Body weight, perceived weight stigma and mental health among women at the intersection of race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status: insights from the modified labelling approach

Abstract

With increasing rates of obesity in the United States, attention to life chances and psychological consequences associated with weight stigma and weight-based discrimination has also intensified. While research has demonstrated the negative effects of weight-based discrimination on mental health, little is known about whether different social groups are disproportionately vulnerable to these experiences. Drawing on the modified labelling theory, the focus of this paper is to investigate the psychological correlates of body weight and self-perceived weightbased discrimination among American women at the intersection of race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status (SES). Analyses use data from the National Health Measurement Study (NHMS), a national multi-stage probability sample of noninstitutional, English-speaking adults, ages 35 to 89 in [2005][2006]. Our findings demonstrate that the effect of weight-based discrimination on psychological wellbeing is highly contingent on social status. Specifically, the psychological consequences of discrimination on Hispanic women and women in the lowest household income group is significantly greater relative to White women and women with higher household income, controlling for obesity status and self-rated health. These results suggest that higher social status has a buffering effect of weight stigma on psychological well-being.Keywords: obesity, weight stigma, mental health, race/ethnicity IntroductionThe prevalence of overweight and obesity has almost doubled in the past 30 years in the United States (Flegal et al. 2012). In 2011-2012, more than two thirds of American adults were either overweight or obese, with obesity being slightly more prevalent among women relative to men and Black American adults relative to other racial/ethnic groups (Ogden et al. 2014).Because physical health consequences of overweight and moderate obesity have recently been called into question (Flegal et al. 2012), researchers have become increasingly interested in psychological indicators of quality of life and well-being. Specifically, excess body weight has been linked to lower self-esteem, poor body image, eating disorders, depression and psychological distress (Faith et al. 2002, Graham and Felton 2005, Luppino et al. 2010. Sociology of Health & Illness Vol. 40 No. 1 2018 ISSN 0141-9889, pp. 18-37 doi: 10.1111/1467 A growing literature has demonstrated that overweight and obese individuals may experience psychological distress not because of their weight per se, but rather due to stress associated with weight stigma and weight-based discrimination (Carr and Friedman 2005, Muennig 2008, Puhl and Brownell, 2001, 2003. Negative stereotypes and media images associated with excess body weight have been prevalent in the United States for decades now. According to historical analyses, while fatness 1 was socially acceptable in the 19th century United States, it fell out of fashion as it became associated with poor Irish immigrants. A slender body not only became a way to demonstrate wealth,...

Does perceived overweight increase risk of depressive symptoms and suicidality beyond objective weight status? A systematic review and meta-analysis

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Identifying research priorities for the study of atypical anorexia nervosa: A Delphi study

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