University of Hawai'i at Manoa, 2350 Dole Street, Sakamaki C400, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA.
The Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law, Box 951476, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
J Eat Disord. 2013 Jan 22;1:3. doi: 10.1186/2050-2974-1-3. eCollection 2013.
Weight bias is widespread and has numerous harmful consequences. The internalization of weight bias has been associated with significant psychological impairment. Other forms of discrimination, such as racial and anti-gay bias, have been shown to be associated with physical health impairment. However, research has not yet examined whether internalized weight bias is associated with physical as well as psychological impairment in health-related quality of life.
Participants included 120 treatment-seeking overweight and obese adults (mean body mass index = 35.09; mean age = 48.31; 68% female; 59% mixed or Asian ethnicity). Participants were administered measures of internalized weight bias and physical and mental health-related quality of life, and they were assessed for the presence of chronic medical conditions, use of prescription and non-prescription medications, and current exercise.
Internalized weight bias was significantly correlated with health impairment in both physical (r = -.25) and mental (r = -.48) domains. In multivariate analyses controlling for body mass index, age, and other physical health indicators, internalized weight bias significantly and independently predicted impairment in both physical (β = -.31) and mental (β = -.47) health.
Internalized weight bias was associated with greater impairment in both the physical and mental domains of health-related quality of life. Internalized weight bias also contributed significantly to the variance in physical and mental health impairment over and above the contributions of BMI, age, and medical comorbidity. Consistent with the association between prejudice and physical health in other minority groups, these findings suggest a link between the effects of internalized weight-based discrimination and physical health. Research is needed on strategies to prevent weight bias and its internalization on both a societal and individual level.
体重歧视普遍存在，且会产生诸多有害后果。对体重歧视的内化与严重的心理损伤有关。其他形式的歧视，如种族歧视和反同歧视，已被证明与身体健康损伤有关。然而，研究尚未检验内化的体重歧视是否与身体健康以及与健康相关的生活质量的心理损伤都有关。
参与者包括 120 名寻求治疗的超重和肥胖成年人（平均身体质量指数=35.09；平均年龄=48.31；68%为女性；59%为混合或亚洲种族）。参与者接受了内化的体重歧视以及身体健康和心理健康相关生活质量的测量，并评估了他们是否患有慢性疾病、是否使用处方药和非处方药以及是否进行了当前的锻炼。
内化的体重歧视与身体（r = -.25）和心理（r = -.48）领域的健康损伤显著相关。在控制身体质量指数、年龄和其他身体健康指标的多元分析中，内化的体重歧视显著且独立地预测了身体（β= -.31）和心理（β= -.47）健康的损伤。
内化的体重歧视与身体健康相关的生活质量的身体和心理领域的损伤都更严重。内化的体重歧视也显著增加了身体和心理健康损伤的方差，超过了 BMI、年龄和医学合并症的贡献。这些发现与其他少数群体中偏见与身体健康之间的关联一致，表明内化的基于体重的歧视的影响与身体健康之间存在联系。需要研究在社会和个人层面上预防体重歧视及其内化的策略。
