Exercise for People with Obesity

Question 1

define Stigma

Answer 1

A strong feeling of disapproval that most people in a society have about something, especially when this is unfair

Question 2

Define Weight Stigma

Answer 2

Negatie weight-related attitudes, beliefs, assumptions and judgements towards individuals who are overweight and obese

Question 3

How is weight stigma correlated with mental health, and how may this differ in different demographics?

Answer 3

• Meaningful but small correlation between weight stigma and mental health, same between men and women, same for young and old, same for people even trying to do something about their weight.

Question 4

How can weight bias lead to stigma?

Answer 4

• Design of the physical environment leading to heightened visibility of weight (tube seats)
• Social influences leading to heightened visibility of weight

Question 5

How may stigma impact motivation, social identity and shame in people with obesity?

Answer 5

It may demotivate people from taking part in certain activities due to shame, and may cause people to identify with exercise just ‘not being for them’.

Question 6

What impact does weight-teasing have on children?

Answer 6

-Lower physical self concept
-Lower physical activity self-efficacy
-Lower levels of physical fitness
-Greater likelihood of coping through avoidance
(Puhl and Sun 2015)

Question 7

How does stigma and internalisation of weight bias affect adults?

Answer 7

-Negatively predicts willingness to exercise (Puhl and Sun 2015)

Question 8

How do weight bias internalisation and weight stigma experiences impact people with obesity?

Answer 8

-Decreased exercise motivation, exercise self efficacy and exercise behaviour

Question 9

Observationally, how does obesity rate and stigma compare in different countries?

Answer 9

• People in the UK had more stigma about weight than the Dutch did, and the UK had over twice the obesity rate at the time.
• Dutch people had less fear of being overweight, and less judgement about lack of willpower

Question 10

Observationally, how does anti-fat attitude correlate with motivation for weight control on a population level?

Answer 10

-Anti fat attitudes positively associated with motivation for weight control, but people with obesity had less motivation for weight control.

Question 11

What did Schvey et al 2017 find about the relationship between stigma, responses to stigma, and mental health outcomes in people with obesity/overweight?

Answer 11

• People who were overweight/obese were more self conscious during exercise
• More stigma associated with maladaptive coping such as disordered eating
• More percieved stigma associated with poorer emotional health.
• Bottom line: Stigma may promote exercise behaviour, bot more likely to be maladaptive behaviour and undermine mental health at the same time.