Like mother, like daughter: Association of maternal negative attitudes towards people of higher weight with adult daughters' weight bias. (September 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gagnon-Girouard, M.-P.; Carbonneau, N.; Gendron, M.; Lussier, Y.; Bégin, C.
• Is Part Of: Body image. Volume 34(2020)
• Page Start: 277
• Page End: 281
• Publication Date: 2020-09
• Subjects: Weight bias -- Thin-ideal internalization -- Intergenerational transmission; Body image -- Periodicals; Body image -- Research -- Periodicals; Body Image -- Periodicals; 306.4613
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2020.07.004
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1740-1445

Abstract

Highlights: Mothers' weight bias was directly related to daughters' weight bias. Previously observed association between parents' and children's bias were also observable into adulthood. Mothers' fear of fat and attribution beliefs about overweight were linked to daughters' weight bias. Abstract: Negative weight bias emerges at an early age. Parents play an important role in the development of their children's attitudes. In particular, mothers who place great importance on physical appearance have young daughters who exhibit more weight bias. The extent to which mothers have internalized the importance of being thin influences their own level of weight bias. Because most studies have been conducted among mothers of young children, the presence of these associations within adult dyads is unclear. The present study explored the link between mothers' weight bias and their adult daughters' weight bias, taking into account their respective level of thin-ideal internalization. Two hundred and nineteen Canadian mother-daughter adult dyads completed online questionnaires. Mothers' beliefs about people of higher weight were significantly related to their daughters' weight bias. Greater daughters' thin-ideal internalization was associated with greater weight bias across all dimensions of bias. However, fear of getting fat was the only dimension of maternal bias associated with daughters' thin-ideal internalization. In conclusion, adult daughters' weight bias was modestly linked to their mothers' negative attitudes toward individuals of higher weight.