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This can continue to be the case as long as two decades after the childhood experiences.
“Internalised weight stigma” happens when a person adopts negative obesity-related stereotypes, such as thinking they are less attractive, less competent, or less valuable as a person due to their weight, even in situations where their BMI suggests such a view is not valid.
Researchers at the universities of Bristol and Leeds, with colleagues at institutions interested in weight and mental health issues, analyzed the link between internalised weight stigma in adulthood and adolescent experiences and social circumstances. Their work used data obtained as part of Bristol University’s ongoing Children of the 90s project. This recruited thousands of pregnant women between 1990 and 1991, and has now followed the health of them and their families for more than 30 years.
The investigation, published in The Lancet Regional Health, examined differences in internalised weight stigma in more than 4000 people aged 31 years, focusing on effects of sex, ethnicity, socioeconomic factors, sexual orientation, and family and wider social influences in childhood and adolescence. The data were obtained from responses to 11 targeted questions included within the more general questionnaire completed by Children of the 90s participants when aged 31.
Effects Unrelated to Weight
Social epidemiologist Amanda Hughes, BSc, MSc, PhD, at the MRC Epidemiology Unit in Bristol Medical School, first author of the research report, said that the study “was not about what weight you think you are, but about how that relates to your view of yourself as a human being.” She explained that the research identified factors that led to higher levels of long-term internalised weight stigma in adults two decades after negative experiences in childhood or youth, “regardless of what their actual weight was.” Even people in the acceptable BMI range had levels of internalised weight stigma that were associated with experiences around two decades earlier.
The headline finding of the study was that those most at risk of developing internalised weight stigma were females, sexual minorities, and people experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage. People who as teenagers felt pressure to lose weight from family, wider social interactions, or the media were also at elevated risk.
“There are definitely inequalities in who was affected by this psychologically,” Dr. Hughes said, and the inequalities were associated with the sex, nonheterosexuality, or socioeconomic circumstances, rather than being explained by differences in BMI. The differences in the psychological impact of negative early-life weight-related experiences, such as pressure from family, teasing, bullying, and general weight-shaming, showed up even among people of the same weight.
Dr. Hughes emphasized that the new value of this research comes from its sample size, the general spread of people sampled, and the long length of time over which the relationships between experiences and effects were analyzed. Previous evidence, globally, has come from small and nonrepresentative samples, such as psychology undergraduates or people engaged in weight management programs.
Rebecca Puhl, PhD, professor of human development and family sciences at Connecticut University, an internationally prominent researcher of internalized weight stigma issues, said: “This study adds new insights to the increasing evidence on internalised weight bias. Their findings that internalised weight bias is elevated among individuals with sexual minority identities and those with socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds highlight the importance of addressing weight stigma and its consequences among populations with multiple stigmatised identities.” She added that the findings “reiterate the need for far-reaching stigma reduction interventions.” Dr. Puhl was not involved in this study.
Promote Healthy, Not Thin
Dr. Hughes stressed that interventions to address the issue, by efforts to change attitudes in family life, the media, and other approaches, should continue to promote healthy weight management amongst youngsters, while avoiding the dangers of inappropriate stigma and the resulting mental health problems.
“The crucial thing is … don’t frame [nutritional guidance] in terms of: if you do these things you’ll be thinner and thinner is better,” Dr. Hughes said. She stressed that the most important approach is to promote good nutrition for health, without making it all about being thin.
Dr. Hughes said there are many further things the researchers would like to do to take their work forward, including getting a more detailed look at the psychological processes involved and the relationship between internalised weight stigma and other aspects of mental health.
Dr. Hughes has no relevant interests to disclose. Dr. Puhl has no relevant interests to disclose, but is currently receiving funding from Eli Lilly.
A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.
This can continue to be the case as long as two decades after the childhood experiences.
“Internalised weight stigma” happens when a person adopts negative obesity-related stereotypes, such as thinking they are less attractive, less competent, or less valuable as a person due to their weight, even in situations where their BMI suggests such a view is not valid.
Researchers at the universities of Bristol and Leeds, with colleagues at institutions interested in weight and mental health issues, analyzed the link between internalised weight stigma in adulthood and adolescent experiences and social circumstances. Their work used data obtained as part of Bristol University’s ongoing Children of the 90s project. This recruited thousands of pregnant women between 1990 and 1991, and has now followed the health of them and their families for more than 30 years.
The investigation, published in The Lancet Regional Health, examined differences in internalised weight stigma in more than 4000 people aged 31 years, focusing on effects of sex, ethnicity, socioeconomic factors, sexual orientation, and family and wider social influences in childhood and adolescence. The data were obtained from responses to 11 targeted questions included within the more general questionnaire completed by Children of the 90s participants when aged 31.
Effects Unrelated to Weight
Social epidemiologist Amanda Hughes, BSc, MSc, PhD, at the MRC Epidemiology Unit in Bristol Medical School, first author of the research report, said that the study “was not about what weight you think you are, but about how that relates to your view of yourself as a human being.” She explained that the research identified factors that led to higher levels of long-term internalised weight stigma in adults two decades after negative experiences in childhood or youth, “regardless of what their actual weight was.” Even people in the acceptable BMI range had levels of internalised weight stigma that were associated with experiences around two decades earlier.
The headline finding of the study was that those most at risk of developing internalised weight stigma were females, sexual minorities, and people experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage. People who as teenagers felt pressure to lose weight from family, wider social interactions, or the media were also at elevated risk.
“There are definitely inequalities in who was affected by this psychologically,” Dr. Hughes said, and the inequalities were associated with the sex, nonheterosexuality, or socioeconomic circumstances, rather than being explained by differences in BMI. The differences in the psychological impact of negative early-life weight-related experiences, such as pressure from family, teasing, bullying, and general weight-shaming, showed up even among people of the same weight.
Dr. Hughes emphasized that the new value of this research comes from its sample size, the general spread of people sampled, and the long length of time over which the relationships between experiences and effects were analyzed. Previous evidence, globally, has come from small and nonrepresentative samples, such as psychology undergraduates or people engaged in weight management programs.
Rebecca Puhl, PhD, professor of human development and family sciences at Connecticut University, an internationally prominent researcher of internalized weight stigma issues, said: “This study adds new insights to the increasing evidence on internalised weight bias. Their findings that internalised weight bias is elevated among individuals with sexual minority identities and those with socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds highlight the importance of addressing weight stigma and its consequences among populations with multiple stigmatised identities.” She added that the findings “reiterate the need for far-reaching stigma reduction interventions.” Dr. Puhl was not involved in this study.
Promote Healthy, Not Thin
Dr. Hughes stressed that interventions to address the issue, by efforts to change attitudes in family life, the media, and other approaches, should continue to promote healthy weight management amongst youngsters, while avoiding the dangers of inappropriate stigma and the resulting mental health problems.
“The crucial thing is … don’t frame [nutritional guidance] in terms of: if you do these things you’ll be thinner and thinner is better,” Dr. Hughes said. She stressed that the most important approach is to promote good nutrition for health, without making it all about being thin.
Dr. Hughes said there are many further things the researchers would like to do to take their work forward, including getting a more detailed look at the psychological processes involved and the relationship between internalised weight stigma and other aspects of mental health.
Dr. Hughes has no relevant interests to disclose. Dr. Puhl has no relevant interests to disclose, but is currently receiving funding from Eli Lilly.
A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.
This can continue to be the case as long as two decades after the childhood experiences.
“Internalised weight stigma” happens when a person adopts negative obesity-related stereotypes, such as thinking they are less attractive, less competent, or less valuable as a person due to their weight, even in situations where their BMI suggests such a view is not valid.
Researchers at the universities of Bristol and Leeds, with colleagues at institutions interested in weight and mental health issues, analyzed the link between internalised weight stigma in adulthood and adolescent experiences and social circumstances. Their work used data obtained as part of Bristol University’s ongoing Children of the 90s project. This recruited thousands of pregnant women between 1990 and 1991, and has now followed the health of them and their families for more than 30 years.
The investigation, published in The Lancet Regional Health, examined differences in internalised weight stigma in more than 4000 people aged 31 years, focusing on effects of sex, ethnicity, socioeconomic factors, sexual orientation, and family and wider social influences in childhood and adolescence. The data were obtained from responses to 11 targeted questions included within the more general questionnaire completed by Children of the 90s participants when aged 31.
Effects Unrelated to Weight
Social epidemiologist Amanda Hughes, BSc, MSc, PhD, at the MRC Epidemiology Unit in Bristol Medical School, first author of the research report, said that the study “was not about what weight you think you are, but about how that relates to your view of yourself as a human being.” She explained that the research identified factors that led to higher levels of long-term internalised weight stigma in adults two decades after negative experiences in childhood or youth, “regardless of what their actual weight was.” Even people in the acceptable BMI range had levels of internalised weight stigma that were associated with experiences around two decades earlier.
The headline finding of the study was that those most at risk of developing internalised weight stigma were females, sexual minorities, and people experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage. People who as teenagers felt pressure to lose weight from family, wider social interactions, or the media were also at elevated risk.
“There are definitely inequalities in who was affected by this psychologically,” Dr. Hughes said, and the inequalities were associated with the sex, nonheterosexuality, or socioeconomic circumstances, rather than being explained by differences in BMI. The differences in the psychological impact of negative early-life weight-related experiences, such as pressure from family, teasing, bullying, and general weight-shaming, showed up even among people of the same weight.
Dr. Hughes emphasized that the new value of this research comes from its sample size, the general spread of people sampled, and the long length of time over which the relationships between experiences and effects were analyzed. Previous evidence, globally, has come from small and nonrepresentative samples, such as psychology undergraduates or people engaged in weight management programs.
Rebecca Puhl, PhD, professor of human development and family sciences at Connecticut University, an internationally prominent researcher of internalized weight stigma issues, said: “This study adds new insights to the increasing evidence on internalised weight bias. Their findings that internalised weight bias is elevated among individuals with sexual minority identities and those with socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds highlight the importance of addressing weight stigma and its consequences among populations with multiple stigmatised identities.” She added that the findings “reiterate the need for far-reaching stigma reduction interventions.” Dr. Puhl was not involved in this study.
Promote Healthy, Not Thin
Dr. Hughes stressed that interventions to address the issue, by efforts to change attitudes in family life, the media, and other approaches, should continue to promote healthy weight management amongst youngsters, while avoiding the dangers of inappropriate stigma and the resulting mental health problems.
“The crucial thing is … don’t frame [nutritional guidance] in terms of: if you do these things you’ll be thinner and thinner is better,” Dr. Hughes said. She stressed that the most important approach is to promote good nutrition for health, without making it all about being thin.
Dr. Hughes said there are many further things the researchers would like to do to take their work forward, including getting a more detailed look at the psychological processes involved and the relationship between internalised weight stigma and other aspects of mental health.
Dr. Hughes has no relevant interests to disclose. Dr. Puhl has no relevant interests to disclose, but is currently receiving funding from Eli Lilly.
A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.
FROM THE LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH