Jessica Harper

Internalized weight stigma and its ideological correlates among weight loss treatment seeking adults

There are significant economic and psychological costs associated with the negative weight-based social stigma that exists in American society. This pervasive anti-fat bias has been strongly internalized among the overweight/obese. While the etiology of weight stigma is complex, research suggests that it is often greater among individuals who embrace certain etiological views of obesity or ideological views of the world. This investigation examined 1) the level of internalized weight stigma among overweight/obese treatment seeking adults, and 2) the association between internalized weight stigma and perceived weight controllability and ideological beliefs about the world (‘just world beliefs’, Protestant work ethic). Forty-six overweight or obese adults (BMI ≽27 kg/m2) participating in an 18- week behavioral weight loss program completed implicit (Implicit Associations Test) and explicit (Obese Person’s Trait Survey) measures of weight stigma. Participants also completed two measures of ideological beliefs about the world (“Just World Beliefs”, Protestant Ethic Scale) and one measure of beliefs about weight controllability (Beliefs about Obese Persons). Significant implicit and explicit weight bias was observed. Greater weight stigma was consistently associated with greater endorsement of just world beliefs, Protestant ethic beliefs and beliefs about weight controllability. Results suggest that the overweight/obese treatment seeking adults have internalized the negative weight-based social stigma that exists in American society. Internalized weight stigma may be greater among those holding specific etiological and ideological beliefs about weight and the world.

Can social desirability interfere with success in a behavioral weight loss program

Social desirability is an individual difference characteristic that extends beyond biased responding to questionnaires. Social desirability has the potential to negatively impact treatment outcome including weight loss. This study examines the association between social desirability and percent body weight loss in thirty-six obese participants completing a behavioral weight loss program (BWLP). At baseline, higher social desirability was associated with: (1) greater reported weight control competence and weight loss self-efficacy, (2) the reported consumption of fewer calories, and (3) fewer reported dietary lapses and more positive attitudes toward their diet as recorded in lapse diaries. Higher social desirability was significantly associated with less weight lost at the end of the 6-month intervention. Weight control competence, self-efficacy, and abstinence violation effects mediated the social desirability and weight loss association. Individuals high in social desirability may overestimate their ability to succeed in a BWLP and may have difficulties accurately self-monitoring diet-related behaviors, thereby contributing to a poor weight loss treatment outcome.

Impact of social pressure on stereotypes about obese people

PurposeThis study was designed to test the effects of different types of influence on the expression of stereotypes towards people who are obese. It was hypothesized that public social pressure would more significantly impact the expression of stereotypes towards obese people than other types of influence.MethodsOne-hundred fifty-eight undergraduate students were randomly assigned to one of three conditions or a control condition. Participants completed measures of stereotypes towards obese people prior to and after receiving manipulated feedback depicting purported stereotypes possessed by others (anonymously or publically) or scientific information about the base rates of these stereotypical traits in the obese population (i.e., trait prevalence). Participants also completed a measure of weight bias unrelated to the manipulated feedback.ResultsExplicit beliefs were influenced more when people perceived that others’ views were inconsistent with their own in a public setting than an anonymous setting or when they received trait prevalence feedback. However, levels of weight bias on a separate measure were unchanged.ConclusionStrong, public manipulations of social feedback have great potential to impact, at least, the short-term expression of stereotypes towards obese people.