Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity, University of Connecticut.
Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut.
Health Psychol. 2018 Feb;37(2):139-147. doi: 10.1037/hea0000575. Epub 2017 Nov 9.
Considerable evidence has documented links between weight stigma and poor health, independent of weight. However, little research has assessed how individuals cope with weight stigma, and how stigma-specific coping responses contribute to health. The present study examined multiple stigma-specific coping responses as mediators of the relationship between experienced weight stigma and health.
A diverse national sample of 912 adults (53.9% female, Mage = 40.33, SD = 15.58) reporting experiences of weight stigma completed questionnaires about stigma, stigma-specific coping responses (i.e., coping with weight stigma via negative affect, maladaptive eating behavior, healthy lifestyle behavior, and exercise avoidance), and health indices including depressive symptoms, physical health, psychological wellbeing, dieting frequency, and self-esteem.
Stigma-specific coping responses mediated the relationship between experienced weight stigma and all health indices, though indirect effects of weight stigma on health varied by coping strategy. Weight stigma was indirectly associated with greater frequency of depressive symptoms, lower scores on psychological wellbeing, self-esteem and physical health through coping via negative affect. Weight stigma indirectly contributed to greater frequency of depressive symptoms and dieting, as well as lower self-esteem and poorer physical health through coping via maladaptive eating. Weight stigma was associated with less frequent depressive symptoms, more frequent dieting, better psychological wellbeing, better self-esteem, and better physical health through coping with healthy lifestyle behaviors.
These findings suggest that it may be useful to address weight stigma and coping in the context of weight management and obesity treatment programs, to help protect individuals from negative health effects of experiencing weight stigma. (PsycINFO Database Record
大量证据表明，体重歧视与健康状况不佳有关，而与体重无关。然而，很少有研究评估个体如何应对体重歧视，以及特定于耻辱感的应对反应如何促进健康。本研究考察了多种特定于耻辱感的应对反应作为经历体重歧视与健康之间关系的中介。
一个多元化的全国性样本，由 912 名成年人（53.9%女性，Mage = 40.33，SD = 15.58）组成，他们报告了体重歧视的经历，完成了关于耻辱感、特定于耻辱感的应对反应（即通过负面情绪、不良饮食行为、健康生活方式行为和避免运动来应对体重歧视）以及健康指数（包括抑郁症状、身体健康、心理健康、节食频率和自尊）的问卷。
特定于耻辱感的应对反应中介了经历体重歧视与所有健康指数之间的关系，但体重歧视对健康的间接影响因应对策略而异。通过负面情绪应对，体重歧视与抑郁症状频率增加、心理健康、自尊和身体健康评分降低间接相关。通过不良饮食应对，体重歧视间接导致抑郁症状和节食频率增加，以及自尊和身体健康下降。通过健康生活方式行为应对，体重歧视与抑郁症状频率较低、节食频率较高、心理健康状况较好、自尊较高和身体健康状况较好有关。
这些发现表明，在体重管理和肥胖治疗计划的背景下，解决体重歧视和应对问题可能是有益的，以帮助个体免受经历体重歧视的负面健康影响。
