Past research shows that weight-related teasing is linked to binge eating, but little is known about the individual risk factors that render certain people more vulnerable than others. The current study examined three potential risk factors for binge eating in response to weight-related teasing: weight stigmatization experiences, weight bias internalization, and emotion dysregulation. The current study empirically investigated how these factors interacted to predict concurrent binge eating behavior through a self-report questionnaire and eating behavior in a laboratory following exposure to a weight stigma vignette. First, it was hypothesized that higher levels of weight stigmatization and emotion dysregulation would be associated with higher levels of binge eating, which was consistent with the results of a multiple linear regression analysis. Second, it was predicted that higher levels of weight stigmatization and emotion dysregulation would predict greater quantities of cookie consumption during a bogus taste test following exposure to a weight stigma vignette. The hypothesis was not supported by a multiple linear regression. Third, we posited that weight bias internalization would moderate the relationship between weight stigmatization and emotion dysregulation on disordered eating, such that higher levels of weight bias internalization would be associated with higher levels of binge eating. This was not supported by a hierarchical regression analysis. Overall, the results highlight variables pertinent to the relationship between weight stigma and binge eating. Future research should test the model in clinical samples to see if it is more relevant to people with more severe levels of eating pathology.

The obesity epidemic in the United States is increasing, and health concerns are also on the rise as they are directly related to obesity. Even though the majority of Americans are overweight or obese, prejudice and weight bias continue to be prevalent and socially accepted in a culture that tolerates discrimination towards these individuals. Health care providers, including registered dietitians, are not exempt from instigating bias towards obese patients causing a decrease in the level of care that they receive. The main purpose of this study was to compare attitudes, beliefs, and bias concerning obesity among undergraduate dietetic students, dietetic interns, and practicing registered dietitians. The data were reported directly by participants. No significant difference was found between fat phobia scores of students, interns, and dietitians. However, it was found that obesity bias decreased slightly as one moved through the dietetics profession. Also, Body Mass Index and fat phobia scores were negatively correlated.

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Objectives: Binge-eating disorder (BED) is characterized by recurrent binge eating episodes, associated eating disorder and general psychopathology, and commonly occurs in obese individuals. Explicit self-esteem and explicit weight bias have been linked to BED, while little is known about implicit cognitive processes such as implicit self-esteem and implicit weight bias. Methods: Obese participants with BED and an individually matched obese only group (OB) and normal weight control group (CG; each N = 26) were recruited from the community to examine group differences and associations in explicit and implicit self-esteem and weight bias, as well as the impact of implicit cognitive processes on global eating disorder psychopathology. Implicit cognitive processes were assessed using the Implicit Association Test. Results: Significantly lower explicit self-esteem, as well as higher exposure to explicit weight bias, compared to CG and OB was found in the BED group. All groups showed positive implicit self-esteem, however, it was significantly lower in BED when compared to CG. BED and CG demonstrated equally high implicit weight bias whereas OB did not. Explicit and implicit measures were not significantly correlated. Global eating disorder psychopathology was predicted by explicit and implicit self-esteem. Conclusions: The results of the present study add to the importance of implicit self-esteem and implicit weight bias beyond explicit measures in BED, while both were previously shown to be associated with onset and maintenance of BED. In conclusion, implicit cognitive processes should be focused on in interventions for BED to investigate their impact on psychological treatments.

Objectives: Binge-eating disorder (BED) is characterized by recurrent binge eating episodes, associated eating disorder and general psychopathology, and commonly occurs in obese individuals. Explicit self-esteem and explicit weight bias have been linked to BED, while little is known about implicit cognitive processes such as implicit self-esteem and implicit weight bias. Methods: Obese participants with BED and an individually matched obese only group (OB) and normal weight control group (CG; each N = 26) were recruited from the community to examine group differences and associations in explicit and implicit self-esteem and weight bias, as well as the impact of implicit cognitive processes on global eating disorder psychopathology. Implicit cognitive processes were assessed using the Implicit Association Test. Results: Significantly lower explicit self-esteem, as well as higher exposure to explicit weight bias, compared to CG and OB was found in the BED group. All groups showed positive implicit self-esteem, however, it was significantly lower in BED when compared to CG. BED and CG demonstrated equally high implicit weight bias whereas OB did not. Explicit and implicit measures were not significantly correlated. Global eating disorder psychopathology was predicted by explicit and implicit self-esteem. Conclusions: The results of the present study add to the importance of implicit self-esteem and implicit weight bias beyond explicit measures in BED, while both were previously shown to be associated with onset and maintenance of BED. In conclusion, implicit cognitive processes should be focused on in interventions for BED to investigate their impact on psychological treatments.

Weight bias exists in some health-related degree programs. Overweight and obese persons who experience weight bias in health-related services often delay or avoid medical attention altogether. Guided by the attribution theory, the purpose of this sequential explanatory study was to examine weight bias among health majors at a southwest regional university to illuminate how attitudes can affect the level of care provided to overweight persons. The Attitudes toward Obese Persons (ATOP) scores from a convenience sample of 184 health majors revealed that participants' scores were found to be significantly lower than the midpoint (60) of the ATOP scale, M = 56.68, SD = 16.75, t(183) = -2.69, p < .01, indicating more negative attitudes toward obese persons. As a follow-up measure, 12 interviews were conducted to examine how health majors described their own experiences in working with obese persons. Thematic analysis revealed that the majority of participants expressed common stereotypes to describe obese persons as lazy, lacking self-discipline, and unhealthy. The integration of both sets of data supported the need to develop weight bias curriculum to facilitate social change whereby adaptive approaches to minimize weight bias among students within the classroom and clinical settings become best practice. Future research efforts in the development and evaluation of interventions are needed to reduce weight bias among academic institutions that offer health-related degree programs.

Bakgrund Ätstörningar är ett växande samhällsproblem och kan förekomma hos en person oavsett kroppsvikt, könsidentitet eller etnicitet. Fördomar om hur en stereotypisk person med ätstörning ser ut och beter sig förekommer både i samhället och inom hälso- och sjukvården. Personer med ätstörningar förekommer såväl i primärvården som i den specialiserade ätstörningsvården. Eftersom ätstörningar orsakar ett psykiskt och somatiskt hot mot personens hälsa behöver sjuksköterskan inom alla vårdkontexter ha kunskap och förståelse om personens upplevelse av situationen.  Syfte Syftet med litteraturstudien är att beskriva personers upplevelse av att erhålla vård vid ätstörningar. Metod En icke-systematisk litteraturöversikt baserat på 15 vetenskapliga originalartiklar. Med hjälp av olika kombinationer av sökord inhämtades artiklarna från databaserna CINAHL och PubMed. En kvalitetsgranskning av artiklarna genomfördes utifrån Sophiahemmet Högskolas bedömningsunderlag för vetenskaplig klassificering och kvalitet. En integrerad dataanalys användes för att sammanställa resultatet.  Resultat Det sammanställda resultatet presenterades under tre huvudkategorier: Upplevelser av ett viktfokus, Behovet av att bli tagen på allvar samt Vårdrelationens betydelse. Resultatet indikerar att oavsett ätstörningsdiagnos upplevs ätstörningsvården ofta exkluderande. Därtill är det viktigt att bli bekräftad i sin sjukdom och att utveckla en medmänsklig vårdrelation. Slutsats Denna litteraturöversikt visade att när ätstörningsvården upplevs inkluderande och anpassar vården efter personen finns goda möjligheter att erhålla ett positivt behandlingsresultat. Med ökad kunskap och förståelse om ätstörningar kan sjuksköterskan i sitt omvårdnadsansvar bemöta önskemålet om att ätstörningsvården ska utgå från ett helhetsperspektiv. / Background Eating disorders are a growing problem in society and can occur in persons regardless of body weight, gender identity, or ethnicity. Stereotypes about how a person with an eating disorder looks and behaves exist both within society and within the healthcare system. People with eating disorders can seek care and support in both primary health-care settings and specialized eating disorder services. Since eating disorders pose a psychological and somatic threat to a person’s health, nurses in all areas of care need to have knowledge and understanding of the person’s situation.  Aim The aim of this literature review is to describe the person’s experience of receiving care for eating disorders.  Method A non-systematic literature review based on 15 scientific original articles. The articles were retrieved from the databases CINAHL and PubMed using various combinations of keywords. A quality assessment of the articles was conducted based on Sophiahemmet University's assessment criteria for scientific classification and quality. An integrated data analysis approach was used to compile the results. Results The compiled results were presented under three main categories: Experiences of a weight focus, The need to be taken seriously, and Significance of the healthcare relationship. The results indicate that regardless of the eating disorder diagnosis, the eating disorder care is often experienced as excluding. Additionally, it is important for the person to get the illness confirmed and to develop a compassionate patient-caregiver relationship.  Conclusions This literature review showed that when eating disorder care is experienced as inclusive and tailored to the person, there are good opportunities to achieve a positive treatment outcome. With increased knowledge and understanding about eating disorders, nurses through their nursing responsibilities can meet the desire for eating disorder care to be based on a holistic perspective.

Introduction: Recent years have witnessed a medicalization of obesity, promoting a classification as a disease or disability in order to reduce or protect against weight stigma and discrimination. This study sought to investigate the public understanding of the disability and disease concepts in obesity, their acceptance, and association with weight stigma. Methods: In a representative German population sample (n = 2,524), public views of obesity as a disease or disability were assessed via a self-report questionnaire. For the assessment of weight stigma, the Weight Control/Blame subscale from the Antifat Attitudes Test was used. Results: A significantly greater acceptance of the disease than the disability concept was found (37.1 vs. 15.4%). Both disease and disability were mainly viewed as physical conditions, although onethird also viewed obesity as a mental disease. While agreement with the disease concept – especially of physical and genetic disease – significantly predicted lower weight stigma; agreement with the disability concept – especially of mental or intellectual disability – predicted higher weight stigma. Conclusions: These results suggest a careful use of the disease and disability terms and precise definitions. The disability concept in particular carries notions that are publicly devalued.

Stigmatized obese individuals tend to internalize the pervasive weight stigma which might lead to self-discrimination and increased psychopathology. While explicit and implicit weight stigma can be measured using self-report questionnaires and Implicit Association Tests (IAT), respectively, the assessment of self-discrimination relied solely on self-report. The present study sought to develop an IAT measuring implicit self-discrimination (SD-IAT) in samples of obese individuals with and without binge-eating disorder (BED). Seventy-eight individuals were recruited from the community and individually matched in three groups. Obese participants with BED, obese participants without BED (OB), and a normal weight control group without eating disorder psychopathology (HC) were assessed with the SD-IAT and other measures relevant for convergent and discriminant validation. Results revealed significantly higher implicit self-discrimination in the BED group when compared to both OB and HC. Furthermore, significant correlations were found between the SD-IAT with body mass index, experiences of weight stigma, depressive symptoms, and implicit self-esteem. Finally, implicit self-discrimination predicted eating disorder psychopathology over and above group membership, and experiences of weight stigma. This study provides first evidence of the validity of the SD-IAT. Assessing implicit self-discrimination might further increase understanding of weight stigma and its significance for psychosocial functioning among vulnerable obese individuals.

Objective: Self-stigma in overweight and obese individuals has strong associations with impairment in mental and global health. This study sought to explore self-compassion as a psychological resource in the self-stigma process. Methods: In a 2012 representative German population survey of N = 1,158 overweight and obese individuals, self-compassion was examined as a mediator between self-stigma and mental and physical health outcomes, including BMI (kg/m 2 ), using structural equation modeling and controlling for sociodemographic factors. Results: Psychological variables were assessed using validated self-report questionnaires. Self-compassion partially mediated the relationships between self-stigma and depression, somatic symptoms, and health status / quality of life, lowering the predictive effect of self-stigma on the outcomes by approximately one-third. In contrast, self-compassion, because it was unrelated to BMI, did not mediate the association between self-stigma and BMI. Conclusion: Self-compassion has the potential to act as a buffer against the mental and global health detriments of self-stigma in overweight and obesity and could thus represent a target for interventions to reduce self-stigma and prevent these health impairments. In order to influence the association between self-stigma and BMI, self-compassion should conceptually be linked to weight management.