Weight bias in graduate school admissions

Abstract

Objective: Whether weight bias occurs in the graduate school admissions process is explored here. Specifically, we examined whether body mass index (BMI) was related to letter of recommendation quality and the number of admissions offers applicants received after attending in-person interviews. Design and Methods: Participants were 97 applicants to a psychology graduate program at a large university in the United States. They reported height, weight, and information about their applications to psychology graduate programs. Participants' letters of recommendation were coded for positive and negative statements as well as overall quality. Results: Higher BMI significantly predicted fewer post-interview offers of admission into psychology graduate programs. Results also suggest this relationship is stronger for female applicants. BMI was not related to overall quality or the number of stereotypically weight-related adjectives in letters of recommendation. Surprisingly, higher BMI was related to more positive adjectives in letters. Conclusions: The first evidence that individuals interviewing applicants to graduate programs may systematically favor thinner applicants is provided here. A conscious or unconscious bias against applicants with extra body weight is a plausible explanation. Stereotype threat and social identity threat are also discussed as explanations for the relationship between BMI and interview success.Obesity (2013) 21, 918-920.

The Negative and Bidirectional Effects of Weight Stigma on Health

“…On the educational front, heavier young women are less likely to enter college or obtain a college degree (for a review, see Cohen, Rai, Rehkopf, & Abrams, 2013). They are also less likely to receive offers to attend graduate school after an in-person interview than are those who are average weight, despite similar or better credentials (Burmeister, Kiefner, Carels, & Musher-Eizenman, 2013). With respect to occupation, overweight and obese people are discriminated against in all aspects of the employment process (Roehling et al, 2007) and receive fewer training, work, and career opportunities compared to their non-obese peers (Puhl & Heuer, 2009).…”

Weight Loss Is Not the Answer: A Well‐being Solution to the “Obesity Problem”

“…Higher body-weight job candidates are evaluated less favorably than lower body-weight job candidates who are unqualified for the position (Sartore & Cunningham, 2007), and such discrimination continues throughout hiring, promotion, earning, disciplinary decisions, and firing (Roehling, 1999;Roehling, Pichler, & Bruce, 2013). Higher body-weight people are also underrepresented in college and are less likely to receive post-interview offers of admission to psychology graduate programs, despite high standardized test scores, strong recommendation letters, and aspirations to attend college (Burmeister, Kiefner, Carels, & Musher-Eizenman, 2013). It is no surprise, then, that they earn approximately 90 cents for every dollar earned by their lower body-weight counterparts (Baum & Ford, 2004).…”

Educational disparity in obesity among U.S. adults, 1984–2013

“…The association between education and obesity identified in this observational study cannot be interpreted as causality. There is emerging evidence on the negative impact of childhood obesity on educational outcomes [33,34] as well as weight bias in college admission decisions [35]. More than 5% of the sample had missing values because of nonresponse, and if those nonresponders had higher obesity prevalence and lower education level, we could underestimate the educational disparity in obesity.…”