Olaniran Marianne O, Francis Jackson, Neti Sitapriya, Polavarapu Dhatri, Kapti Eda G, Mathew M Sunil, Schellinger Jeffrey N, Allicock Marlyn A, Messiah Sarah E, Almandoz Jaime P
Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences School of Public Health University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Dallas Texas USA.
Department of Epidemiology Peter O'Donnell School of Public Health University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Dallas Texas USA.
Obes Sci Pract. 2025 Jul 31;11(4):e70084. doi: 10.1002/osp4.70084. eCollection 2025 Aug.
Individuals with obesity frequently encounter weight bias, which can contribute to the internalization of negative weight-related attitudes. This study examined sex differences in self-reported weight bias internalization among a racially and ethnically diverse sample of adults with obesity engaged in treatment.
Mixed method approach was used. Weight bias internalization was assessed quantitatively using the 11-item weight bias internalization scale (WBIS) and qualitatively through in-depth interviews. Sex differences were examined with univariate and multivariate linear regressions. Interviews were thematically analyzed to explore sex differences.
Quantitative analysis ( = 60, 62% female) revealed that non-Hispanic White individuals with obesity exhibited significantly greater weight bias internalization than non-Hispanic Black individuals with obesity. There was no significant difference in mean WBIS scores between males (4.15 ± 1.34; = 0.13) and females (3.68 ± 1.02; = 0.13). Qualitative analysis ( = 24, 50% female) identified themes such as childhood trauma, self-esteem, health challenges, discrimination, and social interactions. No major conceptual differences emerged in the internalization of weight bias between male and female participants. However, female participants mostly described weight bias internalization as contributing to social avoidance and negatively impacting their career prospects.
Quantitative analyses indicated no statistically significant sex differences in weight bias internalization, and qualitative findings revealed no substantial conceptual differences between male and female participants. Future research should explore socioecological factors such as race/ethnicity, relationship status, and employment to identify populations at greater risk and inform targeted strategies for improving health outcomes.
肥胖个体经常遭遇体重偏见，这可能导致与体重相关的负面态度内化。本研究调查了参与治疗的不同种族和族裔的肥胖成年人自我报告的体重偏见内化中的性别差异。
采用混合方法。使用11项体重偏见内化量表（WBIS）对体重偏见内化进行定量评估，并通过深入访谈进行定性评估。通过单变量和多变量线性回归检验性别差异。对访谈进行主题分析以探索性别差异。
定量分析（n = 60，62%为女性）显示，肥胖的非西班牙裔白人个体比肥胖的非西班牙裔黑人个体表现出明显更大的体重偏见内化。男性（4.15±1.34；p = 0.13）和女性（3.68±1.02；p = 第13页）的平均WBIS得分没有显著差异。定性分析（n = 24，50%为女性）确定了童年创伤、自尊、健康挑战、歧视和社会互动等主题。男女参与者在体重偏见内化方面没有出现重大概念差异。然而，女性参与者大多将体重偏见内化描述为导致社交回避并对其职业前景产生负面影响。
定量分析表明体重偏见内化在性别上没有统计学上的显著差异，定性研究结果表明男女参与者之间没有实质性的概念差异。未来的研究应探索社会生态因素，如种族/族裔、恋爱状况和就业情况，以确定风险更高的人群，并为改善健康结果的针对性策略提供信息。
