Do Registered Dietitians, Nutrition Students, and Laypeople Perceive Individuals with Obesity Differently?

(1) Background: Obesity is associated with significant social consequences, and individuals with obesity are regularly affected by weight-related stigmatization experiences. This study compares antifat attitudes among registered dietitians (RD), nutrition students, and laypeople and assesses which factors related to the perceived causes of obesity influence these attitudes. (2) Methods: An online survey was conducted in Brazil with RD (n = 336), nutrition students (n = 300), and laypeople (n = 403) with questionnaires assessing antifat attitudes and perceived causes of obesity. (3) Results: All groups presented low antifat attitudes. Minor differences in antifat attitudes were found among the three groups. Compared to RDs and nutrition students, laypeople presented higher Weight Control/Blame scores, but with a small effect size (η2 = 0.01). Weight bias was predicted by age, sex, and body mass index. External, social, and financial factors were not perceived to be very important in the development of obesity by RD and students. (4) Conclusions: Since slight differences were seen among RD and students compared to laypeople, and some perceptions of the causes of obesity indicate a stigmatized view. It is essential to place a greater focus on educating and updating these health professionals and students about weight stigma and its consequences for the mental and physical health of individuals.

Eating habits and antifat attitudes among adolescent: West Serbian experience

Introduction Nutrition has a great impact on the health potential of young people. It is very important to analyze aspects of adolescent nutrition in a timely manner, in order to identify potential health risks. Objectives The aim of the study is to examine adolescents' eating habits and attitudes toward obesity. Methods 370 students from the Valjevo Medical School, Western Serbia, participated in the study. The survey was designed as a cross-sectional study, using the questionnaire whose first part was related to demographic characteristics of participants, the second part of the instrument examined eating habits, while the third part dealt with obesity, using the AFA obesity scale. Scale performance was tested by Cronbach's Alpha test (a = .78). Results The results showed that the majority of the subjects were eating properly and without skipping meals. It was worrying that the consumption of sweets and sodas was high. Females stated in large numbers that they disliked obese people. Most of the differences between healthy and unhealthy habits come from the living environment and parental level of education. Conclusions The transition years have brought some irregular eating habits in the adolescent population, more education is needed to maintain a healthy life.

What’s in a Tweet? Gender and sexism moderate reactions to antifat sexist humor on Twitter

The present study investigated whether antifat sexist humor (compared to antifat sexist statements or control statements), conveyed via Tweets, would impact perceptions of an overweight female target depicted in a workplace harassment scenario. We examined whether gender, antifat attitudes, and sexism would impact joke perceptions and moderate perceptions of the joke-relevant target. Participants (n = 451) were drawn from MTurk and completed the study online. They were randomly exposed to one of three tweet conditions and then read and responded to the harassment vignette, among filler vignettes, before completing sexism and antifat measures. Antifat attitudes unexpectedly shifted as a function of study prime and were thus not considered as a moderator. Results showed that men high in hostile sexism reported a greater likelihood of retweeting/favoriting antifat sexist jokes than men low on hostile sexism or women high in hostile sexism. Individuals high in hostile sexism in the joke condition found the behavior of the target less appropriate, and the behavior of the ostensible perpetrator more appropriate, than those in the control condition and those low on hostile sexism. Similar findings were obtained for benevolent sexism. Findings underscore the power of social media as a vehicle for disparagement humor and its consequences.

Adaptação transcultural da Escala de Atitudes Antiobesidade para o português do Brasil

Resumo Indivíduos obesos são muitas vezes considerados culpados por sua condição e alvos de discriminação e preconceito. O objetivo deste estudo é descrever a adaptação transcultural para o português do Brasil e validação do Antifat Attitudes Test - desenvolvido especificamente para a avaliação de atitudes negativas para com o indivíduo obeso. A escala possui 34 itens distribuídos em três subescalas nomeadas de “depreciação social e do caráter” (15 itens), “não atratividade física e romântica” (10 itens) e “controle do peso e culpa” (9 itens). O método envolveu a tradução da escala; avaliação da equivalência conceitual, operacional e de itens; avaliação da equivalência semântica por meio do teste t pareado, do coeficiente de correlação de Pearson e coeficiente de correlação intraclasse (CCI); avaliação da consistência interna (Alpha de Cronbach), confiabilidade teste-reteste (CCI) e Análise Fatorial Confirmatória - após aplicação em 340 universitários da área da saúde. Os resultados apontaram boa consistência interna e confiabilidade para a escala global (α 0,85; CCI 0,83), e a análise fatorial demonstrou que as subescalas originais podem ser mantidas na adaptação, sendo, portanto, a escala adaptada para o português do Brasil, válida e útil em estudos para explorar atitudes negativas para com os indivíduos obesos.

Physical disgust, germ aversion and antifat attitudes: the mediational effect of perceived controllability of weight

<p>Antifat attitudes refer to stereotyping based on people’s weight. A potential explanation for the strong negative attitudes toward obese individuals relates to people’s emotional reactions. In this study, conducted with 373 female students, it is suggested that physical disgust, germ aversion and perceived controllability of weight play a central role in explaining the individual differences that exist in antifat attitudes. Our results showed a positive relationship between physical disgust and germ aversion. Additionally, it has been found a positive correlation between physical disgust and perceived controllability of weight. Furthermore, a positive relationship between antifat attitudes, physical disgust and germ aversion was found. Finally, perceived controllability of weight was positively related with antifat attitudes. The path analysis conducted showed the mediational effect of perceived controllability of weight in the relationship between physical disgust and antifat attitudes. Finally, it is discussed the results in the frame of antifat attitudes literature.</p>

Eating concerns, body dissatisfaction, thinness internalization and antifat attitudes and their relationship with gender ideology in a sample of men

<p>Eating disorders are much less common in men than in women. In this paper it is argued that these differences may be explained by the gender ideology that men and women have. Literature suggests that women’s ideology internalizes the social norm of slimness and for that reason may develop eating concerns and body dissatisfaction with the pass of the time, while men externalize the value of thinness and that is why they show greater antifat attitudes than women. Data obtained from 450 male students revealed that participants high in a gender ideology scale reported greater antifat attitudes and less thinness internalization, eating concerns and body dissatisfaction. Finally, it is discussed why men and women adopt different strategies to deal with the social norm of thinness.</p>