Department of Neuroscience, University of Padova, 35121 Padova, Italy.
Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, 35129 Padova, Italy.
Nutrients. 2022 Apr 22;14(9):1735. doi: 10.3390/nu14091735.
(1) Background: Weight bias (WB) is an implicit psychological construct that can influence attitudes, beliefs, body experience, and evaluation of specific psychopathology relationships. Sexual orientation has played a crucial role in developing and maintaining psychiatric conditions linked to body evaluation, but few studies have evaluated possible connected biases. Thus, the paper aims to assess potential relationships between sexual orientation and WB, looking at potential roles in specific psychopathology; (2) Methods: A total of 836 cisgender subjects participated in an online survey, aged between 18 and 42 years old. Two specific aspects of WB were evaluated with validated scales about beliefs about obese people and fat phobia. Demographic variables, as well as depression and eating concerns were evaluated; (3) Results: Gay men and bisexual women showed higher levels of fat phobia, depression, and eating concerns. Regression analysis showed that sexual orientation significantly predicted fat phobia (p < 0.001) and beliefs about obese people (p = 0.014); (4) Conclusions: This study confirms the vulnerability of gay men and bisexual women to cognitive bias about their own bodies, showing a potential vulnerability about body and weight concerns.
(1) 背景：体重偏见（WB）是一种隐性心理结构，它可以影响态度、信念、身体体验以及对特定精神病理学关系的评估。性取向在发展和维持与身体评估相关的精神病理学方面发挥了关键作用，但很少有研究评估可能存在的相关偏见。因此，本文旨在评估性取向与 WB 之间的潜在关系，关注特定精神病理学中的潜在作用；(2) 方法：共有 836 名顺性别者参加了一项在线调查，年龄在 18 岁至 42 岁之间。使用关于肥胖者信念和肥胖恐惧症的验证量表评估 WB 的两个特定方面。评估了人口统计学变量以及抑郁和饮食问题；(3) 结果：男同性恋者和双性恋女性表现出更高水平的肥胖恐惧症、抑郁和饮食问题。回归分析表明，性取向显著预测肥胖恐惧症（p<0.001）和对肥胖者的信念（p=0.014）；(4) 结论：这项研究证实了男同性恋者和双性恋女性对自身身体的认知偏见的脆弱性，显示出对身体和体重问题的潜在脆弱性。
