-based bullying victimization. Moderation analyses revealed that perceived parent support was most protective against experiencing weight-based bullying victimization among youth with obesity compared to youth with overweight, normal weight, or underweight. CONCLUSION School administrators, counselors, and teachers should be aware of the increased risk of weight-based bullying for youth with obesity and underweight. Results underscore the need to foster youth's internal assets like positive identity to promote a strength-based approach for prevention. Parent involvement is warranted in weight-based bullying prevention efforts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jacqlyn L Yourell
- Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, University of Florida, 3001 McCarty Hall D, P.O. Box 110310, Gainesville, FL, 32611-0310, USA
| | - Jennifer L Doty
- Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, University of Florida, 3001 McCarty Hall D, P.O. Box 110310, Gainesville, FL, 32611-0310, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Warnick JL, Darling KE, West CE, Jones L, Jelalian E. Weight Stigma and Mental Health in Youth: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Pediatr Psychol 2021; 47:237-255. [PMID: 34791368 DOI: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsab110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2020] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Over the past two decades, there has been a steady increase in research focused on the association between weight-based stigma and mental health outcomes in children and adolescents. The present study is a systematic review and meta-analysis of the associations between weight stigma and mental health in youth. METHODS A systematic search of PubMed, PsychInfo, and Embase databases was conducted in January 2020. Inclusion criteria included the following: (a) examined an association between weight stigma and a mental health outcome, (b) mean sample age <18 (+1 standard deviation) years, (c) written in English, and (d) peer reviewed. Forty eligible articles were identified. The moderating effects of age, sex (percent female), weight status (percent with overweight/obesity), and study quality were examined. RESULTS Overall, meta-analytic findings using a random-effects model indicated a statistically significant moderate association between weight stigma and poorer mental health outcomes (r = .32, 95% confidence interval [0.292, 0.347], p < .001). Age and study quality each moderated the association between weight stigma and mental health. Generally, the study quality was fair to poor, with many studies lacking validated measurement of weight stigma. CONCLUSIONS Although there was a significant association between weight stigma and mental health in youth, study quality hinders the current body of literature. Furthermore, findings highlight the lack of consideration of internalized weight stigma in child populations, the importance of using validated measures of weight stigma, and the need for increased awareness of how these associations affect populations of diverse backgrounds.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Warnick
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, USA.,Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center, The Miriam Hospital, USA
| | - Katherine E Darling
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, USA.,Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center, The Miriam Hospital, USA
| | - Caroline E West
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Kent State University, USA
| | - Laura Jones
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, USA
| | - Elissa Jelalian
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, USA.,Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center, The Miriam Hospital, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Rêgo ALV, Pereira RA, Oliveira AJD, Lopes CS. INDICATORS OF ADIPOSITY ASSOCIATED WITH LOW BODY ESTEEM IN ADOLESCENTS. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 38:e2018383. [PMID: 32187299 PMCID: PMC7077795 DOI: 10.1590/1984-0462/2020/38/2018383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2018] [Accepted: 03/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the association between weight status and anthropometric indicators of adiposity with body esteem. METHODS Cross-sectional study including 305 adolescents from a public school in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Data were collected by a self-administered questionnaire and anthropometric measurements. The Body-Esteem Scale for Adolescents and Adults was used to evaluate total body esteem and the "appearance", "weight", and "attribution" domains. Body mass index (weight/stature2) was applied to assess weight status and waist circumference, the central body adiposity. The association between indicators of adiposity and body esteem was assessed using Student's t-test or Mann-Whitney's test and linear regression models, stratified by sex and age group. RESULTS Overweight/obesity was observed in 46% of younger adolescents (10 to 13 year-old girls, 10 to 14 year-old boys), 38% of older boys (15 to 18 year old), and 16% of older girls (14 to 18 year old). For both boys and girls in the younger age group, body mass index and waist circumference (as continuous variables) were inversely associated with total body esteem and weight domain. Overweight/obesity was associated with the appearance body esteem domain only among younger male adolescents; no association was found between either the body mass index or waist circumference and the attribution domain. CONCLUSIONS Indicators of adiposity were associated with low body esteem. These findings underscore the fact that considering adolescents' feelings concerning their body and appearance is important to promote a healthy control of weight.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ana Lúcia Viégas Rêgo
- Instituto de Nutrição Josué de Castro, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Rosangela Alves Pereira
- Instituto de Nutrição Josué de Castro, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | | | - Claudia Souza Lopes
- Instituto de Medicina Social, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Szwimer E, Mougharbel F, Goldfield GS, Alberga AS. The Association Between Weight-Based Teasing from Peers and Family in Childhood and Depressive Symptoms in Childhood and Adulthood: A Systematic Review. Curr Obes Rep 2020; 9:15-29. [PMID: 32002762 DOI: 10.1007/s13679-020-00367-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
RECENT FINDINGS Depressive symptoms may be a psychological correlate of weight-based teasing from peers and/or family. However, it is unclear whether the association of weight-based teasing with depressive symptoms differs by time (short term vs. long term), sex (males vs. females), or source (family vs. peers). PURPOSE The purpose of this systematic review was to (1) examine whether the frequency of weight-based teasing differs according to sex and source and; (2) examine whether the association of weight-based teasing with depressive symptoms varies according to time, sex, and source. METHODS On February 16, 2018, a combination of keywords within three concepts, (i) children and adults, (ii) weight-based teasing source, and (iii) mental health outcomes, were searched in four databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science) for relevant articles. Cross-sectional and longitudinal original research articles were included, and studies were excluded if the relationship between weight-based teasing and depressive symptoms was not explicitly measured. RESULTS The search yielded 3572 articles, and nineteen studies were included in the final analysis. Experiences of weight-based teasing occurred significantly more among girls than boys. Weight-based teasing was significantly associated with depressive symptoms in both short and long term. Weight-based teasing exhibited a greater association with depressive symptoms in girls vs. boys and when it came from multiple sources than from either source alone. However, it remains uncertain whether one source of teasing is more common than the other, since only two studies found peers to be a more common source of weight-based teasing compared to family. Weight-based teasing from peers and family is associated with depressive symptoms, and girls are more psychologically vulnerable than boys. Interventions are required to reduce weight-based teasing and its harmful psychological effects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erica Szwimer
- Department of Health, Kinesiology and Applied Physiology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec, H4B1R6, Canada
| | - Fatima Mougharbel
- School of Human Kinetics, Psychology and Population Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Gary S Goldfield
- School of Human Kinetics, Psychology and Population Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Angela S Alberga
- Department of Health, Kinesiology and Applied Physiology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec, H4B1R6, Canada.
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
A polygenic score for body mass index is associated with depressive symptoms via early life stress: Evidence for gene-environment correlation. J Psychiatr Res 2019; 118:9-13. [PMID: 31445318 PMCID: PMC6745266 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2019.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2019] [Revised: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Increasing childhood obesity rates are associated with not only adverse physical, but also mental health outcomes, including depression. These negative outcomes may be caused and/or exacerbated by the bullying and shaming overweight individuals experience. As body mass index (BMI) can be highly heritable, we hypothesized that a genetic risk for higher BMI, will predict higher early life stress (ELS), which in turn will predict higher depressive symptoms in adulthood. Such a process will reflect an evocative gene-environment correlation (rGE) wherein an individual's genetically influenced phenotype evokes a reaction from the environment that subsequently shapes the individual's health. We modeled genetic risk using a polygenic score of BMI derived from a recent large GWAS meta-analysis. Self-reports were used for the assessment of ELS and depressive symptoms in adulthood. The discovery sample consisted of 524 non-Hispanic Caucasian university students from the Duke Neurogenetics Study (DNS; 278 women, mean age 19.78 ± 1.23 years) and the independent replication sample consisted of 5930 white British individuals from the UK biobank (UKB; 3128 women, mean age 62.66 ± 7.38 years). A significant mediation effect was found in the DNS (indirect effect = 0.207, bootstrapped SE = .10, bootstrapped 95% CI: 0.014 to 0.421), and then replicated in the UKB (indirect effect = 0.04, bootstrapped SE = .01, bootstrapped 95% CI: 0.018 to 0.066). Higher BMI polygenic scores predicted higher ELS, which in turn predicted higher depressive symptoms. Our findings suggest that evocative rGE may contribute to weight-related mental health problems and stress the need for interventions that aim to reduce weight bias, specifically during childhood.
Collapse
|
8
|
Weight-Related Teasing of Adolescents Who Are Primarily Obese: Roles of Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance and Physical Activity Self-Efficacy. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:ijerph16091540. [PMID: 31052342 PMCID: PMC6539393 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16091540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2019] [Revised: 04/25/2019] [Accepted: 04/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Adolescents who are obese are at risk for being teased about their appearance with the concomitant negative psychological sequelae. Identifying modifiable variables associated with teasing could inform pediatric weight-management interventions. Characterizing society's role in the victimization of these at-risk individuals could guide anti-bullying programs for schools and broader public health efforts. This study aims to examine novel societal and cognitive factors associated with weight-related teasing frequency. Participants were adolescents (N = 334) being evaluated for a hospital-affiliated weight-management program. The outcome was perceived weight-related teasing frequency. Predictors were sociocultural awareness and internalization of appearance-related attitudes, physical activity self-efficacy, and psychological functioning. Multivariate regressions controlled for demographics and body mass index (BMI) z-scores with separate regressions testing interactions of BMI z-scores with all predictors. In adjusted analyses, higher physical activity self-efficacy and fewer depressive symptoms related to lower teasing frequency. Interactions indicated that less awareness/internalization of sociocultural attitudes towards appearance, more positive body image, and higher self-esteem related to lower teasing frequency regardless of BMI. Targeted interventions and public health campaigns should be developed and tested for adolescents that improve body image with promotion of diverse views about attractiveness, bolster confidence in overcoming physical activity barriers, and identify and treat mood symptoms.
Collapse
|