The phenomenology of weight stigma in everyday life

Vartanian, Lenny R.; Pinkus, Rebecca T.; Smyth, Joshua M.

doi:10.1016/j.jcbs.2014.01.003

Cited by 106 publications

(142 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Interestingly, discrimination from a stranger mattered less for depressive symptoms than for subjective health. Individuals often report feeling more negative affect immediately after being stigmatized because of their weight by a stranger (Vartanian et al, 2014). The current findings suggest that this negative affect does not translate into more depressive symptoms over time.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sources of weight discrimination and health.

Sutin¹,

Terracciano²

2017

Stigma and Health

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Individuals who perceive weight discrimination tend to be less healthy. The correlates of weight discrimination, however, may vary by source of the discrimination (e.g., from a healthcare provider, stranger, family member, etc.). The present research used a large national sample (N=4,990) to examine the prevalence and demographic predictors of sources of weight discrimination and whether subjective health and depressive symptoms associated with discrimination varied by source. Approximately 13% of the respondents reported experiencing discrimination based on their body weight. Of these participants, the prevalence across sources ranged from 4% from educators to 52% from strangers. Women and younger participants were more likely to experience bias from their families; participants with higher BMIs were more likely to experience discrimination from a service industry professional or a stranger. Participants had lower subjective health when the source of weight discrimination came from either a stranger or a family member, whereas depressive symptoms were higher across all sources of discrimination except for from a service professional or a stranger. These results support previous research that indicates weight discrimination is common and comes from many sources and further suggests that the health correlates may differ depending on who is the source of the unfair treatment.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sources of weight discrimination and health.

Sutin¹,

Terracciano²

2017

Stigma and Health

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“…For example, experiencing weight stigma predicts an increased motivation to avoid exercising, particularly in public settings (Vartanian & Shaprow, 2008), and this effect is most pronounced among individuals who have internalized negative weight-related attitudes and societal beauty norms (Vartanian & Novak, 2011). Although motivation to avoid exercise is negatively related to self-reported exercise behavior, additional research is needed to examine the relationship between weight stigma and exercise avoidance using more ecologically valid methodologies (e.g., experiencing sampling; Seacat, Dougal, & Roy, 2014; Vartanian, Pinkus, & Smyth, 2014). Experienced and anticipated weight stigma may also contribute to health-care underutilization and avoidance.…”

Section: Weight Stigma Increases Motivation To Avoid Stigmamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Weight stigma is pervasive and intensifying (Andreyeva, Puhl, & Brownell, 2008; Vartanian, Pinkus, & Smyth, 2014), and by some indicators occurring at rates comparable to gender and race-based mistreatment (Puhl, Andreyeva, & Brownell, 2008). Overweight and obese individuals face discrimination and devaluation from employers (Roehling, Roehling, & Pichler, 2007), customer service representatives (King, Shapiro, Hebl, Singletary, & Turner, 2006), health care workers (Hebl & Xu, 2001), the media (Ata & Thompson, 2010), and even family members and romantic partners (Boyes & Latner, 2009; Puhl & Brownell, 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Weighed Down by Stigma: How Weight‐Based Social Identity Threat Contributes to Weight Gain and Poor Health

Hunger

Major

Blodorn

et al. 2015

Social & Personality Psych

261

258

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Weight stigma is pervasive, and a number of scholars argue that this profound stigma contributes to the negative effects of weight on psychological and physical health. Some lay individuals and health professionals assume that stigmatizing weight can actually motivate healthier behaviors and promote weight loss. However, as we review, weight stigma is consistently associated with poorer mental and physical health outcomes. In this article we propose a social identity threat model elucidating how weight stigma contributes to weight gain and poorer mental and physical health among overweight individuals. We propose that weight-based social identity threat increases physiological stress, undermines self-regulation, compromises psychological health, and increases the motivation to avoid stigmatizing domains (e.g., the gym) and escape the stigma by engaging in unhealthy weight loss behaviors. Given the prevalence of overweight and obesity in the US, weight stigma thus has the potential to undermine the health and wellbeing of millions of Americans.

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“…Studies on the daily subjective experience of weight discrimination have focused primarily on the context (e.g., the source of the discrimination) and emotional reaction (e.g., negative affect) to stigmatizing experiences (15). In addition to the experience of unfair treatment on the basis of body weight, individuals who have experienced discrimination may be more vulnerable to stressors in their daily lives that are not necessarily a direct result of the discrimination.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Perceived weight discrimination, changes in health, and daily stressors

Sutin

Stéphan

Grzywacz

et al. 2016

Obesity

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Objective To examine whether perceived weight discrimination is associated with change in health markers over time and whether it is associated with daily stressors, physical symptoms, and affect. Method Participants were selected from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study if they had data on perceived weight discrimination and health markers at MIDUS II (2004–2006), health markers at MIDUS III (2013–2014), and a body mass index ≥25 (N=1,841). A subset of these participants (N=1,153) reported on their experiences daily for eight days as part of the second National Study of Daily Experiences (NSDE II). Results Perceived weight discrimination was associated with declines in mental and physical health over time (median β=.06). Participants who reported weight discrimination experienced more daily stressors (β=.13), physical symptoms (β=.13), and negative affect (β=.13) and less positive affect (β=−.12) over the eight days of the NSDE II. Weight discrimination was most strongly associated with interpersonal stressors (median β=.14), feelings of anger (β=.16) and frustration (β=.14), lower attention (β=−.14) and activity (β=−.16), and more non-specific physical symptoms (e.g., fatigue; β=.10). Conclusions The present research replicates the association between perceived weight discrimination and worse health over time and extends this literature to show that people who experience weight discrimination have more daily stressors, physical symptoms, and negative emotions.

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The phenomenology of weight stigma in everyday life

Cited by 106 publications

References 26 publications

Sources of weight discrimination and health.

Sources of weight discrimination and health.

Weighed Down by Stigma: How Weight‐Based Social Identity Threat Contributes to Weight Gain and Poor Health

Perceived weight discrimination, changes in health, and daily stressors

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