Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego and San Diego State University, 2002. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 74-93).

Thesis (Ph. D., Education)--University of Idaho, April 2009. / Major professor: Jerry McMurtry. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 160-174). Also available online (PDF file) by subscription or by purchasing the individual file.

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Weight-based stigmatization refers to negative beliefs and weight-related attitudes that are demonstrated through rejection, bias, stereotypes, and prejudice towards individuals because they are overweight or obese. With weight stigma prevalent and on the rise, assessment of factors associated with weight stigma is important in developing effective interventions for children. The goal of this study was to investigate weight stigma in relation to perspective taking skills and executive function (EF). Sixty-two 4- to 7-year-olds were administered measures of weight stigma (explicit and a Weight Implicit Association Test; Weight IAT), perspective taking skills, and EF. As expected, most children demonstrated the stereotype that fat was bad on explicit and implicit measures. Results showed that explicit weight stigma increases with age, and perspective taking skills and EF were not associated with weight stigma. The findings suggest that weight stigma increases with age and that early intervention is needed to reduce weight stigma. / Graduate

Overweight and obesity in children is an extensive and accelerating problem in the western world. The risk factors for overweight are well- known and well-documented. Focus should lie in the prophylactic work in order to prevent overweight and obesity in preschool children. The aim of our study has been to highlight the role of the district nurse in her/his work to prevent overweight and obesity in preschool children. The study was carried out through studies as a literature review. In order to support the parents and taking their circumstances and conditions into consideration, it was considered very important that the district nurse paid attention to the view of the parents on the weight of their child. Parents were considered to have an important role in giving their children healthy eating habits. The attitude of the district nurse was relevant as to how she/he treated the overweight and how she/he tackled the preventive work. Professional practice and training within the field were important factors in making the district nurse succeed in her/his work to prevent overweight and obesity in children. Lack of time and lack of parental commitment and attitude were the main reasons for limiting the district nurse in her work to prevent overweight and obesity in children. Personnel within the primary care should supervise and coordinate health promoting measures in order to prevent overweight and obesity in children. The district nurse plays a unique part in influencing the parents very early on in their children’s life by arranging regular and repeated visits to the child welfare center. The basis for a successful work by the district nurse is training and the fact that she is made aware of her own attitudes towards overweight. More research is imperative to support and develop guidelines for preventing overweight and obesity in children.

Abstract Purpose: Acculturation is associated with negative health behaviors and dietary practices among Latino’s in the U.S. Many social aspects include educational attainment, poverty, cultural norms and socio-cultural markers such as acculturation have been shown to directly and indirectly influence risk for obesity. However, few studies have examined the impact that acculturation has on obesity among children. For this reason, the objective of this thesis is to examine the prevalence and correlates of overweight in Latino children focusing specifically on language spoken at home as a proxy measure for acculturation. Methods: Secondary analysis were conducted of the National Survey of Children’s Health (2003). The cross-sectional analyses were limited to Hispanic children ages 6-17. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analyses were conducted. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine the association between overweight and language spoken at home, age, gender, educational attainment, media use, neighborhood safety and exercise frequency. Finally, stratified analyses were conducted to determine the prevalence and correlates of overweight in Spanish versus English speaking households. Results: Currently, the CDC reports that the prevalence of overweight among Latino children is 22%, higher than both non-Hispanic white and non-Hispanic black respectively. The findings show that Spanish language spoken at home is significantly associated with overweight among Latino children (Adj.OR 1.25 95% CI:1.09-1.43). Educational attainment showed significant association with increase in overweight; the lower the educational attainment the more likely these children were overweight. Additionally, frequent exercise reduced likelihood of overweight. Conclusions: Although, the findings are contradictory to the literature,primary language is associated with overweight for Latino children. The results also suggest that there are important similarities and differences between primary Spanish and English speaking Latino household that can be used to inform prevention programs and strategies for reducing overweight specifically among Latinos.

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The often stated inability of many patients to lose weight or maintain weight reduction is a common complaint heard in general practice and the dietary reasons underlying the problem was studied. The study was carried out in a suburban general practice , and it was found that there is a high degree of dietary ignorance and dietary indiscretion in overweight people. This would therefore account in the majority of cases for the claims made by patients that they eat very little and yet cannot lose weight. Overweight/obesity is of multi-factoral aetiology and the dietary aspect plays a major role. Thus recommendations have been made to endeavour to correct the problem at general practice level, by supplying a protocol in an approach to weight control management and at a community level by the introduction of a comprehensive and multifaceted health programme aimed at education and implementation of good dietary behaviour. / Thesis (M.Prax.Med.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1986.

The prevalence of overweight and obesity is on the rise. Being overweight or obese is associated with serious medical, psychological, and social consequences. The main social consequence of being overweight or obese is stigma, which is detrimental to overweight and obese people. Three types of obesity stigma reduction interventions have been proposed and tested: changing attributions, increasing empathy, and social consensus. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of these interventions and to determine the effectiveness of an intervention that incorporates major elements of the three interventions. Three hundred eighty one University of Manitoba undergraduate students participated in this study. They were randomly assigned to one of five intervention groups: status quo group, changing attributions group, increasing empathy group, social consensus group, and multi-level intervention group. The interventions involved presenting participants with information intended to influence participants’ perceptions of overweight and obese individuals. Pre-test and post-test ratings were obtained on participants’ attributions about weight, feelings about obese people, and endorsement of positive and negative stereotypes of obese people. Analyses of these ratings revealed that the empathy and multi-level interventions are the only interventions that improved attributions, feelings, and endorsement of stereotypes, and this suggests that the multi-level and empathy interventions were the most powerful. On the other hand, the attribution intervention had the largest overall effect and affected attributions, feelings, and negative stereotypes. Therefore, there are reasons to believe that the attribution intervention was the most powerful in this study. Participants were subsequently asked to rate a target overweight person. Half of all participants were informed that the target was overweight because of medical reasons, while the other half were informed that the target was overweight because of regular overeating and a sedentary lifestyle. Surprisingly, the intervention groups did not significantly differ in target ratings on any variable. Reasons for this lack of effect are discussed. A main effect did occur in the ratings of the target for controllability information. Specifically, participants who were informed that the target was overweight for uncontrollable reasons (e.g., glandular disorder) reported more favorable ratings in liking her and not blaming her, as compared to participants who were informed that the target was overweight for controllable reasons (e.g., regular overeating and sedentary lifestyle). Ratings of the target’s characteristics and physical attractiveness did not change with this manipulation. Overall, this study provided logical and consistent results, while adding specific information to the literature. Further, this study offered a new, effective intervention for obesity stigma reduction, as well as providing some support for the empathy and attribution interventions. These three interventions proved to be the strongest in this study, and perhaps they will one day be used as part of a more global intervention to reduce stigma and discrimination toward overweight and obese people.