(PS8-A22) Correlates of Internalized Weight Stigma in Food Insecure Populations

This study examines psychological correlates of internalized weight stigma (IWS) in food insecure individuals living in poverty. Food insecurity (FI) is defined as having insufficient access to food in both quantity and quality. Weight stigma (WS) refers to negative attitudes or beliefs about individuals living in  higher weight bodies. Receiving weight-stigmatizing messages (including outright weight discrimination) may lead to internalized weight stigma (IWS). Recent research indicates that IWS and FI are associated such that individuals living with high levels of FI report higher levels of IWS. FI is also strongly associated with increased weight which increases the likelihood of people with FI receiving weight-stigmatizing messaging. 

WS and IWS contribute to poorer psychological functioning (e.g., depression, anxiety, disordered eating behaviors) as well as compromised physical health (e.g., diabetes,  cardiovascular disease). To date, however, most of the existing WS/IWS research centers on predominantly slim, wealthy, and White populations thus neglecting more vulnerable groups, particularly those of lower socio-economic and racial/ethnic minority status. The aim of the present work-in-progress study is to investigate  previously-identified correlates of WS/IWS in the context of FI. We hypothesize that WS is associated with IWS as well as adverse physiological and psychological outcomes.

Participants are being recruited from the San Antonio Food Bank and will be asked to complete a questionnaire regarding their level of FI, IWS, experiences of weight-based discrimination, ED pathology, anxiety, depression, current medical conditions, and quality of life. Results of this work in progress may provide useful information to the food justice community, which has a history weight stigma. Given that weight-stigma is a key contributor to weight gain, the project’s findings may demonstrate that weight-stigmatizing or anti-fat approaches to promoting health are adding to the issue (e.g., obesity) they are trying to ameliorate. Considering the dearth of research on minority groups, examining IWS in the context of a largely Latinx sample adds to the existing literature on how marginalized populations are affected by eating disorders and related constructs.