Internalized weight stigma and the progression of food addiction over time. (September 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Meadows, Angela; Higgs, Suzanne
• Is Part Of: Body image. Volume 34(2020)
• Page Start: 67
• Page End: 71
• Publication Date: 2020-09
• Subjects: Eating behavior -- Food addiction -- Social stigma -- Body image -- Longitudinal study; Body image -- Periodicals; Body image -- Research -- Periodicals; Body Image -- Periodicals; 306.4613
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2020.05.002
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1740-1445

Abstract

Highlights: Weight-related self-devaluation predicted increased fear of stigma over time. Fear of weight stigma predicted worsening addictive-like eating behavior over time. Baseline "food addiction" did not predict internalized weight stigma over time. Abstract: Food addiction is associated with elevated levels of eating pathology, body image concerns, and internalized weight stigma. The role of internalized weight stigma in the progression of addictive-like eating has not been explored. This longitudinal study explored the relative contributions of weight-related self-devaluation and fear of being stigmatized by others in predicting changes in addictive-like eating behavior over time. 305 young adults ( M age = 18.7 years, SD = 1.1, range 18–28, M BMI = 21.9 kg/m 2, SD =3.7 kg/m 2, range 13.7–38.9 kg/m 2 ) completed online measures of "food addiction, " weight-related self-devaluation, and fear of stigma from others at two time points (follow-up M = 280 days, SD = 30, range 155–474). At baseline, 7.9 % exhibited clinically relevant addictive-like eating behavior, 40.3 % self-classified as being "addicted to food", and 51.8 % neither. Using cross-lagged modelling, fear of being stigmatized, but not self-devaluation, was a predictor of worsening "food addiction" status over time. Fear of weight stigma, rather than weight-related self-devaluation per se, may be an important predictor of problematic eating behavior. As weight stigma is prevalent in Western populations, these findings have potential implications for the development of problem eating behaviors in non-clinical samples.