Influence of obesity prevalence on social norms and weight control motivation: a cross-sectional comparison of the Netherlands and the UK

Abstract

This cross-sectional survey study explored associations between perceived bodyweight norms, psychological need satisfaction and motivation for weight control among 500 adult residents of two countries with different overweight/obesity prevalence: the UK (63% prevalence) and the Netherlands (50%). A hypothesised model of the effects of descriptive norms (i.e. perceptions of what is typical for most people) and injunctive norms (i.e. perceptions of what is typically approved by others) on autonomous motivation, mediated through basic psychological need satisfaction, was analysed using structural equation modelling. Descriptive norms did not differ between countries, yet UK adults reported a lower-weight injunctive norm. Perceiving higher bodyweights to be normal negatively predicted motivation to manage one's bodyweight, mediated through an undermining effect on psychological need satisfaction. Perceiving higher bodyweights to be normal may have the potential to reduce individual motivation for weight control, but the sensitivity of people's perceptions to objective differences in overweight prevalence appears limited.

The role of social norms, intergroup contact, and ingroup favoritism in weight stigma

“…In this study, we focused on social norms of having a higher weight. Although having a higher weight has become more objectively common in recent years [ 1 , 2 ], as well as perceived to be more common [ 30 , 31 ], perceptions of societal disapproval remain high [ 5 , 16 , 29 ] and may have even increased over time [ 7 , 9 ]. To explore this disconnect, we turned to the social psychological literature on intergroup contact and ingroup favoritism.…”

“…Research on these forms of norms has been conducted in a variety of contexts (e.g., preventing littering, conserving electricity, reducing alcohol consumption) and has generally found that individuals will alter their behavior and beliefs to align with a perceived descriptive norm that implies a behavior is commonly engaged in or a perceived injunctive norm that implies a behavior is generally accepted [23][24][25][26][27]. Typically, social norms have been applied to behaviors, but some work has used them to understand perceptions of characteristics [28][29][30]. In this study, we focused on social norms of having a higher weight.…”