TY - JOUR
T1 - Weight discrimination, BMI, or weight bias internalization? Testing the best predictor of psychological distress and body dissatisfaction
AU - Macho, Sergio
AU - Andrés, Ana
AU - Saldaña, Carmina
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Authors. Obesity published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The Obesity Society.
PY - 2023/8
Y1 - 2023/8
N2 - Objective: This study aimed: (1) to compare psychological distress (PD) and body dissatisfaction (BD) in terms of BMI, weight bias internalization (WBI), and weight discrimination (current and past); (2) to assess the best predictor of PD and BD and assess the relationships with weight discrimination, BD, and WBI. Methods: The sample consisted of 1283 participants across all BMI categories, recruited through the internet voluntarily. People with obesity were the most predominant (26.1%). Experiences of weight-based discrimination were reported by participants across all BMI categories, and they were more prevalent in people with obesity. Results: People with obesity, those with WBI, and those who faced current and past weight discrimination reported higher PD and higher BD. However, WBI was the best predictor after controlling for BMI, WBI, and current and past weight discrimination. Mediation analyses revealed that the relationship between weight discrimination and BD through WBI was significant, as was the relationship between weight discrimination and WBI through BD. Conclusions: 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.
AB - Objective: This study aimed: (1) to compare psychological distress (PD) and body dissatisfaction (BD) in terms of BMI, weight bias internalization (WBI), and weight discrimination (current and past); (2) to assess the best predictor of PD and BD and assess the relationships with weight discrimination, BD, and WBI. Methods: The sample consisted of 1283 participants across all BMI categories, recruited through the internet voluntarily. People with obesity were the most predominant (26.1%). Experiences of weight-based discrimination were reported by participants across all BMI categories, and they were more prevalent in people with obesity. Results: People with obesity, those with WBI, and those who faced current and past weight discrimination reported higher PD and higher BD. However, WBI was the best predictor after controlling for BMI, WBI, and current and past weight discrimination. Mediation analyses revealed that the relationship between weight discrimination and BD through WBI was significant, as was the relationship between weight discrimination and WBI through BD. Conclusions: 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.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85164573191&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/oby.23802
DO - 10.1002/oby.23802
M3 - Article
C2 - 37424155
AN - SCOPUS:85164573191
SN - 1930-7381
JO - Obesity
JF - Obesity
ER -