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Appearance-focused media use as a moderator of the relationship between fear of fat and weight bias: an exploratory study

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Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Previous research has found that fear of fat, or the fear of gaining weight, is fairly common within both normative and clinical populations. Similarly, weight bias, or biased attitudes directed at obese individuals, has been found across multiple segments of society. A common link shared between fear of fat and weight bias is the inherent emphasis on anti-fat feelings. Previous research has demonstrated an anti-fat bias within media content. Therefore, the purpose of the current research is to examine exposure to appearance-focused media as a moderator of the relationship between fear of fat and weight bias.

Methods

One hundred and eighty-seven female participants (Mage = 21.05, MBMI = 22.60) were administered a battery of assessments, including the Goldfarb Fear of Fat Scale and the Universal Measure of Bias of Fat Scale. Participants were also asked to report their frequency of exposure to appearance-focused media (TV and magazines).

Results

Results of this study suggest that appearance-focused media partially moderated the relationship between fear of fat and weight bias.

Conclusions

This suggests the messages portrayed by the media may be strengthening the relationship between fear of gaining weight and discrimination directed at obese individuals. Understanding this relationship has important implications for reducing weight stigma.

Level of evidence

Level V, cross-sectional descriptive study.

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Data availability

The data sets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, 96822-2294, USA

    Brooke L. Bennett, Allison F. Wagner, Katrina T. Obleada & Janet D. Latner

  2. University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, 2530 Dole Street, Sakamaki C400, Honolulu, HI, 96822-2294, USA

    Brooke L. Bennett

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  1. Brooke L. Bennett
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Correspondence to Brooke L. Bennett.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. This article does not contain any studies with animals performed by any of the authors.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Bennett, B.L., Wagner, A.F., Obleada, K.T. et al. Appearance-focused media use as a moderator of the relationship between fear of fat and weight bias: an exploratory study. Eat Weight Disord 25, 643–648 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-019-00666-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-019-00666-z

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