Logo image
Back
Internalized weight stigma mediates and moderates physical activity outcomes during a healthy living program for women with high body mass index
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Internalized weight stigma mediates and moderates physical activity outcomes during a healthy living program for women with high body mass index

Jane L. Mensinger and Angela Meadows
Psychology of sport and exercise, v 30, pp 64-72
01 May 2017
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2017.01.010
Featured in Collection :   UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
url
https://research.birmingham.ac.uk/portal/en/publications/internalized-weight-stigma-mediates-and-moderates-physical-activity-outcomes-during-a-healthy-living-program-for-women-with-high-body-mass-index(c6e529f3-2e6f-40c6-9e0f-e1dcb9bbf103).htmlView
SubmittedCC BY-NC-ND V4.0,  Open

Abstract

Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism Life Sciences & Biomedicine Psychology Psychology, Applied Science & Technology Social Sciences Social Sciences - Other Topics Sport Sciences
Objectives: To investigate the influence of internalized weight stigma (IWS) on physical activity (PA) outcomes among women with body mass index (BMI) over 30 kg/m(2). Design and method: Data were drawn from an RCT that included 80 primarily inactive women (94% nonHispanic/Latina white; mean age = 39.6, SD = 4.1, range = 30.0 to 45.0; mean BMI = 38.0 kg/m(2), SD = 3.9, range = 30.2-44.8 kg/m(2). Participants completed a 6 month weight-neutral, health-at-every-size or weight-loss-focused group-based healthy living program. PA enjoyment and engagement in moderate-intensity PA (MI-PA) (at least 30 minutes most days of the week) were assessed at baseline and immediately post-intervention. We used intention-to-treat linear mixed-effects modeling to test IWS as a moderator of changes in MI-PA engagement. We also tested a model whereby the positive effects of participating in the program on engagement in MI-PA would be serially mediated by a reduction in IWS and a concomitant increase in MI-PA enjoyment. Results: The weight-neutral and weight-loss-focused data were combined for all analyses. The moderation hypothesis was supported with a significant interaction between IWS and time. Participants had significant gains overall in MI-PA engagement from baseline to post-intervention; however, those with high IWS had an attenuated response. The serial mediation model was also supported. The positive effect of the program on engagement in MI-PA occurred through decreased IWS and increased MI-PA enjoyment. Conclusions: Self-directed stigma and holding negative attitudes about one's weight interferes with positive changes in PA outcomes. Healthy living programs may be less effective for those most vulnerable unless we aim to reduce IWS. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Metrics

13 Record Views
69 citations in Web of Science
72 citations in Scopus

Details

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This publication has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#5 Gender Equality
#3 Good Health and Well-Being

InCites Highlights

Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:

Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
International collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism
Psychology
Psychology, Applied
Sport Sciences
Logo image