Weight discrimination, BMI, or weight bias internalization? Testing the best predictor of psychological distress and body dissatisfaction
Authors' conclusion
These results stressed the importance of WBI in PD and the role of weight discrimination in WBI and BD. Hence, there is a need to better understand how WBI is formed and to design effective interventions to reduce it.
Study context
- Population
- Participants across all BMI categories, recruited voluntarily through the internet; people with obesity most predominant (26.1%)
- Participants
- 1,283 participants
- Exposure
- Psychological distress (PD) and body dissatisfaction (BD) by BMI, weight bias internalization (WBI) and current and past weight discrimination
- Outcome
- Psychological distress (PD) and body dissatisfaction (BD)
Methodological detailsonline voluntary sample, mediation analyses
- Online voluntary sample
- Mediation analyses
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- People with obesity, with WBI, and with current and past weight discrimination reported higher PD and higher BD
- WBI was the best predictor after controlling for BMI, WBI, and current and past weight discrimination
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Mediation analyses
- Relationship between weight discrimination and BD through WBI was significant
- Relationship between weight discrimination and WBI through BD was significant
Weight-based discrimination experiences
- Reported across all BMI categories; more prevalent in people with obesity
Original publication
Weight discrimination, BMI, or weight bias internalization? Testing the best predictor of psychological distress and body dissatisfaction. Obesity (Silver Spring). Published 9 July 2023. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →