Weight stigma facilitates unhealthy eating and weight gain via fear of fat
Open accessAbstract
OBJECTIVE: Across two studies, we examine if the relationships between perceived weight stigma, maladaptive eating behaviors (Study 1 & 2) and weight gain (Study 2) are mediated by fear of fat (FOF). METHOD: In Study 1, 189 participants completed measures of eating behavior (e.g., emotional and restrained eating), FOF, perceived weight stigma and height and weight. In Study 2, a longitudinal design, participants reported their perceived weight stigma, FOF and had their height and weight measured; they then returned 10 weeks later to complete measures of eating behaviors (e.g., flexible restraint, ridged restraint, and emotional eating) and height and weight. We examined the predictive value of weight stigma at session 1 on eating behavior and weight gain at session 2. Further, we examined FOF as a mediator of these relationships. RESULTS: =.07, CI: .002 to .28). Flexible restraint and emotional eating behavior were not mediators of the relationship between perceived weight stigma and weight gain. CONCLUSION: Fear of fat may be one process through which perceptions of weight stigma lead to maladaptive eating behavior and weight gain. Understanding this important process may lead to more effective healthy weight interventions.
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Weight stigma increases stress and predicts maladaptive eating behaviors such as uncontrolled or emotional eating, perpetuating cycles of weight gain and loss.
“Weight stigma not only increases stress but also predicts maladaptive eating behaviors such as uncontrolled or emotional eating, perpetuating cycles of weight gain and loss.”
From Weight maintenance after discontinuation of GLP-1 therapies (2026) · cites this paper as [48]
The background section describes weight stigma as a possible stressor, and Study 1 Results find a relationship between weight stigma and emotional eating. But the paper does not establish cycles of weight gain and loss; Study 2 Results report that emotional eating did not significantly predict weight gain. The cited passages have no page numbers in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.87)
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References 43 · Cited by 43
Research works printed but not linked: 3
- Hayes AF 2013 Introduction to mediation, moderation, and conditional process analysis: A regression-based approach New York, NY The Guilford Press
- Himmelstein M Tomiyama AJ 2015 It’s not you, it’s me. Self-perceptions, antifat attitudes, and stereotyping of obese individuals Social Psychological and Personality Science 6 7 749 757 10.1177/1948550615585831 · DOI
- Teegardin C 2011 Grim childhood obesity ads stir critics The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published online December 29, 2011
- Authors
- Wellman, J. D., Araiza, A. M., Newell, E. E., & McCoy, S. K.
- Affiliations
- California State University, San Bernardino (US)
- Wilkes University (US)
- University of Maine (US)
- Venue
- Stigma and Health
- Published
- 2018-08
- Volume
- 3
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 186-194
- ISSN
- 2376-6964 (ISSN-L)
- 2376-6972
- PMC
- PMC6132275
- OpenAlex
- W2587032072
- Cited by
- 43
- References
- 43
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 2
- FWCI
- 7.76
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Stigma and Health (publishedVersion, other-oa)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Science Foundation (1008498)
- National Institutes of Health (R25GM100829)
- CSUSB Institute for Child Development and Family Relations
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Pharmacy › Obesity and Health Practices
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Eating Disorders and Behaviors
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Nutrition, Health and Food Behavior
- Keywords
- weight stigma, fear of fat, maladaptive eating behaviors, weight gain, emotional eating, dietary restraint, mediation, body weight
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