Weighed Down by Stigma: How Weight‐Based Social Identity Threat Contributes to Weight Gain and Poor Health
Open accessAbstract
Weight stigma is pervasive, and a number of scholars argue that this profound stigma contributes to the negative effects of weight on psychological and physical health. Some lay individuals and health professionals assume that stigmatizing weight can actually motivate healthier behaviors and promote weight loss. However, as we review, weight stigma is consistently associated with poorer mental and physical health outcomes. In this article, we propose a social identity threat model elucidating how weight stigma contributes to weight gain and poorer mental and physical health among overweight individuals. We propose that weight‐based social identity threat increases physiological stress, undermines self‐regulation, compromises psychological health, and increases the motivation to avoid stigmatizing domains (e.g., the gym) and escape the stigma by engaging in unhealthy weight loss behaviors. Given the prevalence of overweight and obesity in the US, weight stigma thus has the potential to undermine the health and wellbeing of millions of Americans.
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“…single, higher body weight), negative attitudes toward them are seen as more acceptable than negative attitudes toward those who are discriminated against for things beyond their control (e.g., being a person of color; Crandall et al., 2002; see also Fisher & Sakaluk, 2020; Hunger et al., 2015).”
BackgroundGrannell, A., le Roux, C. W., & McGillicuddy, D. (2020) · Clinical Obesity · doi:10.1111/cob.12406 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
Weight-based discrimination, interpersonal needs, and suicidal ideation.
Hunger, J., Dodd, D. R., & Smith, A. R. (2020) · Stigma and Health · doi:10.1037/sah0000188 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
Self-citationStrumila, R., Lengvenytė, A., Guillaume, S., Nobile, B., Olié, É., & Courtet, P. (2024) · European Neuropsychopharmacology · doi:10.1016/j.euroneuro.2024.07.001 · Cited by 28 · see citing works
“On the other hand, body weight is strongly associated with social identity (Hunger et al., 2015) and rapid weight loss could result in identity disturbance, which has been associated with suicide attempts in borderline personality disorder (Yen et al., 2021).”
BackgroundCouples losing kinship: A systematic review of weight stigma in romantic relationships
Schmidt, A. M., Jubran, M., Salivar, E. G., & Brochu, P. M. (2022) · Journal of Social Issues · doi:10.1111/josi.12542 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
“The stress associated with weight stigma is known to dysregulate bodily function (e.g., cortisol, oxidative stress, C-reactive protein), which negatively affects physical health (e.g., immune functioning, systemic inflammation; Hunger et al., 2015; Tomiyama, 2014).”
BackgroundCarter, A., Hoang, A., Gilbert, P., & Kirby, J. N. (2021) · Journal of Health Psychology · doi:10.1177/13591053211027641 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
“Indeed, the stigma of being in a higher BMI range in Western societies causes great psychological distress (Hunger et al., 2015; Kelly et al., 2014; Puhl and Heuer, 2010).”
BackgroundInfluentialThe roles of weight stigma, emotion dysregulation, and eating pathology in suicide risk
Douglas, V., Kwan, M. Y., & Gordon, K. H. (2021) · Body Image · doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2021.04.005 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
Beccia, A. L., Jesdale, W. M., & Lapane, K. L. (2020) · Annals of Epidemiology · doi:10.1016/j.annepidem.2020.03.012 · Cited by 24 · see citing works
Decker, K., Thurston, I., & Kamody, R. (2018) · Body image · doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2018.10.004 · Cited by 24 · see citing works
Coping with weight stigma: development and validation of a Brief Coping Responses Inventory
Hayward, L. E., Vartanian, L., & Pinkus, R. T. (2017) · Obesity Science & Practice · doi:10.1002/osp4.125 · Cited by 24 · see citing works
“These stigmatizing experiences are stressful for the targets of weight stigma and produce harmful psychological and behavioural consequences (5).”
BackgroundCurll, S. L., & Brown, P. (2020) · Body image · doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2020.09.006 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
When stigma is the norm: How weight and social norms influence the healthcare we receive
Rathbone, J. A., Cruwys, T., Jetten, J., & Barlow, F. K. (2020) · Journal of Applied Social Psychology · doi:10.1111/jasp.12689 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
Scott, S., Elamin, W., Giles, E., Hillier-Brown, F., Byrnes, K., Connor, N., Newbury-Birch, D., & Ells, L. J. (2019) · Nutrients · doi:10.3390/nu11081914 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Corumination, diet culture, intuitive eating, and body dissatisfaction among young adult women
Faw, M. H., Davidson, K., Hogan, L. E., & Thomas, K. (2020) · Personal Relationships · doi:10.1111/pere.12364 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
Nguyen, V. H., Yeo, Y. H., Zou, B., Le, M. H., Henry, L. L., Cheung, R. C., & Nguyen, M. H. (2020) · Journal of Internal Medicine · doi:10.1111/joim.13203 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
Mohamed, B. A. A., & Idrees, M. H. D. (2023) · BMC Women's Health · doi:10.1186/s12905-023-02748-8 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
“This might be ascribed to the social stigma associated with “being fat” [21].”
BackgroundSaving money or losing face? An international study on social stigmatization in discount stores
Homburg, C., & Ukrainets, K. (2021) · Psychology and Marketing · doi:10.1002/mar.21482 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
“These studies focus on weight (Decker et al., 2018; Hunger et al., 2015; Major et al., 2014), gender (Metaxa‐Kakavouli et al., 2018; Stout & Dasgupta, 2011), and race (Eijberts & Roggeband, 2016; Meuleman et al., 2019).”
BackgroundInfluentialIntersectionality and Sizeism: Implications for Mental Health Practitioners
Smith, C. A. (2019) · Women & Therapy · doi:10.1080/02703149.2018.1524076 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
Relationship of pressure to be thin with gains in body weight and fat mass in adolescents
Suelter, C., Schvey, N. A., Kelly, N. R., Shanks, M., Thompson, K. A., Mehari, R. D., Brady, S. M., Yanovski, S. Z., Melby, C. L., Tanofsky‐Kraff, M., et al. (2016) · Pediatric Obesity · doi:10.1111/ijpo.12179 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
“coping, loneliness and depressed affect) plausibly may alter lifestyle behaviours that promote a positive energy balance (29).”
The COVID-19 pandemic and weight management: Effective behaviors and pandemic-specific risk factors
Borgatti, A. C., Schneider-Worthington, C. R., Stager, L., Krantz, O., Davis, A., Blevins, M., Howell, C., & Dutton, G. (2021) · Obesity Research and Clinical Practice · doi:10.1016/j.orcp.2021.06.007 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
Mason, T. B., Smith, K. E., & Lavender, J. M. (2018) · Appetite · doi:10.1016/j.appet.2018.09.017 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Gettens, K. M., Carbonneau, N., Koestner, R., Powers, T. A., & Gorin, A. A. (2018) · Families Systems & Health · doi:10.1037/fsh0000362 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
ASMBS position statement on weight bias and stigma.
Eisenberg, D., Noria, S., Grover, B. T., Goodpaster, K. P. S., & Rogers, A. (2019) · Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases · doi:10.1016/j.soard.2019.04.031 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
“[61] Hunger JM,Major B, Blodorn A,Miller CT.”
BackgroundYoung people’s perceptions of fat counsellors: “How can THAT help me?”
Moller, N. P., & Tischner, I. (2018) · Qualitative Research in Psychology · doi:10.1080/14780887.2018.1536384 · Cited by 36 · see citing works
“…psychological ill-health is not questioned, yet a growing number of researchers are arguing it is weight bias (rather than body weight per se) which has a causal relationship with both disordered eating (Vartanian & Porter 2016) and negative psychological and physical health (Hunger et al. 2015).”
BackgroundMcCleary-Gaddy, A. T., Miller, C. T., Grover, K. W., Hodge, J. J., & Major, B. (2018) · Annals of Behavioral Medicine · doi:10.1093/abm/kay042 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
“One previous study from this project theorized that physiological stress is one pathway by which weight-based social identity threat may lead to weight gain and poorer mental and physical health [2].”
BackgroundSelf-citationImagine that! The effect of counterstereotypic imagined intergroup contact on weight bias.
Dunaev, J., Brochu, P. M., & Markey, C. H. (2017) · Health Psychology · doi:10.1037/hea0000545 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Lee, K. M., Wang, C., Du, H., Hunger, J., & Tomiyama, A. (2024) · Appetite · doi:10.1016/j.appet.2024.107573 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
“Considerable research in the past decade has shown that weight stigma is not only widespread (Lee et al., 2021; Prunty et al., 2020), but also induces significant psychological and physiological stress (Hunger et al., 2015; Puhl & Heuer, 2009; Sikorski et al., 2015; Tomiyama, 2014, 2019).”
Self-citationMedical avoidance among marginalized groups: the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
Holder-Dixon, A. R., Adams, O. R., Cobb, T. L., Goldberg, A. J., Fikslin, R. A., Reinka, M. A., Gesselman, A. N., & Price, D. M. (2022) · Journal of Behavioral Medicine · doi:10.1007/s10865-022-00332-3 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
Turner, R., Wildschut, T., & Sedikides, C. (2022) · Journal of Applied Social Psychology · doi:10.1111/jasp.12869 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
Fat embodiment for resistance and healing from weight stigma
Sturgess, C. M. B., & Stinson, D. A. (2022) · Body Image · doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2022.02.007 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
“For example, people who self-identify as fat or who believe others identify them as fat can experience social identity threat (Hunger et al., 2015), a state of heightened anxiety and vigilance that is triggered This threat creates chronic stress and destabilizes self-regulation and executive…”
Papadopoulos, S., Garcia, X. D. L. P., & Brennan, L. (2021) · Obesity Reviews · doi:10.1111/obr.13267 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
“one's weight in particular contexts) is a risk factor for disordered eating(1) as well as poor psychological and physiological stress, and poor healthcare underutilization.(2)”
BackgroundInfluential
- Authors
- Hunger, J. M., Major, B., Blodorn, A., & Miller, C. T.
- Affiliations
- University of California, Santa Barbara (US)
- University of Vermont (US)
- Corresponding author
- Hunger, Jeffrey M.
- Venue
- Social and Personality Psychology Compass
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2015-06
- Volume
- 9
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 255-268
- ISSN
- 1751-9004 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC5720363
- OpenAlex
- W1533895333
- Cited by
- 332
- References
- 99
- Citations by year
- 2026: 28 · 2025: 36 · 2024: 47 · 2023: 28 · 2022: 29 · 2021: 42 · 2020: 38 · 2019: 20 · 2018: 30 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 15 · 2015: 4
- FWCI
- 53.86
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Social and Personality Psychology Compass (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (5R01HL112818-02)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Pharmacy › Obesity and Health Practices
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Eating Disorders and Behaviors
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
- Keywords
- weight stigma, social identity threat, weight gain, obesity, overweight, mental health, physical health, physiological stress, self-regulation, stigma avoidance, social identity
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