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Volume 20
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10.3390/ijerph20247147
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Article

Internalized Weight Stigma and Weight Discrimination: Associations with Quality of Life and Psychosocial Impairment in a Sample Living with Food Insecurity

by
Sabrina E. Cuauro
1,2,*,
Natalia Santos
1,
Estefania Andrade
1,
Anoushka W. Dani
1,
Saivone N. Sanchious
1,3,
Savannah C. Hooper
4 and
Carolyn Black Becker
1
1
Department of Psychology, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX 78212, USA
2
Department of Psychological Sciences, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
3
Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
4
Department of Psychological and Brain Science, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(24), 7147; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20247147
Submission received: 26 September 2023 / Revised: 26 November 2023 / Accepted: 2 December 2023 / Published: 6 December 2023
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Associations between Eating Disorders and Psychological Health)
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Abstract

Research suggests that experiencing weight discrimination is associated with a lower quality of life and poor psychological and physical health. However, much of the existing weight discrimination literature has neglected under-represented groups. Little is known about how the experience of weight discrimination affects quality of life and eating/weight-related psychosocial impairment in those living with food insecurity. The present study investigated the associations of weight discrimination and eating/weight-related psychosocial impairment and quality of life. We examined internalized weight stigma and several psychological indicators as potential mediators. Participants (N = 1085) who were recruited from a local food bank completed a questionnaire assessing food insecurity, weight discrimination, internalized weight stigma, eating disorder pathology, anxiety, depression, eating/weight-related psychosocial impairment, and quality of life. Overall, almost one in four participants reported experiencing weight discrimination. Our serial mediation models indicated that increased experiences of weight discrimination were associated with greater internalized weight stigma and psychopathology, which were in turn associated with lower quality of life and greater eating/weight-related psychosocial impairment. Thus, experiencing weight discrimination may negatively impact quality of life and eating/weight-related psychosocial impairment through its effect on mental health. It is imperative to address the negative effects of the widespread discrimination of people based on their weight.
Keywords: weight discrimination; food insecurity; quality of life; psychosocial impairment weight discrimination; food insecurity; quality of life; psychosocial impairment

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MDPI and ACS Style

Cuauro, S.E.; Santos, N.; Andrade, E.; Dani, A.W.; Sanchious, S.N.; Hooper, S.C.; Becker, C.B. Internalized Weight Stigma and Weight Discrimination: Associations with Quality of Life and Psychosocial Impairment in a Sample Living with Food Insecurity. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20, 7147. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20247147

AMA Style

Cuauro SE, Santos N, Andrade E, Dani AW, Sanchious SN, Hooper SC, Becker CB. Internalized Weight Stigma and Weight Discrimination: Associations with Quality of Life and Psychosocial Impairment in a Sample Living with Food Insecurity. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2023; 20(24):7147. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20247147

Chicago/Turabian Style

Cuauro, Sabrina E., Natalia Santos, Estefania Andrade, Anoushka W. Dani, Saivone N. Sanchious, Savannah C. Hooper, and Carolyn Black Becker. 2023. "Internalized Weight Stigma and Weight Discrimination: Associations with Quality of Life and Psychosocial Impairment in a Sample Living with Food Insecurity" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 20, no. 24: 7147. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20247147

APA Style

Cuauro, S. E., Santos, N., Andrade, E., Dani, A. W., Sanchious, S. N., Hooper, S. C., & Becker, C. B. (2023). Internalized Weight Stigma and Weight Discrimination: Associations with Quality of Life and Psychosocial Impairment in a Sample Living with Food Insecurity. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(24), 7147. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20247147

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