Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States.
Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health, University of Connecticut, Hartford, CT, United States.
J Pediatr Psychol. 2024 Aug 1;49(8):547-558. doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsae042.
Research has highlighted the potential adverse effects of weight bias internalization (WBI) on adolescents, but there has been little examination of WBI and sources of weight teasing (family, peers, or both) or across racial/ethnic diversity of adolescents. We aimed to examine the relationship between WBI and sources of weight teasing across sociodemographic characteristics and weight status in a diverse community sample of adolescents.
Data were collected from a U.S. sample of 1859 adolescents aged 10-17 years (59% female; 43% White, 27% Black or African American, and 25% Latino). An online questionnaire was used to assess participants' experiences of weight teasing from family members, peers, or both, and their weight status, weight-related goals, WBI, and sociodemographic characteristics.
Adolescents experiencing weight teasing from both family and peers reported the highest levels of WBI, while those reporting no teasing exhibited the lowest levels. These patterns were observed across sex, race/ethnicity, weight status, and weight goals, and persisted after controlling for depressive symptoms. Notably, family influences played a salient role, with adolescents reporting higher WBI if teased by family only compared to teasing from peers only. Sex and racial differences were also observed in adolescents' experiences with weight-based teasing.
Our study reveals associations between adolescent weight-based teasing, WBI, and sociodemographic factors. Weight-based teasing, whether from family and peers or from family only, was associated with increased WBI. Interventions targeting weight stigma in youth should not be limited to peer-focused efforts, but should also emphasize supportive family communication.
研究强调了体重偏见内化（WBI）对青少年的潜在不良影响，但很少有研究关注 WBI 以及来自家庭、同伴或两者的体重嘲笑（体重嘲笑）的来源，也很少有研究关注不同种族/族裔青少年的体重嘲笑来源。我们旨在研究 WBI 与体重嘲笑来源之间的关系，探讨体重嘲笑来源与社会人口特征和体重状况之间的关系，这是一个多元化的青少年社区样本。
数据来自美国一个 1859 名年龄在 10-17 岁的青少年样本（59%为女性；43%为白人，27%为黑人和非洲裔美国人，25%为拉丁裔）。使用在线问卷评估参与者来自家庭成员、同伴或两者的体重嘲笑经历，以及他们的体重状况、与体重相关的目标、WBI 和社会人口特征。
同时受到家庭和同伴体重嘲笑的青少年报告的 WBI 水平最高，而没有受到嘲笑的青少年报告的 WBI 水平最低。这些模式在性别、种族/族裔、体重状况和体重目标方面均存在，并且在控制抑郁症状后仍然存在。值得注意的是，如果仅来自家庭的嘲笑与仅来自同伴的嘲笑相比，家庭的影响更为突出，青少年报告的 WBI 更高。在青少年的体重歧视经历中也观察到性别和种族差异。
我们的研究揭示了青少年体重歧视、WBI 与社会人口因素之间的关联。来自家庭和同伴的体重歧视，或仅来自家庭的体重歧视，都与 WBI 的增加有关。针对青少年体重歧视的干预措施不应仅限于以同伴为重点的努力，还应强调家庭的支持性沟通。
