Internalized weight bias and psychological wellbeing: An exploratory investigation of a preliminary model

Although a growing body of literature demonstrates negative effects of internalized weight bias (IWB), the relationships between IWB and relevant social, psychological, and behavioral variables have not yet been evaluated systematically. The purpose of the present study was to create and assess a mo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PloS one 2019-05, Vol.14 (5), p.e0216324-e0216324
Main Authors: Lee, Morgan S, Gonzalez, Brian D, Small, Brent J, Thompson, Joel Kevin
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Analysis
Bias
Binge eating disorder
Binge-Eating Disorder - pathology
Binge-Eating Disorder - psychology
Biology and Life Sciences
Body image
Body Image - psychology
Body Weight
Eating behavior
Eating disorders
Female
Females
Health aspects
Humans
Iterative methods
Male
Males
Medicine and Health Sciences
Mental depression
Obesity
Obesity - pathology
Obesity - psychology
Overweight
Psychological aspects
Psychological factors
Quality of life
Quality of Life - psychology
Risk factors
Self Concept
Self esteem
Self image
Self Report
Shame
Social factors
Social Sciences
Social Stigma
Underweight
Well being
Women
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Summary:Although a growing body of literature demonstrates negative effects of internalized weight bias (IWB), the relationships between IWB and relevant social, psychological, and behavioral variables have not yet been evaluated systematically. The purpose of the present study was to create and assess a model of hypothesized risks and outcomes of IWB. In an online survey, 650 adult males and females completed self-report measures of IWB, self-esteem, weight-related stigma experiences, body-related shame, body satisfaction, societal influence on body image, appearance comparisons, binge eating, distress, and weight-related quality of life. The originally hypothesized model did not provide an adequate fit to the data. Iterative modifications were undertaken, and the resulting model, in which social factors were associated with IWB and body image-related constructs which were in turn associated with psychological and behavioral outcomes, provided excellent fit to the data (CFI > .99, SRMR = .02, and RMSEA = .03). Most model paths were similar for underweight or normal weight participants versus participants with overweight or obesity. This study represents an initial effort at constructing a comprehensive model of IWB that can be further refined in future research and used to help guide the development of related interventions.
ISSN:1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0216324