Weight stigma facilitates unhealthy eating and weight gain via fear of fat

Abstract

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: In Study 1, we found that FOF significantly mediated the positive relationship between perceived weight stigma and restrained eating behavior (b=.13, CI: .09 to .19). In Study 2, we found that perceived weight stigma predicted weight gain over the 10-week period and that this relationship was mediated by both FOF (b=.31, CI: .03 to .78) and rigid restraint of eating (b=.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.

Keywords: Eating Behavior; Fear of Fat; Rigid Restraint; Weight Gain; Weight stigma.

Figures

Figure 1

The relationships between weight stigma and eating behavior are mediated by fear of fat. Note: *p < .05

Figure 2

The relationship between weight stigma and weight gain is mediated by fear of fat and eating behavior. Note: Unstandardized coefficients are reported ‡p = .06; *p < .05.