Weight bias internalization in a commercial weight management sample: prevalence and correlates

Pearl, Raymond; Himmelstein, Mary S.; Puhl, Rebecca M.; Wadden, Thomas A.; Wojtanowski, Alexis C.; Foster, Gary D.

doi:10.1002/osp4.354

Cited by 46 publications

(53 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…Indeed, a broad misunderstanding may explain, at least in part, the high prevalence of weight-related stigma in the population and society in general. People with obesity are confronted with weight-related stigma through the media ( 22 , 23 ), the health care system ( 24 , 25 ), the workplace ( 25 ), educational settings, and friends and family ( 25 , 26 ). Several studies pointed out that weight-related stigma can lead to negative outcomes, e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Responsibility of Individuals and Stakeholders for Obesity and a Healthy Diet: Results From a German Survey

et al. 2020

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Introduction Overweight and obesity are thought to be mainly caused by an energy-rich diet and a sedentary lifestyle. The opinions of those with and without obesity about an individual´s and stakeholder´s responsibility for overweight and obesity as well as a healthy diet is rather unclear. Therefore, a survey was conducted to assess the thoughts of persons with and without obesity about the responsibilities for a high body weight and healthy diet. Methods This telephone-based survey was conducted in Germany. Landline and mobile phone users older than 17 years were quota sampled to represent the German population (n=1,003). Additionally, 354 adults with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m 2 were included in the survey population. Questions on weight management, eating and drinking and anthropometry were asked. Furthermore, the opinions of participants on the responsibility of individuals and stakeholders for obesity and a healthy diet were collected. Data was statistically weighted by age, gender, education, domicile, and BMI. Results Data of 1,357 persons (51.1% female, age: 50.5 ± 18.5 years, 15.9% with BMI ≥ 30 kg/m 2 ) were analyzed. Participants responded that the general causes of a high body weight were low physical activity (82.7%) and excessive caloric intake (80.5%) followed by a lack of will power (72.1%). Almost 90% of the survey population reported that each individual is responsible for his/her own healthy diet. More than 85% of the survey population agreed that a healthy diet in kindergarten and nutrition education at schools should be the preferred approaches when politics take care of a person´s healthy diet. Sub-analyses revealed that BMI, sex, age, and education are potential confounders. Conclusion This German survey showed that the majority of participants indicated that the responsibility for a healthy diet lies with the individual and high body weight is caused by self-controlled attitudes. These results suggest that the survey population underestimates societal and environmental factors that contribute to the development of obesity, which could lead to attitudes that facilitate weight-related stigmatization. Furthermore, survey participants indicated that they would support policy-driven measures that promote a healthy diet.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Responsibility of Individuals and Stakeholders for Obesity and a Healthy Diet: Results From a German Survey

et al. 2020

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“…Research among adults suggests that sociodemographic variables, such as socioeconomic status, gender and age, might also contribute to WBI [ 23 , 24 ]. With regard to children, no effects of age on WBI were observed across different age groups [ 15 – 19 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intrapersonal predictors of weight bias internalization among elementary school children: a prospective analysis

Gmeiner

Warschburger

2020

BMC Pediatr

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Background: Weight-related stigmatization is a widespread problem. Particularly the internalization of weightrelated stereotypes and prejudices (weight bias internalization, WBI) is related to mental and physical health impairments. To date, little is known about the risk factors of WBI. Previous studies are mainly cross-sectional and based on adult samples. As childhood is a sensitive period for the development of a healthy self-concept, we examined predictors of WBI in children. Methods: The final sample included 1,463 schoolchildren (6-11 years, 51.7% female) who took part in a prospective study consisting of three measurement waves. The first two waves delivered data on objective weight status and self-reported weight-related teasing, body dissatisfaction, relevance of one's own figure, self-esteem and depressive symptoms; WBI was measured during the third wave. To examine predictors of WBI, we ran hierarchical regression analyses and exploratory mediation analyses. Results: Lower parental education level, higher child weight status, female gender, experience of teasing, higher body dissatisfaction, higher figure-relevance, and higher depression scores were found to be predictive for higher WBI scores. Body dissatisfaction (only for girls) and the relevance of one's own figure (both genders) mediated the association between self-esteem and WBI; no weight-related differences were observed. Conclusions: Our study offers longitudinal evidence for variables that enable the identification of children who are at risk for WBI. Thus, the findings deliver starting points for interventions aimed at the prevention of adverse health developments that come along with WBI.

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“…In light of an increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity and given high WBI rates among individuals with overweight [11, 12], epidemiological research of this phenomenon is warranted. However, most WBI assessment tools (e.g., Weight Bias Internalization Scale [7, 13] or Weight Self-stigma Questionnaire [14]) include the term “overweight” in almost every item, limiting their application to individuals who are either objectively or subjectively overweight [15].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Validation of a Three-Item Short Form of the Modified Weight Bias Internalization Scale (WBIS-3) in the German Population

et al. 2020

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Introduction: Individuals suffering from overweight or obesity frequently experience weight-based stigmatization. The widespread belief that weight is a matter of personal will and self-control results in various weight-based stereotypes (e.g., laziness, lack of self-discipline, or neglect). Objective: Based on the modified version of the Weight Bias Internalization Scale (WBIS-M), a short form for the economic assessment of weight bias internalization in the general population was compiled and validated. Methods: A three-item short form (WBIS-3) was derived based on data from a representative sample of the German population (n = 1,092). This new short form was validated in a second representative population sample (n = 2,513). Item characteristics and internal consistency were obtained. Measurement invariance was tested. Construct validity was established via the correlation with theoretically related constructs (depression, anxiety, eating behavior, discrimination, weight status). To establish scale validity, all analyses were performed for the whole sample as well as for the subsample of individuals with overweight. Age- and gender-specific population norms were provided. Results: The WBIS-3 exhibited excellent psychometric properties. Internal consistency was α = 0.92. Strong measurement invariance was confirmed regarding age, gender, discrimination, and weight status in both the whole sample as well as the overweight subsample. Conclusions: The WBIS-3 constitutes a valid and economical tool for the assessment of weight bias internalization in epidemiological contexts. Measurement invariance allows for an unbiased comparison of means, correlation coefficients, and path coefficients within structural equation modeling across groups.

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Weight bias internalization in a commercial weight management sample: prevalence and correlates

Cited by 46 publications

References 44 publications

Responsibility of Individuals and Stakeholders for Obesity and a Healthy Diet: Results From a German Survey

Responsibility of Individuals and Stakeholders for Obesity and a Healthy Diet: Results From a German Survey

Intrapersonal predictors of weight bias internalization among elementary school children: a prospective analysis

Validation of a Three-Item Short Form of the Modified Weight Bias Internalization Scale (WBIS-3) in the German Population

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