Persons with obesity face frequent instances of weight-related victimization and discrimination. To date, however, no research has assessed weight stigma within fitness facilities among a sample of gym members with overweight and obesity. Given the role of exercise in mitigating the health risks of obesity, it is vital to assess the presence of weight stigma within exercise facilities. We therefore assessed weight stigma within fitness facilities, factors affecting motivation to exercise, and factors that are important when selecting a gym. U.S. adult gym members with overweight and obesity completed online self-report measures of gym use, experiences of stigma within fitness settings, barriers to exercise, and gym preferences. Participants also completed measures of health and psychological functioning. Three hundred eighty-nine individuals (75% female, 53% White, 74% with obesity) participated. Adjusting for covariates, stigma at the gym was associated with negative attitudes toward the gym, maladaptive behaviors to cope with stigma, weight bias internalization, unhealthy weight control practices, and poorer self-reported physical and emotional health (ps Ͻ .05). Stigma at the gym was unrelated to self-reported frequency of gym use (p Ͼ .05). Experiences of weight stigma at the gym are associated with poor emotional and physical health among individuals with overweight and obesity. Respondents also indicated that provision of a shame-free environment is an important consideration when selecting a gym. Results may help to determine whether new gym policies to promote exercise among individuals with overweight and obesity are warranted.

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Maternal depression is associated with cognitive, emotional, and behavioral problems in offspring, but the substantial heterogeneity of depression precludes a full understanding of these associations. Variation in course of depression, characterized by severity or chronicity, may be related differentially to children's development. The current meta-analytic review examined the relations of these characteristics of maternal depression to children's developmental outcomes. Twenty-nine studies were identified and reviewed; the majority (93%) of studies reported a negative association between some aspect of maternal depression and children's adjustment. Separate meta-analyses revealed significant effect sizes for severity (Fisher's z = −.243) and chronicity (adjusted Fisher's z = −.337) of maternal depression and children's cognitive or behavioral functioning. Findings are synthesized across features of maternal depression; methodological limitations within the empirical literature are discussed; and recommendations for future research are suggested.

The aim of this cross-sectional study, carried out among 250 HIV-positive (HIV+) men who have sex with women, was to describe their risk perception before learning of their HIV+ status and their sexual and drug use behaviour. Of the 250 men, 62.0% were heterosexuals and 38.0% where bisexuals. They most often reported becoming infected through unprotected sex (24.5%) and injecting drug use (11.0%). They were usually tested because they became ill (42.2%). Condom use with women in all episodes of sexual intercourse before HIV+ diagnosis was reported by 22.6% of heterosexuals and 34.7% of bisexuals (P < 0.05). With respect to drug use, 58.0% reported the use of drugs at some period in their lifetime. A higher proportion of individuals who had used drugs perceived themselves at risk (P < 0.05). Findings showed that most HIV+ men who have sex with women, regardless of sexual orientation or injecting drug use, did not use condoms and did not perceive themselves at risk before learning of their HIV+ status, and only undergo testing due to illness. The implications for heterosexual transmission of HIV are discussed.

Stressors unique to military families may place dependents of military service members of both sexes at high-risk for disordered-eating. Yet, there are no data examining sex-related differences in eating pathology and distress among this population. Therefore, we examined disordered-eating attitudes and associated psychosocial characteristics in adolescent military dependents at high-risk for both eating disorders and adult obesity (i.e., BMI ≥ 85th percentile and elevated anxiety symptoms and/or loss-of-control eating). One-hundred-twenty-five (55.2% female) adolescent (12-17y) military dependents were studied prior to entry in an eating disorder and obesity prevention trial. Youth were administered the Eating Disorder Examination interview to determine disordered-eating attitudes, and completed questionnaires to assess self-esteem, social functioning, and depression. Girls and boys did not differ in BMIz (p=.66) or race/ethnicity (p=.997/p=.55).