Weight Stigma in the School Setting: The Role of Inclusive Weight Climate—A Commentary

Lessard, Leah M.; Juvonen, Jaana

doi:10.1111/josh.12898

Cited by 14 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…While joking can function as an effective tool to positively reappraise stressful situations ( Papousek et al, 2019 ), it is important that individuals are encouraged to utilize strategies to cope with pandemic-related challenges and stress that do not imply personal responsibility and blame for body weight. Even if adolescents do not feel directly targeted by derogatory memes and jokes about obesity, climates of heightened weight stigma can be negatively impactful for all youth who are exposed ( Lessard & Juvonen, 2020 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adolescents’ Exposure to and Experiences of Weight Stigma During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Lessard

Puhl

2021

Journal of Pediatric Psychology

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Objective The COVID-19 pandemic has increased attention to the proliferation of pediatric obesity amidst significant changes in weight-related health functioning (e.g., compromised physical activity, limited food access, increased stress). The present cross-sectional study investigated adolescents’ feelings about their bodies and perceived changes in weight stigma from peers, parents, and social media during the pandemic. Methods Four hundred fifty-two adolescents (11–17 years old) completed an online survey during the Fall of 2020. Measures assessed perceived changes in exposure to weight stigmatizing social media content (stress eating jokes, weight gain memes) and experiences of weight stigma (weight-based bullying, teasing, hurtful comments) by parents and peers, as well as body dissatisfaction, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Weight status and gender were examined as individual difference variables. Results The majority (53%) of adolescents reported increased exposure to at least one form of weight stigmatizing social media content during the pandemic. Additionally, pandemic-related increases in body dissatisfaction were prevalent (41%), especially among girls with higher body mass index (≥85th percentile; 67%). On average, the extent to which adolescents experienced weight-based mistreatment from parents and peers remained consistent with their pre-pandemic experiences. Conclusions Overall, these findings highlight changes in the social messages that adolescents receive about their bodies, as well as their subjective body satisfaction, during the pandemic. Results underscore the need for healthcare providers and mental health professionals to be aware of the potential rise in weight stigma during the pandemic, and encourage families and schools to engage in supportive, rather than stigmatizing, weight-related communication with youth.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adolescents’ Exposure to and Experiences of Weight Stigma During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Lessard

Puhl

2021

Journal of Pediatric Psychology

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“…Puhl et al, 2013b). The present findings could also be better understood with additional information about the school context, such as the overall weight climate and prevalence of weight-based victimization in the school (Lessard & Juvonen, 2020). Furthermore, all variables were assessed at a single time point and thus causality cannot be concluded.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

“…Cultivating an overall more inclusive weight climate within schools may be an important first step (Lessard & Juvonen, 2020). Indeed, in a study of general bullying, adolescents reported the most helpful teacher bullying intervention strategy was to “make the classroom so that bullying cannot happen by having the teacher know what is going on at all times” (Crothers & Kolbert, 2004; p. 24).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Weight-based victimization and school performance in adolescence: Can teachers help reduce academic risks?

Lessard¹,

Lawrence²,

Puhl³

2021

School Psychology

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Weight-based victimization (WBV) is a common and consequential experience for adolescents with overweight and obesity. The current study examined the relative contributions of different school-based sources of WBV (i.e., peers, friends, teachers, coaches) on academic grades, as well as the role of teachers in mitigating the academic consequences of WBV among a sample of 148 adolescents with high body weight (M age = 15.97, SD age = 1.25; 50% female). Regression analyses revealed that the link between school-based WBV and lower grades among adolescents was due primarily to mistreatment from peers. However, this association was weakened when students perceived their teachers to be more helpful in preventing future WBV, but not as a function of how frequently students reported incidents of WBV to their teachers. These findings underscore the importance of teacher intervention in supporting the academic success of adolescents experiencing WBV from their peers in the school setting. Impact and ImplicationsThe study results suggest that the association between peer weight-based victimization (WBV) and lower academic grades in adolescence may be minimized when students perceive their teachers as resources to help prevent future WBV.

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“…That is, not only do peers and classmates serve as the main perpetrators of weight-related harassment and mistreatment (Lessard, Lawrence, et al, 2021), but many teachers and school personnel possess negative weight biases (Lessard & Puhl, 2021). Such stigma in turn can cultivate a harmful weight climate wherein youth are exposed to negative weight-related ridicule and social norms that sanction targeted mistreatment of youth with high body weight (Juvonen et al, 2018; Lessard & Juvonen, 2020). Highlighting the ubiquity of weight stigma within schools, evidence suggests that nearly 80% of high school students have witnessed weight-based peer mistreatment at school (Puhl et al, 2011).…”

Section: Weight-based Disparities In Youth Mental Healthmentioning

confidence: 99%

Weight-Based Disparities in Youth Mental Health: Scope, Social Underpinnings, and Policy Implications

Lessard

Lawrence

2022

Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences

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Weight-based disparities in mental health impair the well-being of youth with overweight and obesity, who comprise a growing majority of young people in the United States. This review summarizes research regarding the extent of weight-based disparities in youth mental health and describes the social underpinnings of these disparities across contexts. Youth with high weight face frequent stigmatization (e.g., bullying, victimization, negative judgment), particularly in the school setting. Weight-based disparities in youth mental health emerge not because of high body weight itself, but because of the stigma associated with having high body weight. As such, policy actions need to address weight stigma. Empirical evidence can inform sound policies to reduce the stigma experienced by youth with high weight in order to support equitable mental health outcomes for youth with diverse body sizes.

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Weight Stigma in the School Setting: The Role of Inclusive Weight Climate—A Commentary

Cited by 14 publications

References 37 publications

Adolescents’ Exposure to and Experiences of Weight Stigma During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Adolescents’ Exposure to and Experiences of Weight Stigma During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Weight-based victimization and school performance in adolescence: Can teachers help reduce academic risks?

Weight-Based Disparities in Youth Mental Health: Scope, Social Underpinnings, and Policy Implications

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