Associations between weight bias internalization, weight status, and health among a diverse cohort of freshman college students.
Saved in:
| Title: | Associations between weight bias internalization, weight status, and health among a diverse cohort of freshman college students. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Borgatti, Alena (AUTHOR), Morgan, Casie (AUTHOR), Stager, Lindsay (AUTHOR), Dutton, Gareth R. (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Journal of American College Health. Oct2025, Vol. 73 Issue 8, p2896-2905. 10p. |
| Subjects: | Cross-sectional method, Health status indicators, Prejudices, Body mass index, Mental health, Research funding, T-test (Statistics), Cronbach's alpha, Body weight, Universities & colleges, Sex distribution, Questionnaires, Internalizing behavior, Descriptive statistics, Race, Eating disorders, Psychology of college students, Comparative studies, Data analysis software, Social stigma, Obesity |
| Abstract: | Mental health concerns are common among college students, especially students with higher body mass index (BMI). Weight bias internalization (WBI) is thought to contribute to these mental health disparities. However, little is known about how WBI differs among more diverse students, and to what extent WBI may explain associations between BMI and health in college populations. This study compared rates of WBI in Freshman college students (N = 1289) across gender, race/ethnicity, and sexual orientation, and assessed whether WBI mediated associations between BMI and mental health (depression, self-esteem, stress, loneliness) and behavioral health (disordered eating, physical activity, gym use). Black students and men demonstrated reduced WBI while bisexual women showed increased WBI. Further, WBI mediated the association of BMI with mental health and disordered eating, but not physical activity. These findings suggest that stigma may account for mental health disparities among higher-BMI students, and that minoritized groups are disproportionately impacted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Journal of American College Health is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
|
Full text is not displayed to guests.
Login for full access.
|
|
| Abstract: | Mental health concerns are common among college students, especially students with higher body mass index (BMI). Weight bias internalization (WBI) is thought to contribute to these mental health disparities. However, little is known about how WBI differs among more diverse students, and to what extent WBI may explain associations between BMI and health in college populations. This study compared rates of WBI in Freshman college students (N = 1289) across gender, race/ethnicity, and sexual orientation, and assessed whether WBI mediated associations between BMI and mental health (depression, self-esteem, stress, loneliness) and behavioral health (disordered eating, physical activity, gym use). Black students and men demonstrated reduced WBI while bisexual women showed increased WBI. Further, WBI mediated the association of BMI with mental health and disordered eating, but not physical activity. These findings suggest that stigma may account for mental health disparities among higher-BMI students, and that minoritized groups are disproportionately impacted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 07448481 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/07448481.2024.2346351 |
