Perceived weight discrimination and chronic medical conditions in adults with overweight and obesity

Bright-siding stigma: Older adults' experiences at a higher weight in Atlantic Canada

The lived experiences of higher-weight people vary; homogenous samples may fail to capture this diversity. This study develops an in-depth understanding of the lived experiences of higher-weight (Body Mass Index ⩾ 30) older adults (⩾60 years of age) in a Canadian Atlantic province. Participants (n = 11) were interviewed face-to-face using a semi-structured interview guide twice at 2-to-3-month intervals regarding their perceived treatment in social and health situations; how positive and negative healthcare experiences affected their health, lifestyles and healthcare seeking-behaviour; and recommendations in terms of patient experiences, access and inclusion. Participants infrequently reported negative experiences; however, participants' experiences were informed by uptake of moralistic, neoliberal discourses. Thematic content analysis identified two major themes: active citizenship (participants demonstrated internalisation of the imperative for weight loss, healthy lifestyles and active ageing) and bright-siding (participants expressed that a positive attitude could prevent/help cope with stigma). Results suggest that individualistic, rather than collective, political solutions to health and stigma have been taken up by higher-weight older adults in a Canadian Atlantic province, which may hinder attempts at structural reforms addressing stigma.

Disabilities and eating disorders: A theoretical model and call for research

OBJECTIVE

There is an urgent need for research on eating disorders among individuals with disabilities. This paper highlights the lack of research on the relationships between disabilities and EDs, despite their common convergence.

METHOD

In this paper, we aim to 1) highlight the need for further research investigating the relationships between disability status and EDs, 2) describe existing frameworks for conceptualizing disability, 3) utilize such frameworks to propose a novel theoretical model of ED/disability relationships and related sociocultural factors and 4) identify future directions for research in this area.

RESULTS

We propose a multidimensional theoretical model of the relationships between EDs and disabilities. Further, we describe how these relationships are likely influenced by a system of individual factors (e.g., disability (in)visibility, food access, and self-identification) and sociocultural factors (e.g., ableism/discrimination and weight stigma).

DISCUSSION

Scholars are encouraged to test our proposed model and further investigate experiences of disability and ED co-occurrence with participatory research and mixed-methods designs. ED prevention and screening programs, as well as treatment access and efficacy, need to be evaluated for disabled populations. Disability should also be routinely collected as a demographic across studies, and ED measures should be validated and/or developed for individuals with disabilities.

Alternative Perspectives on Obesity and Hypertension

It is known that obesity and hypertension have a relationship with one another. Often, obesity is thought to directly cause hypertension, with a list of mechanisms commonly cited. This, however, does not do the relationship justice. Not only can the directionality of the relationship be flipped, but the mechanisms may be misattributed confounders, themselves. Beyond this, some argue that the results of trials using glucagon-like-peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP1R) medications suggest a causal relationship between obesity and hypertension, but this will be debunked. The relationship is far from linear, and mainstream literature often excludes key confounders that will be discussed in this article including food insecurity, mental health, socioeconomic status (SES), and weight stigma and discrimination. The factors used to measure the risk of hypertension as well as the measurements of hypertension, itself, need to be reexamined. For instance, there may be a high amount of "false positives" among the diagnosed. Finally, current research needs to be critically evaluated for forms of weight centrism and weight bias, deciphering improper assumptions from true, evidence-based science.

Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Adolescents Bullied Because of Weight: A Feasibility Study

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to test the feasibility and acceptability of a treatment for weight bullying.

METHOD

Participants who had experienced weight-related bullying and were currently experiencing traumatic stress were recruited and enrolled in a feasibility trial of trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy combined with cognitive-behavioral therapy for eating disorders (TF-CBT-WB). Thirty adolescents (aged 11-17) were determined eligible and 28 began treatment (12 weeks).

RESULTS

This study demonstrated the treatment feasibility and acceptability of TF-CBT-WB for adolescents with traumatic stress following weight-bullying experiences. Overall retention and treatment satisfaction were good. Within-subjects improvements were observed for intrusion symptoms of traumatic stress, global eating-disorder severity, overvaluation of weight/shape, dissatisfaction with weight/shape, dietary restraint, and depression. Clinically-meaningful improvements were attained for several patient outcomes. Clinically-meaningful decreases in functional impairment were attained by more than half of the participants.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, this clinical trial testing TF-CBT-WB for adolescents experiencing traumatic stress following weight-bulling experiences demonstrated therapy feasibility, acceptability, and initial evidence that clinically-meaningful improvements in patient outcomes were feasible. However, some patient outcomes thought to be more central to how the youth viewed the world failed to show improvements, suggesting that additional content related to these constructs might yield greater benefit.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This pilot study was registered on clinicaltrials.gov: NCT04587752, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Weight-related Bullying.

Sociodemographic predictors of perceived weight discrimination

BACKGROUND

Perceived weight discrimination is associated with increased risk for chronic diseases and reduced life expectancy. Nevertheless, little is known about perceived weight discrimination in racial, ethnic, and sexual minority groups or in individuals at the intersections of those groups. The goal of this study was to identify sociodemographic predictors of perceived weight discrimination.

SUBJECTS/METHODS

A diverse sample of adults (37% Black/African American, 36% Latino, 29% sexual minority) with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 18.5 kg/m2 were recruited from a national US panel to complete an online survey (N = 2454). Perceived weight discrimination was assessed with the Stigmatizing Situations Survey-Brief (SSI-B). Using hierarchical linear regression analysis, SSI-B scores were predicted from the four sociodemographic characteristics of interest (gender, race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation) while controlling for BMI, age, education, and income (Step 1). At Step 2, all two-way interactions between the four sociodemographic characteristics were added to the model.

RESULTS

At Step 1, higher SSI-B scores were observed for Latino (vs. non-Latino) adults, sexual minority (vs. heterosexual) adults, younger (vs. older) adults, adults with higher (vs. lower) levels of education, and adults with higher (vs. lower) BMI. At Step 2, race interacted with gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation to predict SSI-B scores such that relatively higher scores were observed for non-Black women, Black men, adults who identified as Black and Latino, and non-Black sexual minority adults.

CONCLUSIONS

Perceived weight discrimination varied across sociodemographic groups, with some subgroups reporting relatively high frequency. Black race appeared to be protective for some subgroups (e.g., Black women), but risk-enhancing for others (e.g., Black men, individuals who identified as Black and Latino). Additional research is needed to identify specific factors that cause certain sociodemographic groups -and indeed, certain individuals-to perceive higher levels of weight discrimination than others.

Obesity in Latinx and White U.S. military veterans: Mental health, psychosocial burden, non-suicidal self-injury and suicidal behavior

Obesity disproportionately affects Latinx communities and is linked to an increased risk of mental health problems. Military veterans are more likely to develop mental health problems, but the role of Latinx ethnicity in moderating the association between obesity and these problems is unclear. To address this gap, this study examined psychiatric and psychosocial correlates of obesity in a nationally representative sample of Latinx and White U.S. military veterans. Data were analyzed from the 2019-2020 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study, which surveyed 3524 Latinx and White veterans. Analyses revealed that Latinx ethnicity moderated associations between obesity and several measures. Specifically, among veterans with obesity, Latinx veterans had higher rates of major depression, generalized anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorders, drug use disorders, non-suicidal self-injury, and higher levels of childhood trauma, loneliness, and hostility relative to White veterans. These findings underscore the importance of culturally sensitive prevention and treatment efforts to help mitigate symptoms of internalizing disorders, drug use disorder, loneliness, and hostility, and to cultivate psychosocial resources such as resilience and coping self-efficacy among Latinx veterans with obesity.

Moderation of associations between weight discrimination and diabetes status by psychosocial factors

Weight discrimination has adverse effects on health that include increasing the risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes. Preliminary evidence suggests a positive association between weight discrimination and diagnosed diabetes; however, it is unknown whether psychosocial resources may buffer this association. In logistic regressions stratified by gender, we examined links between weight discrimination and diabetes among a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults (the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project; N = 2,794 adults age 50 and older in 2015-16). We also tested the extent to which trait-resilience and social support from a spouse/partner, family, and friends buffered any observed association. We adjusted for known predictors of diabetes (age, race/ethnicity, Body Mass Index) and conducted sensitivity analyses restricted to men and women with obesity. Net of covariates, in the overall sample, weight discrimination was associated with significantly greater odds of having ever had diabetes among women (OR = 2.00, 95% CI [1.15, 3.47]), but not men. Among women with obesity, weight discrimination was only significantly associated with greater odds of diabetes for those with low resilience (OR = 1.84, 95% CI [1.01, 3.35]). Among men overall, weight discrimination was associated with lower odds of diabetes for those with high family support (OR = 0.03, 95% CI [0.003, 0.25]) as well as those with high friend support (OR = 0.34, 95% CI [0.13, 0.91]); similar effects were observed in men with obesity. These novel findings evince a role for psychosocial resources in buffering associations between weight discrimination and diabetes.

Establishing consensus on nutrition competencies for medicine: a Delphi study

Background

Significant research, regulatory bodies and even governmental resolutions have identified meaningful nutrition education for medical and other healthcare professionals as a priority. Doctors are well placed to provide nutrition care, yet nutrition education in medicine remains inadequate regardless of country, setting, or year of training. There remains a need to establish an accepted benchmark on nutrition competencies for medicine, as without consensus standards there is little likelihood of uniform adoption.

Objective

This study aimed to establish consensus on nutrition competencies using a Delphi process to inform a framework for nutrition education in medicine.

Methods

A three-round modified online Delphi survey of experts in healthcare practice, education and training, and experts by experience (service users) was conducted to provide a comprehensive consensus on nutrition competencies for medical practice.

Results

Fifty-two experts (15.1% response rate) participated in Round 1, 42 completed Round 2 and 47 completed Round 3. Participants included medical professionals, dietitians, academics working in health professions education and policymakers from Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Northern Ireland. Twenty-seven service users (57.5% response rate) completed the Round 1 questionnaire, 19 completed Round 2 and 16 completed Round 3. By consensus, 25 nutrition competencies for medicine were defined. The service user panel identified an additional seven skills and attributes considered important in the receipt of nutrition care. Competencies that achieved consensus broadly fell into themes of team-based care, communication, professionalism (eg, attributes) and health promotion and disease prevention. This informs broad skills that may be taught in a nutrition context but could be included in other domains.

Conclusions

The findings suggest doctors need the knowledge and skills to consider the findings from nutrition screening and assessment, coordinate nutrition care when an individual may benefit from further assessment or intervention and provide support for advice delivered by other experts as part of a multidisciplinary approach.

Raising awareness of anti-fat stigma in healthcare through lived experience education: a continuing professional development pilot study

BACKGROUND

Anti-fat attitudes and weight-based discrimination are prevalent in healthcare settings and among healthcare practitioners and clinical trainees, and can result in immense harm to patients. There is increasing recognition that anti-fat bias in healthcare is a critical issue that must be addressed, but there is a dearth of evidence demonstrating sustained attitude and behavioural change among clinicians, illustrating a need for more innovative educational approaches and rigorous evaluation. We describe the co-design and delivery of a narrative-based continuing professional development curriculum aimed at raising awareness of weight-based bias and stigma.

METHODS

Our research team of lived experience educators, clinicians and researchers collaboratively developed a series of seven podcast episodes comprised of narrative descriptions of lived experiences with and impacts of weight bias, stigma and discrimination in healthcare settings, as well as a post-podcast workshop to facilitate reflection and discussion between participants. The curriculum was piloted among 20 clinicians practicing at a large urban hospital in Mississauga, Canada. We explored feasibility, acceptability and learning impact by analyzing responses to questionnaires completed following each podcast episode and responses shared during the workshops and follow-up feedback sessions.

RESULTS

We observed high acceptability and feasibility of the curriculum. Participants experienced the podcast as a practical and convenient learning format and the workshop as a valuable opportunity to collectively debrief and reflect. The learning impact of the curriculum was strong; participants described a range of emotions elicited by the podcasts, engaged in self-reflection, and expressed a desire to modify clinical approaches. Barriers to the application of learnings identified by participants include pervasiveness of the use of body mass index (BMI) as an indicator of risk and a criterion for referral; discomfort with difficult conversations; prevalent biomedical understandings about the association between weight and health; and clinicians' defensiveness.

CONCLUSION

This pilot study yielded promising findings and demonstrated potential impact on weight bias and stigma among healthcare providers. Necessary next steps include conducting larger scale, rigorous evaluations of the curriculum among broader populations, both health professions trainees and current healthcare providers.

Women's perceptions of weight stigma and experiences of weight-neutral treatment for binge eating disorder: A qualitative study

BACKGROUND

The detrimental effects of weight stigma are a growing concern as a contributor to negative physical and mental health outcomes, disparities in care, and healthcare avoidance. Research exploring the impact of weight-neutral healthcare is limited but suggests weight-neutral interventions are associated with positive psychological and behavioral outcomes. Little is known about patients' lived experiences receiving weight-neutral healthcare.

METHODS

We conducted semi-structured interviews between Feb 5, 2019 and Feb 25, 2020 with 21 women (90% non-Hispanic white, mean age 49 ± 14.8 years) who had type 2 diabetes or prediabetes and high body weight (mean body mass index 43.8 ± 8.4, range: 30.2-63.9) and previously attended a specialized treatment program for binge eating disorder. We recruited individuals with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes who completed of >2 weeks of a specialized binge eating disorder treatment program with the ability to participate in an English-spoken interview and did not have cognitive impairment or severe psychopathology that would limit recall or engagement in the interview. Interviews were analysed using thematic analysis and Nvivo software. The main outcome we studied was patients' lived experience in healthcare settings and in a weight-neutral eating disorder treatment program.

FINDINGS

Participants reported experiencing weight stigma in healthcare encounters and believed this decreased the quality of care they received. While participants frequently attempted to lose weight, they experienced embarrassment, internalized a sense of failure, and felt blamed for their weight and health conditions. In describing experiences within a weight-neutral paradigm, participants reported that helpful elements included consistency in the eating pattern (emphasizing adequate, varied, and nourishing intake), sufficient and specific education, and comprehensive support. Reported impacts included decreased binge episodes, experiencing less shame, and increased resiliency following treatment. Some participants experienced the weight-neutral treatment recommendations and the absence of the pursuit of weight loss as challenging.

INTERPRETATION

Weight-neutral treatment may improve psychological and behavioral outcomes regarding binge eating, and longitudinal, quantitative research is warranted. These findings are useful to decrease weight stigma in provider-patient interactions.

FUNDING

The Dudley Allen Sargent Research Fund, Boston University.

Associations among enacted weight stigma, weight self-stigma, and multiple physical health outcomes, healthcare utilization, and selected health behaviors

BACKGROUND

This study examined the relationship among enacted weight stigma, weight self-stigma, and multiple health outcomes. Weight stigma, a stressor experienced across all body sizes, may contribute to poorer physical health outcomes by activating the nervous and endocrine system or by triggering counterproductive health behaviors like lower physical activity, maladaptive eating patterns, and delayed health care, as well as provider bias that may cause a medical concern to be discounted. While associations of weight stigma with mental health issues are well documented, less is known about its association with physical health.

METHODS

We enrolled 3821 adults who completed an online survey assessing enacted weight stigma, weight self-stigma, multiple self-reported physical health outcomes, healthcare utilization, and selected health behaviors.

RESULTS

After controlling for BMI, health care delay or avoidance, sedentary behavior, and selected demographic characteristics, enacted weight stigma, significantly increased the odds of six physical health problems including hypertension (OR 1.36; CI 1.08, 1.72), hyperglycemia (OR 1.73; CI 1.29, 2.31), thyroid disorder, (OR 1.65; CI 1.27, 2.13), any arthritis (OR 1.70; CI 1.27, 2.26), non-arthritic chronic pain (OR 1.76; CI 1.4, 2.29), and infertility (OR 1.53; CI 1.14, 2.05). Weight self-stigma significantly increased the odds for three physical health problems including hypertension (OR 1.43; CI 1.16, 1.76), hyperglycemia (OR 1.37; CI 1.03, 1.81), and non-arthritic chronic pain (OR 1.5; CI 1.2,1.87). Enacted stigma was associated with more than a four-fold increase in odds of believing that a medical concern was disregarded by a health care provider.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, enacted stigma and weight self-stigma were independently associated with heightened risk for multiple physical health problems, as well as, believing health concerns were discounted by providers. Reducing weight stigma may be an important component of managing multiple physical health conditions.

Vulnerability and resilience to the harmful health consequences of weight discrimination in Black, Latina, and sexual minority women

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Because they deviate from societal expectations regarding thinness, women with high body weight or large body size frequently experience social devaluation and discrimination and such experiences can negatively affect health. Yet relatively little is known about experiences of weight discrimination among people impacted by overlapping forms of oppression such as racism, sexism, and heterosexism or how high body weight may intersect with other marginalized identities to contribute to health disparities. Guided by an intersectional lens, the purpose of the current study was to assess Black, Latina, and sexual minority women's experiences with weight discrimination and to identify factors associated with vulnerability or resilience to the harmful health consequences of weight discrimination in these women.

METHODS

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with thirty-two cisgender women from the United States who identified as Black, Latina, and/or a sexual minority (e.g., lesbian, bisexual) to assess their experiences with and responses to weight discrimination. All participants had a body mass index ≥30 kg/m² and had previously experienced weight discrimination. Data collection took place from June to August of 2020.

RESULTS

Five factors associated with vulnerability or resilience to experiencing or being negatively affected by weight discrimination were identified: 1) sociocultural norms about weight and perceived acceptance of high body weight, 2) perceived links among weight, perceived femininity, and attractiveness, 3) childhood experiences, 4) internalized weight stigma, and 5) coping strategies. The intersectional nature of women's experiences with weight discrimination was apparent in each theme.

CONCLUSIONS

This study identified key factors that may amplify or mitigate the negative health consequences of weight discrimination in socially marginalized women with high body weight. Findings highlight novel research questions to be explored in future research. Such research will be critical for guiding future interventions aimed at reducing the harmful health consequences of weight discrimination.

Associations between weight discrimination and metabolic health: A cross sectional analysis of middle aged adults

BACKGROUND

Concurrent with the recent rise in overweight and obesity, concerns with weight discrimination have arisen. Individuals who have experienced weight discrimination report a host of deteriorations related to physical and psychological health, which may co-exist with behaviours such as increased food consumption and decreases in physical activity that make weight management difficult. What remains less clear, however, is the extent to which metabolic health may be specifically affected, and how this may vary by setting and perceived intensity of the lifetime history of weight discrimination.

METHOD

To address this, a secondary data analysis was performed on 1365 participants from year 25 of the Coronary Artery Disease in Young Adults (CARDIA) study who were living with overweight and obesity. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses were performed on the presence of metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and abdominal obesity, as well as their experience of the weight discrimination.

RESULTS

Prevalence of the metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and abdominal obesity was higher among those reporting low and high stress weight discrimination compared to those with no history of weight discrimination. In the adjusted analyses, weight discrimination was associated with a 65% greater likelihood for having metabolic syndrome, 85% greater likelihood of diabetes, and between a 2.5- and 3.9-times greater likelihood of abdominal obesity for low and high stress experiences, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Exposure to weight discrimination may worsen metabolic health, as characterized by higher rates of metabolic syndrome and abdominal obesity. These associations may be greater with levels of stress experienced from weight discrimination. Further longitudinal work is necessary to understand the temporal sequence, time lag, and any possible critical periods for weight discrimination on metabolic health.

Weight Stigma and Social Media: Evidence and Public Health Solutions

Weight stigma is a pressing issue that affects individuals across the weight distribution. The role of social media in both alleviating and exacerbating weight bias has received growing attention. On one hand, biased algorithms on social media platforms may filter out posts from individuals in stigmatized groups and concentrate exposure to content that perpetuates problematic norms about weight. Individuals may also be more likely to engage in attacks due to increased anonymity and lack of substantive consequences online. The critical influence of social media in shaping beliefs may also lead to the internalization of weight stigma. However, social media could also be used as a positive agent of change. Movements such as Body Positivity, the Fatosphere, and Health at Every Size have helped counter negative stereotypes and provide more inclusive spaces. To support these efforts, governments should continue to explore legislative solutions to enact anti-weight discrimination policies, and platforms should invest in diverse content moderation teams with dedicated weight bias training while interrogating bias in existing algorithms. Public health practitioners and clinicians should leverage social media as a tool in weight management interventions and increase awareness of stigmatizing online content among their patients. Finally, researchers must explore how experiences of stigma differ across in-person and virtual settings and critically evaluate existing research methodologies and terminology. Addressing weight stigma on social media will take a concerted effort across an expansive set of stakeholders, but the benefits to population health are consequential and well-worth our collective attention.

Racial and weight discrimination associations with pain intensity and pain interference in an ethnically diverse sample of adults with obesity: a baseline analysis of the clustered randomized-controlled clinical trial the goals for eating and moving (GEM) study

BACKGROUND

Everyday experiences with racial (RD) and weight discrimination (WD) are risk factors for chronic pain in ethnically diverse adults with obesity. However, the individual or combined effects of RD and WD on pain in adults with obesity is not well understood. There are gender differences and sexual dimorphisms in nociception and pain, but the effect of gender on relationships between RD, WD, and pain outcomes in ethnically diverse adults with obesity is unclear. Thus, the purposes of this study were to: 1) examine whether RD and WD are associated with pain intensity and interference, and 2) explore gender as a moderator of the associations between RD, WD, and pain.

METHODS

This is a baseline data analysis from a randomized, controlled clinical trial of a lifestyle weight-management intervention. Eligible participants were English or Spanish-speaking (ages 18-69 years) and had either a body mass index of ≥30 kg/m2 or ≥ 25 kg/m2 with weight-related comorbidity. RD and WD were measured using questions derived from the Experiences of Discrimination questionnaire (EOD). Pain interference and intensity were measured using the PROMIS 29 adult profile V2.1. Linear regression models were performed to determine the associations between WD, RD, gender, and pain outcomes.

RESULTS

Participants (n = 483) reported mild pain interference (T-score: 52.65 ± 10.29) and moderate pain intensity (4.23 ± 3.15). RD was more strongly associated with pain interference in women (b = .47, SE = .08, p < 001), compared to men (b = .14, SE = .07, p = .06). Also, there were no significant interaction effects between RD and gender on pain intensity, or between WD and gender on pain interference or pain intensity.

CONCLUSIONS

Pain is highly prevalent in adults with obesity, and is impacted by the frequencies of experiences with RD and WD. Further, discrimination against adults with obesity and chronic pain could exacerbate existing racial disparities in pain and weight management. Asking ethnically diverse adults with obesity about their pain and their experiences of RD and WD could help clinicians make culturally informed assessment and intervention decisions that address barriers to pain relief and weight loss.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT03006328.

Is weight stigma associated with physical activity? A systematic review

OBJECTIVE

Weight stigma is associated with impaired health, attributed in part to reductions in health-promoting behaviors. This review analyzed evidence of the association between weight stigma and physical activity (PA) in adults and youth.

METHODS

Three databases were searched for terms related to weight stigma and PA. Eligible studies reported the quantitative association between at least one measure of weight stigma and one behavioral measure of PA.

RESULTS

A total of 38 studies met eligibility criteria. Of the 29 studies of adults, 3 used objective PA measures, and 79% used an observational, cross-sectional design. Findings of the relationship between weight stigma and PA were mixed. Everyday weight discrimination and internalizing weight stigma were associated with reduced PA in most studies. Several studies found indirect, and not direct, effects of weight stigma on PA when analyses included other individual-level factors. In the nine studies of youth, two used objective PA measures, all were observational, and only one study was longitudinal. Most youth studies found a relationship between weight-based teasing and reduced PA.

CONCLUSIONS

Weight teasing, everyday discrimination, and internalization were associated with reduced PA. However, associations were inconsistent and often indirect. Future studies should include objective PA measures with larger samples and longitudinal assessments.

Factors linking perceived discrimination and weight bias internalization to body appreciation and eating pathology: A moderated mediation analysis of self-compassion and psychological distress

Stigma and recurrent discriminatory experiences can lead to distress and internalization of biases. Self-compassion is a widely-recognized resilience factor that may decrease the impact of discrimination on psychological well-being. Research highlights the potential utility of self-compassion in counteracting the harmful effects of discrimination, reducing psychological distress, and preventing the development of eating disorders. The current study examined the roles of self-compassion and psychological distress in perceived discrimination, internalized weight bias, body image, and eating pathology. Participants (N=694) living in the United States completed an online battery of measures assessing perceived discrimination, weight bias internalization, self-compassion, psychological distress, body appreciation, and eating pathology. Self-compassion was associated negatively with perceived discrimination, weight-bias internalization, psychological distress, and eating pathology and was associated positively with body appreciation. Moderated mediation analyses examined whether psychological distress statistically mediated the relationship between perceived discrimination (Model 1) or weight bias internalization (Model 2) on body appreciation, as well as between perceived discrimination (Model 3) or weight bias internalization (Model 4) on eating psychopathology. For all models, self-compassion was explored as a moderator of indirect and direct effects. Results revealed how psychological distress mediated the link between perceived discrimination and body appreciation/eating psychopathology, as well as between weight bias internalization and body appreciation, but not eating psychopathology. For weight bias internalization models only, the statistical links between psychological distress in relation to body appreciation/eating psychopathology were stronger for those with lower self-compassion. Self-compassion may promote more effective coping and outcomes for individuals who are subject to societal stigma.

Internalized weight bias and loss-of-control eating following bariatric surgery

OBJECTIVE

Internalized weight bias (IWB), or negative weight related self-evaluation, is associated with eating-disorder psychopathology and common among patients seeking bariatric surgery, but little is known about the clinical presentation of IWB post-operatively. This study examined IWB and clinical correlates among adult patients with loss-of-control (LOC) eating post-sleeve gastrectomy surgery.

METHODS

Participants (N = 145) were sleeve gastrectomy patients seeking treatment for eating/weight concerns and experiencing regular LOC eating approximately 6 months following surgery. Eating-disorder features were assessed with the Eating Disorder Examination-Bariatric Surgery Version interview (EDE-BSV) and participants completed established measures assessing IWB, depression, and mental and physical components of quality of life.

RESULTS

IWB was not associated significantly with percent excess weight loss, age, or gender, but White participants reported significantly greater IWB than Non-White participants. IWB was significantly associated with greater eating-disorder psychopathology, depression, and lower perceived mental quality of life. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that IWB significantly predicted variance in eating-disorder psychopathology above and beyond other related variables.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest that IWB is common and associated with a range of heightened eating-disorder and psychosocial difficulties among patients experiencing LOC eating following bariatric surgery. Future research exploring the longitudinal post-operative prognostic significance of IWB is recommended.

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Weight Stigma: Co-Occurrence and Associations with Psychological Well-Being

Prior research has demonstrated that individuals with a higher body weight (i.e., obesity) have a relatively high incidence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) (e.g., abuse, neglect). Individuals with obesity are also susceptible to experiencing and internalizing weight stigma. Negative physical and mental health consequences have been associated with both ACEs and weight stigma, yet the interplay between these factors has not been explored. The current study examined ACEs in a sample of 105 treatment-seeking adults with obesity who all reported having experienced and internalized weight stigma (90.5% women, 70.5% non-Hispanic White, mean age=49.1 years). The study aimed to 1) provide a descriptive overview of rates of ACEs in this unique sample of adults with potentially high psychological vulnerability and 2) assess associations between ACEs, weight stigma, and psychological well-being. Over three-fourths of participants (76.2%) reported experiencing at least one ACE. The total number of ACEs was significantly associated with more frequent experiences of and greater distress about weight stigma during childhood, as well as higher current perceived stress. Experiencing weight stigma for the first time in childhood was also associated with more reported ACEs. ACEs of abuse were associated with more lifetime reported experiences of weight stigma and greater internalization, use of eating as a strategy to cope with weight stigma, and higher perceived stress. These findings have implications for early identification of and tailored interventions for individuals who have experienced adverse events and weight stigma at a young age.

Attitudes of Medical Professionals Towards Discrimination of Patients with Obesity

Purpose

Many studies show that discriminatory practices are common in healthcare institutions, also in the form of medical staff’s inappropriate behaviour. Weight stigma may not only become a source of unpleasant experience for the patients but also cause them to withdraw from the treatment, which may further exacerbate their condition.

Patients and Methods

In a nationwide study, we asked 184 medical professionals, about their experiences and opinions on the discrimination of patients with obesity. The study was conducted in 2020, with the use of CAWI method, based on an original survey created for this study.

Results

Most of the medical professionals (68.5%) estimated that the problem of worse attitudes towards patients suffering from obesity is a common phenomenon. About 48.4% witnessed medical staff’s discriminatory behaviours. The most frequent forms of inappropriate behaviours pertained to interpersonal relations – mocking the appearance (96.6%), looks of disgust and repulsion (96.2%), lack of reaction to offensive remarks (92.0%) or scaring a patient with the necessity to lose weight (57.7%). The participants of the study pointed to limited access to dedicated medical equipment (62.4%) as a discriminatory systemic limitation.

Conclusion

Discrimination of patients with obesity is a social issue, which also occurs within the health care system. Limited access to medical resources, gaps in knowledge of obesity and an insufficient level of soft skills in health care professionals are the key deficiencies, which hinder effective treatment.

Discrimination in the health care system among higher-weight adults: evidence from a Canadian national cross-sectional survey

INTRODUCTION

Weight-related social stigma is associated with adverse health outcomes. Health care systems are not exempt of weight stigma, which includes stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination. The objective of this study was to examine the association between body mass index (BMI) class and experiencing discrimination in health care.

METHODS

We used data from the 2013 Canadian Community Health Survey, which included measurements of discrimination never collected previously on a national scale. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the risk of self-reported discrimination in health care in adults (≥18 years) across weight categories: not obese (BMI < 30 kg/m2), obese class I (BMI = 30-< 35 kg/m2) and obese class II or III (BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2).

RESULTS

One in 15 (6.4%; 95% CI: 5.7-7.0%) of the adult population reported discrimination in a health care setting (e.g. physician's office, clinic or hospital). Compared with those in the not obese group, the risk of discrimination in health care was somewhat higher among those in the class I obesity category (odds ratio [OR] = 1.20; 95% CI: 1.00-1.44) and significantly higher among those in class II/III (OR = 1.52; 95% CI: 1.21-1.91), after controlling for sex, age and other socioeconomic characteristics.

CONCLUSION

Quantified experiences of weight-related discrimination underscore the need to change practitioner attitudes and practices as well as the policies and procedures of the health care system. More research is needed on the social and economic impacts of weight stigma to inform focused investments for reducing discrimination in the health care system as a microcosm of the society it reflects.

International comparisons of weight stigma: addressing a void in the field

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Despite substantial evidence documenting weight stigma toward people with higher body weight, international comparative studies are lacking in this field. The few studies that have compared weight stigma across different countries focus on explicit weight-biased attitudes rather than people's experiences of weight stigma. The present study conducted a multinational systematic comparison of weight stigma in six countries to assess experiences and interpersonal sources of weight stigma.

SUBJECTS/METHODS

Adults (N = 13,996) enrolled in WW International (formerly Weight Watchers), residing in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the UK, and the US completed identical online anonymous surveys in the dominant language for their country. Surveys assessed their history of experiencing weight stigma, the onset of stigmatizing experiences and associated distress from stigma in different time periods, and interpersonal sources of weight stigma.

RESULTS

More than half of participants (55.6-61.3%) across countries reported experiencing weight stigma. Participants with higher BMI were significantly more likely to report weight-stigmatizing experiences than individuals with lower BMI. In all countries, weight stigma experiences were most frequent in childhood and adolescence, with associated distress highest during these time periods. Participants in Germany reported a higher frequency of weight stigma across their whole life, but lower distress associated with stigmatizing experiences, compared to participants in the other five countries. High percentages of participants in each country experienced weight stigma from family members (76.0-87.8%), classmates (72.0-80.9%), doctors (62.6-73.5%), co-workers (54.1-61.7%), and friends (48.8-66.2%).

CONCLUSIONS

Weight stigma is prevalent for adults actively engaged in weight management across different Western countries. There were more similarities than differences in the nature, frequency, and interpersonal sources of people's experiences of weight stigma across the six countries in this study. Findings underscore the need for multinational initiatives to address weight stigma and interventions to support individuals engaged in weight management who experience weight mistreatment.

Examining the impact of perceived weight discrimination on reported eating and exercise among White and Latino/a adults

A large body of research suggests that, among White individuals, perceived weight discrimination has deleterious consequences for eating and exercise outcomes; however, the research literature on perceived weight discrimination among other racial/ethnic groups is limited. The primary goal of the present study was to examine the associations of perceived weight discrimination with eating and exercise thoughts and behaviors among White versus Latino/a participants. A sample of White (N = 50) and Latino/a (N = 281) undergraduate college students with higher body weight (BMI: M = 30.65, SD = 5.42) completed self-report measures assessing perceived weight-based discrimination, frequency of intake of unhealthy and healthy foods, and frequency of both thoughts about exercise and exercise behaviors; we examined relationships among these variables within White versus Latino/a participants. Results showed that perceived weight discrimination was associated with more frequent intake of unhealthy foods, more frequent exercise thoughts, and less frequent exercise behaviors among White participants, and that there were no significant associations between perceived weight discrimination and the eating and exercise measures of interest among Latino/a participants. These findings highlight a number of potential avenues for future research to identify the mechanisms underlying these differential associations of perceived weight discrimination to eating and exercise behaviors across racial/ethnic groups.

Stressful Life Events and Obesity in the United States: The Role of Nativity and Length of Residence

PURPOSE

Obesity is a public health issue in the United States (US), that disproportionately affects marginalized group members. Stressful life events (SLE) have been implicated as an obesogenic risk factor. However, there is scant research examining of the role of nativity status and length of residence in the relationship between SLE and obesity.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional survey.

SETTING

Wave 2 of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions.

SAMPLE

A total of 34,653 participants were included in these analyses, of whom 10,169 (29.39%) had obesity.

MEASURES

Obesity (measured using body mass index), stressful life events, race/ethnicity, gender, educational attainment, family income, marital status, current smoking status, and alcohol abuse.

ANALYSIS

Weighted logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 10,169 (29.39%) had obesity. There was a significant interaction between SLE and nativity status/length of residence [F (3, 34,642) = 60.50, p < 0.01]. Based on stratified analyses, SLE were associated with greater odds of obesity for US-born individuals (OR = 1.07; 95% CI [1.05, 1.08]) and foreign-born individuals living in the US for ≥ 20 years (OR = 1.17; 95% CI [1.10, 1.25]). There was no evidence that SLE were associated with greater odds of obesity for foreign-born individuals living in the US <10 years (OR = 1.06; 95% CI [0.94, 1.21]) and 11-19 years (OR = 1.00; 95% CI [0.91, 1.09]).

CONCLUSIONS

Number of SLE may be a risk factor for obesity, particularly for US-born adults and foreign-born adults living the US >20 years. Further research is needed to understand the pathways that may link SLE to obesity among these groups.

Evaluating the impact of a brief Health at Every Size®-informed health promotion activity on body positivity and internalized weight-based oppression

Weight-based oppression, including negative attitudes about body weight, and harassment, stigma, and discrimination based on body weight, is a widespread phenomenon that leads to considerable distress and poor health and wellbeing outcomes. Conversely, body positivity is a multi-faceted concept that encompasses body acceptance, body appreciation, and body love, and adaptive approaches protective of health and wellbeing. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a brief health promotion activity informed by Health at Every Size® and critical health promotion principles on body positivity and internalized weight-based oppression in female students at Qatar University. A quasi-experimental mixed methods pre-post evaluation design was used, with quantitative assessment of body positivity and internalized weight-based oppression before the activity, immediately afterwards, and 10 weeks later, and qualitative assessment at the 10-week follow up. Measures used were the Body Appreciation Scale 2, Modified Weight Bias Internalization Scale, Fat Attitudes Assessment Toolkit Size Acceptance and Self Reflection on Body Acceptance subscales, and an open-ended questionnaire. Body acceptance and appreciation increased significantly after the activity. Qualitative results suggest that these improvements were sustained at follow up. Brief Health at Every Size® informed health promotion activities show potential to improve health and wellbeing.

"What can her body do?" Reducing weight stigma by appreciating another person's body functionality

OBJECTIVE

Weight stigma is prevalent across multiple life domains, and negatively affects both psychological and physical health. Yet, research into weight stigma reduction techniques is limited, and rarely results in reduced antipathy toward higher-weight individuals. The current pre-registered study investigated a novel weight stigma reduction intervention. We tested whether a writing exercise focusing on body functionality (i.e., everything the body can do, rather than how it looks) of another person leads to reductions in weight stigma.

METHOD

Participants were 98 women (Mage = 23.17, Range = 16-63) who viewed a photograph of a higher-weight woman, "Anne," and were randomised to complete a writing exercise either describing what "Anne's" body could do (experimental group) or describing her home (active control group). Facets of weight stigma were assessed at pretest and posttest.

RESULTS

At posttest, the experimental group evidenced higher fat acceptance and social closeness to "Anne" compared with the active control group. However, no group differences were found in attribution complexity, responsibility, and likeability of "Anne".

CONCLUSIONS

A brief body functionality intervention effectively reduced some, but not all, facets of weight stigma in women. This study provides evidence that functionality-focused interventions may hold promise as a means to reduce weight stigma.

A qualitative analysis of people's experiences with weight-based discrimination

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to describe people's day-to-day experiences with weight-based discrimination and to distill themes that shed new light on this phenomenon.

DESIGN

A qualitative study was conducted in 2019 using a purposive sampling strategy. A racially and ethnically diverse sample of 32 U.S. adult men and women with a body mass index ≥30 kg/m² completed a semi-structured interview.

RESULTS

Primary types of interpersonal weight-based discrimination included offensive comments, negative assumptions, social rejection, and unwanted attention or bullying. Participants also encountered environmental sources of weight bias such as inadequate seating in public venues. Three higher order themes that cut across people's experiences with weight-based discrimination were identified: 1) the often-ambiguous nature of weight-based discrimination; 2) intersections between body weight and other social identities; and 3) the role of social comparison processes.

CONCLUSION

Findings provide a detailed portrait of people's everyday experiences with weight-based discrimination. These experiences often reflected widely held negative stereotypes about people with higher body weight and conveyed the socially devalued status of higher-weight individuals in society. Findings have important implications for future research and interventions aimed at reducing the harmful effects of weight-based discrimination on health and emotional wellbeing.

Weight stigma and health – Repercussions on the health of adolescents and adults: integrative review of the literature

ABSTRACT Objective To conduct an integrative review in order to understand the repercussions of the social stigma of overweight on the health of adults and adolescents. Methods The international protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis studies PRISMA was adopted to guide the writing of this review. The databases used were PubMed, Psycinfo, SciELO, Medline, Lilacs and Pepsic, considering studies published in the period from 2000 to 2020. Sixty-seven (67) articles were analyzed, and 4 categories emerged: repercussions on physical well-being; repercussions on social well-being; repercussions on mental well-being; and mixed category (physical and psychological impact). Results In the vast majority of studies analyzed, weight stigma had a negative impact on the different spheres that make up the health construct, that is, the physical, social and mental spheres. Conclusions The consequences of weight stigma are a source of intense suffering, with an impact that reduces the quality of life of individuals who experience stigmatization, involving physical, emotional and social aspects.

Lack of guilt, shame, and remorse following weight stigma expression: a real-time assessment pilot study

Objective

Weight stigma is pervasive and is associated with negative health and psychological outcomes. Few studies have examined weight stigma perpetration or the emotions individuals experience after perpetrating weight stigma. This study used experience sampling to explore the nature and frequency of weight stigma behaviors and cognitions and moral emotions (shame, guilt, remorse, pride) in the perpetrator following weight stigma perpetration.

Methods

Participants were college students (N = 31, 77.1% female). Participants completed baseline measures of anti-fat attitudes and one week of experience sampling phone prompts assessing: (1) weight stigma behaviors and cognitions and (2) moral emotions. Generalized estimating equation analyses were used to model trajectories of moral emotions after weight stigma events.

Results

Thirty-one participants reported 1,008 weight stigma events over 7.5 days. Feelings of guilt, shame, and remorse decreased after weight stigma perpetration. Individuals also reported feeling less proud after engaging in weight stigma.

Conclusions

Weight stigma occurs frequently as reported by perpetrators. A lack of remorse, guilt, and shame is evident in undergraduates after they express weight stigma; however, individuals in this study also reported feeling less pride after perpetration. This study highlights the need for future studies to explore the expression of weight stigma from the perspective of perpetrators instead of targets. Results highlight the pervasiveness and normative nature of weight stigma perpetration in everyday life and the need to better understand the emotional response following weight stigma perpetration as a potential mechanism of its perpetuation.

Beyond race: Impacts of non-racial perceived discrimination on health access and outcomes in New York City

BACKGROUND

I investigate the association of perceived discrimination based both on race and other attributes such as age, gender, and insurance status on self-reported health access and health outcomes in a diverse and densely populated metropolitan area.

METHODS

Restricted data from the 2016 round of the New York City Community Health Survey was used to create prevalence estimates for both racial and non-racial discrimination. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the association of these discrimination measures with health access and health outcome variables.

RESULTS

Among residents who perceived discrimination receiving health care during the previous year, 15% reported the reason behind such discrimination to race, while the rest chose other reasons. Among the non-race based categories, 34% reported the reason behind such discrimination to be insurance status, followed by other reasons (26.83%) and income (11.76%). Non-racial discrimination was significantly associated with the adjusted odds of not receiving care when needed (AOR = 6.96; CI: [5.00 9.70]), and seeking informal care (AOR = 2.24; CI: [1.13 4.48] respectively, after adjusting for insurance status, age, gender, marital status, race/ethnicity, nativity, and poverty. It was also associated with higher adjusted odds of reporting poor health (AOR = 2.49; CI: [1.65 3.75]) and being diagnosed with hypertension (AOR = 1.75; CI: [1.21 2.52]), and diabetes (AOR = 1.84; CI: [1.22 2.77]) respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Perceived discrimination in health care exists in multiple forms. Non-racial discrimination was strongly associated with worse health access and outcomes, and such experiences may contribute to health disparities between different socioeconomic groups.

Language Matters: Patients' Preferred Terms for Discussing Obesity and Disordered Eating with Health Care Providers After Bariatric Surgery

OBJECTIVE

Patients who seek or undergo bariatric surgery are likely to experience pervasive societal biases regarding weight and eating behaviors in the health care system. This cross-sectional study examined patient preferences for desired weight- and eating-related terms for health care providers among individuals with loss-of-control eating after bariatric surgery.

METHODS

A total of 114 of 140 adults who underwent bariatric surgery approximately 1.5 years prior and were in the follow-up stage of a controlled treatment trial testing behavioral treatments completed language preference measures.

RESULTS

Of the 11 terms used to describe weight, only 2 were viewed neutrally, weight and BMI. All other terms, including obesity, were rated negatively, and many were rated extremely negatively. Fatness was the least desirable term. Of the 18 terms used to describe loss-of-control eating, one ("ate until uncomfortably full") was rated positively, and several were rated neutrally. On average, none of the weight or loss-of-control eating terms was rated as "desirable" or "very desirable." Analyses revealed few gender and racial differences in language preferences.

CONCLUSIONS

Many weight-related and loss-of-control eating terms are viewed as undesirable. Health care providers should begin with neutrally rated terms and ask patients about their language preferences when speaking with individuals before/after bariatric surgery to improve patient-centered care and reduce perceived weight bias.

Associations between age discrimination and health and wellbeing: cross-sectional and prospective analysis of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing

BACKGROUND

Age discrimination (or ageism) is pervasive in society. Other forms of discrimination (such as racism) have been linked with adverse health outcomes, but age discrimination has not been well studied in public health. We aimed to examine associations between perceived age discrimination and health and wellbeing in England.

METHODS

We did a longitudinal observational population study with data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, a nationally representative sample of older men and women. Participants were aged 50 years or older and reported experiences of age discrimination via a face-to-face computer-assisted personal interview and a self-completed questionnaire between July, 2010, and June, 2011. Self-rated health, chronic health conditions, and depressive symptoms were assessed between July, 2010, and June, 2011, and between May, 2016, and June, 2017. We used logistic regression to test cross-sectional associations between perceived age discrimination and baseline health status and prospective associations between perceived age discrimination and incident ill health over 6 years. Analyses were adjusted for age, sex, and wealth.

FINDINGS

Our sample for cross-sectional analyses of 2010-11 data comprised 7731 people who took part in the face-to-face interview, returned the self-completion questionnaire, and had available data for age discrimination. Perceived age discrimination was reported by 1943 (25·1%) participants. Patients who perceived age discrimination were more likely to self-report fair or poor health (odds ratio [OR] 1·32 [95% CI 1·17-1·48]) and to have coronary heart disease (1·33 [1·14-1·54]), chronic lung disease (1·37 [1·11-1·69]), arthritis (1·27 [1·14-1·41]), limiting long-standing illness (1·35 [1·21-1·51]), and depressive symptoms (1·81 [1·57-2·08]) than those who did not perceive age discrimination. Follow-up data collected 6 years after the baseline assessment were available for 5595 participants. Longitudinally, perceived age discrimination was associated with the deterioration of self-rated health (OR 1·32 [95% CI 1·10-1·58]) and incident coronary heart disease (1·66 [1·18-2·35]), stroke (1·48 [1·08-2·10]), diabetes (1·33 [1·01-1·75]), chronic lung disease (1·50 [1·10-2·04]), limiting long-standing illness (1·32 [1·10-1·57]), and depressive symptoms (1·47 [1·16-1·86]) over 6 years.

INTERPRETATION

Among older adults living in England, perceived age discrimination was associated with increased odds of poor self-rated health and risk of incident serious health problems over a 6-year period. These findings underscore the need for effective interventions at the population level to combat age stigma and discrimination.

FUNDING

UK Economic and Social Research Council.

Experiences of weight stigma in everyday life: An ecological momentary assessment study

Weight stigma and discrimination have been linked to negative health outcomes. Most research on this topic is retrospective, which may not accurately capture day-to-day experiences. The current used ecological momentary assessment to examine weight stigma and discrimination in everyday life. Participants answered ecological momentary assessments about the nature, frequency, and contextual details of weight stigma and discrimination. Over the course of the study, only eight episodes of weight stigma and discrimination were reported. Given that prior ecological momentary assessment studies reported substantially more frequent weight stigma and discrimination, possible explanations for the findings and implications for future research are discussed.

Perceived weight discrimination and performance in five domains of cognitive function

OBJECTIVE

Individuals who perceive unfair treatment because of their body weight have been found to be at increased risk of poor health outcomes, including risk of dementia. The present research examines the relation between weight discrimination and performance in five cognitive domains (episodic memory, speed-attention, visuospatial ability, language, numeric reasoning) and whether the associations extend to other common attributions for discrimination (age, gender, race).

METHOD

Participants (n = 2593) were from the Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol (HCAP) sub-study of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). HCAP participants completed a battery of cognitive tasks that measured the five focal cognitive domains. Participants reported on their perceived experiences with discrimination at the previous regular HRS assessment.

RESULTS

In models that accounted for demographic covariates and BMI, weight discrimination (reported by 6% of participants) was associated with a two-fold increased risk of poor performance on tasks of episodic memory, speed-attention, visuospatial ability, and numeric reasoning. Body mass index was largely unrelated to performance in the five cognitive domains. The other attributions for discrimination were generally unrelated to cognition, but there were sex- and race-specific associations for gender and race discrimination, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study identified attribution- and domain-specific associations between discrimination and cognitive performance in older adulthood.

Associations of Weight Bias with Disordered Eating Among Latino and White Men

OBJECTIVE

This study examined associations of different aspects of weight bias, which can include negative attitudes toward and beliefs about obesity, with eating/weight-related psychopathology.

METHODS

Participants (N = 544) were White (n = 376) and Latino (n = 168) men living in the United States who completed an online battery of established measures of weight bias (both attitudes toward and beliefs about obesity) and eating/weight-related psychopathology.

RESULTS

Among White men, negative attitudes toward obesity were associated significantly with dietary restraint, overvaluation of weight/shape, and body dissatisfaction, whereas among Latino men, negative attitudes toward obesity were associated significantly with overvaluation of weight/shape. Among White men, less negative attitudes toward people with obesity were associated with decreased use of compensatory behaviors, and weaker beliefs about the controllabilty of obesity were associated with decreased overeating and binge eating. Among Latino men, neither attitudes about people with obesity nor beliefs about the controllability of obesity were associated with eating-disordered behaviors.

CONCLUSIONS

Weight bias was related to eating/weight-related psychopathology in men, with fewer associations observed among Latino men than White men. This highlights that associations with psychopathology may vary by ethnicity. Future research is needed to clarify the mechanism by which weight-biased attitudes and beliefs are associated with eating/weight-related psychopathology and why this might differ between White and Latino men.

The moderating role of race/ethnicity and nativity in the relationship between perceived discrimination and overweight and obesity: results from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions

BACKGROUND

The overweight/obesity epidemic is a public health issue in the United States (US), that disproportionately affect certain racial/ethnic minority groups. Perceived discrimination has been implicated as a health risk factor. However, research on race/ethnicity, perceived discrimination, and obesity has been mixed. Researchers suggest that perceptions of discrimination may be dependent upon nativity status. This study evaluated the role that nativity status and race/ethnicity play in the relationship between perceived discrimination and overweight/obesity.

METHODS

We used Wave 2 of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (2004-2005) [N = 33,319]). Multinomial logistic regression assessed a three-way interaction (perceived discrimination × race/ethnicity × nativity) on overweight and obesity, adjusting for sociodemographic factors and health-related behaviors.

RESULTS

The three-way interaction was significant for overweight [F (17, 49) = 3.35; p < 0.001] and obesity [F (17, 49) = 5.05; p < 0.001]. Among US-born individuals, US-born non-Hispanic Blacks had a decreased risk of being obese compared to US-born non-Hispanic Whites at mean levels of perceived discrimination [aRRR = 0.71; 95% CI (0.51-0.98); p = 0.04). Among foreign-born individuals, foreign-born South Americans had an increased risk of being overweight at mean levels of perceived discrimination compared to foreign-born non-Hispanic Whites [aRRR = 8.07; 95% CI (1.68-38.77); p = 0.01], whereas foreign-born Dominicans had a decreased risk of being obese compared to foreign-born non-Hispanic Whites [aRRR = 0.05; 95% CI (0.01-0.20); p < 0.001].

CONCLUSION

Perceived racial discrimination is a risk factor for overweight/obesity for certain groups. Race/ethnicity and nativity may play important roles in the relationship between perceived discrimination and overweight/obesity. Future research is needed to identify the behavioral and psychological pathways that link perceived discrimination and overweight/obesity.

Women's heart health at mid-life: what is the role of psychosocial stress?

BACKGROUND

Women in mid-life experience unique stressors, including transitions within their family roles, informal caregiving, job stress, and perceived discrimination. The impact of these stressors on cardiovascular health in women during mid-life is of growing interest in both the popular and scientific literature. The objective of this review is to summarize the recent literature on stress and cardiovascular health in mid-life women. We focus on stressors that are relevant to mid-life women, including social stress and discrimination, and long-term risk of CVD events and subclinical CVD measures.

METHODS

We systematically reviewed the literature published between January 2012 and April 2018 for studies examining stress in mid-life and either CVD endpoints or subclinical CVD outcomes. Eligible studies included at least one psychosocial stress exposure, a CVD or subclinical CVD outcome, and either included only female participants, reported sex-stratified analyses or tested for a sex*stress interaction.

RESULTS

We identified 37 studies published since 2012 that met our criteria and included women between the ages of 40 and 65, including 3 case-control studies, 15 cross-sectional studies, and 19 prospective cohort studies. Because clinical CVD events typically occur after age 65 in women, only 22 studies were available that evaluated stress and hard CVD events in samples with mid-life women. Results from these studies suggested an increased and significant risk of CVD due to stress. Of the 15 studies that included subclinical CVD outcomes, the majority showed that mid-life women experiencing greater levels of stress had more subclinical CVD, as indicated by carotid intima-media thickness, flow-mediated dilation and arterial stiffness; however, several studies reported null associations.

CONCLUSIONS

General life stress, including perceived stress and life events, in mid-life was significantly related to later-life CVD risk and mid-life subclinical CVD in the majority of studies published in the past six years. Job stress was inconsistently related to CVD risk in women, and fewer studies examined characteristics of other social roles, such as marriage, motherhood or caregiving. Perceived discrimination also was associated with CVD events and subclinical CVD in some samples of mid-life women. Further investigation into specific stressors relevant to women in mid-life, including caregiving and marital stress, are needed to understand the full extent to which life stress impacts CVD risk in mid-life women.

Mechanisms underlying weight status and healthcare avoidance in women: A study of weight stigma, body-related shame and guilt, and healthcare stress

Studies show that women with high BMI are less likely than thinner women to seek healthcare. We aimed to determine the mechanisms linking women's weight status to their healthcare avoidance. Women (N = 313) were surveyed from a U.S. health-panel database. We tested a theory-driven model containing multiple stigma and body-related constructs linking BMI to healthcare avoidance. The model had a good fit to the data. Higher BMI was related to greater experienced and internalized weight stigma, which were linked to greater body-related shame. Internalized weight stigma was also related to greater body-related guilt, which was associated with higher body-related shame. Body-related shame was associated with healthcare stress which ultimately contributed to healthcare avoidance. We discuss recommendations for a Weight Inclusive Approach to healthcare and the importance of enhancing education for health professionals in weight bias in order to increase appropriate use of preventive healthcare in higher weight women.

Parents have both implicit and explicit biases against children with obesity

Weight bias (negative attitudes towards individuals with obesity) has been widely observed, but not examined in parents. In this study, we measured parents' (N = 658; 74.2% female) explicit and implicit weight bias against children with obesity. Many parents (n = 612; 93%) endorsed some moderate explicit weight bias. Fathers had greater explicit bias than mothers and parents with overweight/obesity had less bias than those with healthy-weight. Other parent/child variables (i.e., parent age, child sex, child weight, child age) were not significantly associated with explicit bias. Parents also demonstrated implicit weight bias. No parent or child variables were significantly associated with implicit bias. Parents may contribute, among many others, to the stigmatizing environment experienced by youth with overweight/obesity, which has been associated with negative child psychosocial functioning and health. Clinical research into strategies to reduce parental weight bias against children with obesity or increase children's resilience to weight discrimination is needed to improve children's health and well-being.

Cardiovascular disease and perceived weight, racial, and gender discrimination in U.S. adults

OBJECTIVE

To date, most research on perceived discrimination and cardiovascular disease (CVD) has examined racial discrimination although other forms of discrimination may also impact physical and mental health. The current study investigated the relationship between three forms of discrimination (weight, race, and gender) and 3-year incidence of CVD in a large national sample of U.S. adults.

METHODS

26,992 adults (55.5% women) who participated in the 2001-2002 and 2004-2005 National Epidemiologic Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) were included in this study. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for three forms of perceived discrimination (simultaneously included in equations after adjusting for relevant potential confounds) for predicting CVD incidence at Wave 2.

RESULTS

Perceived weight and racial discrimination were associated with significantly greater likelihood of reporting myocardial infarction (OR=2.56 [95% CI=1.31-4.98], OR=1.84 [95% CI=1.19-2.84], respectively) and minor heart conditions (OR=1.48 [95% CI=1.11-1.98], OR=1.41 [95% CI=1.18-1.70], respectively). Perceived racial discrimination was also significantly associated with greater likelihood of reporting arteriosclerosis (OR=1.61 [95% CI=1.11-2.34]). Odds ratios for diagnoses of arteriosclerosis, myocardial infarction, and other minor heart disease were largest for individuals reporting multiple forms of discrimination.

CONCLUSIONS

Adults who experience weight and racial discrimination, and especially multiple forms of discrimination, may be at heightened risk for CVD. Perceived discrimination may be important to consider during assessment of life stressors by health providers. Future research should address the mechanisms that link discrimination and CVD to assist public health and policy efforts to reduce discrimination.