Weight Stigma and Eating Behaviors in University Students: Results from a Cross-Sectional Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14306/renhyd.28.4.2241Keywords:
Weight prejudice, Social stigma, Feeding behavior, DietAbstract
Introduction. Weight stigma begins with experiencing stigma through disqualifying beliefs, attitudes and actions, which are internalized and increase the anticipation of being stigmatized due to weight. This modifies eating behaviors: maladaptive (emotional eating, cognitive restriction and uncontrolled eating) and adaptive behaviors (intuitive eating) as an emotional regulation response. The aim was to analyze the effect of facets of weight stigma (experienced, internalized, and anticipated stigma) on maladaptive and adaptive eating behaviors.
Methods: Cross-sectional study. 766 university students in health area participated. The following were applied: a) Modified Internalization of Stigma Scale, b) Fear of Stigma Scale, c) Three-Factor Questionnaire R-18 and d) Intuitive Eating Scale. Descriptive analysis was performed in SPSS V.23 and mediation model with MPLUS8 with Bootstraping and 95% confidence intervals.
Results: 68% (n = 524) were women. Internalized stigma had a direct effect with emotional eating (p = .001), uncontrolled eating (p = .001) and cognitive restriction (p = .001), and a negative effect with intuitive eating (p = .001). Anticipated stigma with emotional eating (p = .001), uncontrolled eating (p < .001), but not with cognitive restriction (p = .392), negative with intuitive eating (p = .011). Anticipated stigma is a mediator between experienced stigma and emotional eating (ß = .103, p = .001) and uncontrolled eating (ß = .225, p < .001). Internalized stigma was a mediator with cognitive restraint (ß = .194, p = .001), uncontrolled eating (ß = .136, p = .001), and emotional eating (ß = .082, p = .001).
Conclusions: The relationship between experienced stigma and emotional eating, cognitive restriction and uncontrolled eating is mediated by internalized stigma, anticipated stigma is a mediator for emotional eating and uncontrolled eating.
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