Is Obesity Stigmatizing? Body Weight, Perceived Discrimination, and Psychological Well-Being in the United States

Carr, Deborah; Friedman, Michael

doi:10.1177/002214650504600303

Cited by 581 publications

(561 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…Carr and Friedman reported that the effects of obesity on perceptions of general discrimination were similar for men and women, but gender was not addressed in the context of weight discrimination. 24 In contrast, previous work on prejudiced attitudes toward obese individuals has reported mixed findings on gender, with some studies detecting gender differences [25][26][27] and other studies not. 13,15 Thus, research examining differences among men and women in their perceptions of weight/ height discrimination would be informative.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…There is abundant evidence illustrating prejudiced attitudes toward obese persons, but very little work has documented discrimination perceived by obese individuals or the prevalence of these experiences in the US population. Carr and Friedman 24 examined the frequency of institutional and interpersonal discrimination among a nationally representative sample of 3437 adults and found that compared to normal weight individuals, obese persons reported significantly more frequent daily discrimination, work-related discrimination and health-related discrimination. Individuals in the highest obese categories were 40-50% more likely to report any discrimination than normal weight persons.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Perceptions of weight discrimination: prevalence and comparison to race and gender discrimination in America

2008

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Objective: Limited data are available on the prevalence and patterns of body weight discrimination from representative samples. This study examined experiences of weight/height discrimination in a nationally representative sample of US adults and compared their prevalence and patterns with discrimination experiences based on race and gender. Method and procedures: Data were from the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States, a 1995-1996 community-based survey of English-speaking adults aged 25-74 (N ¼ 2290). Reported experiences of weight/height discrimination included a variety of institutional settings and interpersonal relationships. Multivariate regression analyses were used to predict weight/height discrimination controlling for sociodemographic characteristics and body weight status. Results: The prevalence of weight/height discrimination ranged from 5% among men to 10% among women, but these average percentages obscure the much higher risk of weight discrimination among heavier individuals (40% for adults with body mass index (BMI) of 35 and above). Younger individuals with a higher BMI had a particularly high risk of weight/height discrimination regardless of their race, education and weight status. Women were at greater risk for weight/ height discrimination than men, especially women with a BMI of 30-35 who were three times more likely to report weight/height discrimination compared to male peers of a similar weight. Discussion: Weight/height discrimination is prevalent in American society and is relatively close to reported rates of racial discrimination, particularly among women. Both institutional forms of weight/height discrimination (for example, in employment settings) and interpersonal mistreatment due to weight/height (for example, being called names) were common, and in some cases were even more prevalent than discrimination due to gender and race.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Perceptions of weight discrimination: prevalence and comparison to race and gender discrimination in America

2008

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“…Stigmatising attitudes and discriminatory behaviour has been identified in a range of population groups including jurors [15•] and obesity researchers [16]. Instances of discrimination and physical abuse are evident [17][18], with consequences for the target of such behaviour including depression [19][20] and lowered self-esteem [19][20][21]. Various reasons for the widespread reporting obesity stigma and discrimination have been offered.…”

Section: Obesity Discrimination In the Workplacementioning

confidence: 99%

Disability Discrimination and Obesity: The Big Questions?

Flint

Snook

2015

Curr Obes Rep

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Obesity discrimination in employment and recruitment has become a topic of focus for research examination with increasing reports of discrimination by colleagues and managers.Whilst a limited number of legal cases have emerged, disability law is consulted in line with the expectation of anti-discriminatory practices at work. In line with disability law, whether obesity is defined as a disability or not has an impact on the outcome of a court ruling.Ambiguity when defining obesity through either the medical or social model means there are many questions that remain unanswered which might lead to inconsistency in court rulings.

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“…In the US, obese persons are more likely than those with normal weight to report day-to-day interpersonal discrimination. Carr and Friedman (2005) find that this difference is larger in higher socioeconomic strata, and that perceived discrimination is an important factor in explaining lower self-acceptance among the obese. It is not so clear, though, whether the psychological burden works on top of the effect on labor market outcomes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 67%

A Weighty Issue Revisited: The Dynamic Effect of Body Weight on Earnings and Satisfaction in Germany

Kropfhäuser

Sunder²

2014

SSRN Journal

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Is Obesity Stigmatizing? Body Weight, Perceived Discrimination, and Psychological Well-Being in the United States

Cited by 581 publications

References 48 publications

Perceptions of weight discrimination: prevalence and comparison to race and gender discrimination in America

Perceptions of weight discrimination: prevalence and comparison to race and gender discrimination in America

Disability Discrimination and Obesity: The Big Questions?

A Weighty Issue Revisited: The Dynamic Effect of Body Weight on Earnings and Satisfaction in Germany

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