Weight Labeling and Disordered Eating Among Adolescent Girls: Longitudinal Evidence From the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Growth and Health Study
Open accessAbstract
Purpose Weight stigma is implicated in disordered eating, but much of this research focuses on forms of stigma such as weight-based teasing. Methods In a large cohort of adolescent girls (N = 2,036), we tested the hypothesis that being labeled as "too fat" by others predicts subsequent greater disordered eating cognitions and behaviors. Results Compared with girls who did not report weight labeling, girls who were labeled at age 14 showed an increase in unhealthy weight control behaviors and disordered eating cognitions over the subsequent 5 years. These effects were independent of objective body mass index, race, parental income and education, and initial levels of disordered eating. Conclusions Exploratory analyses suggest that weight labeling from family members is more strongly associated with disordered eating than labeling from nonfamily members. This study highlights how the long-term consequences of weight stigma can potentially begin when one is labeled as "too fat."
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References 10 · Cited by 71
Research works printed but not linked: 8
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- Authors
- Hunger, J. M., & Tomiyama, A. J.
- Affiliations
- University of California, Los Angeles (US)
- Corresponding author
- Hunger, Jeffrey M.
- Venue
- Journal of Adolescent Health
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2018-09
- Volume
- 63
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 360-362
- ISSN
- 1054-139X (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2801460540
- Cited by
- 71
- References
- 10
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 1
- FWCI
- 8.24
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Journal of Adolescent Health (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Funders
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Eating Disorders and Behaviors
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Pharmacy › Obesity and Health Practices
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
- Keywords
- weight stigma, disordered eating, adolescent girls, weight-based teasing, weight control behaviors, longitudinal effects, body image
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adolescent Behavior, Feeding and Eating Disorders, Body Image, Body Weight, Child, Family, Female, Humans, United States, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (U.S.), Social Stigma
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