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Mediated effects of eating disturbances in the association of perceived weight stigma and emotional distress

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

Abstract

Purpose

This study aimed to examine the relationships between perceived weight stigma, eating disturbances, and emotional distress across individuals with different self-perceived weight status.

Methods

University students from Hong Kong (n = 400) and Taiwan (n = 307) participated in this study and completed several questionnaires: Perceived Weight Stigma questionnaire; Three-factor Eating Questionnaire; Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Each participant self-reported their height, weight, and self-perceived weight status.

Results

After controlling for demographics, perceived weight stigma was associated with eating disturbances (β = 0.223, p < 0.001), depression (β = 0.143, p < 0.001), and anxiety (β = 0.193, p < 0.001); and eating disturbances was associated with depression (β = 0.147, p < 0.001) and anxiety (β = 0.300, p < 0.001) in the whole sample. Additionally, eating disturbances mediated the association between perceived weight stigma and emotional distress. Similar findings were shown in the subsamples who perceived themselves as higher weight or normal weight and in the male and female subsamples. However, in the subsamples who perceived themselves as lower weight, only the links between eating disturbances and emotional distress were significant.

Conclusion

Perceived weight stigma was associated with eating disturbances and emotional distress in young adults with both higher and normal weight. Eating disturbances were associated with emotional distress regardless of participants’ weight status.

Level of evidence

Level V, cross-sectional descriptive study.

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Data availability

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

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Funding

This research was supported in part by (received funding from) the startup fund in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong. The authors have no financial relationships relevant to this article to disclose.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 11 Yuk Choi Rd, Hung Hom, Hong Kong

    Chung-Ying Lin & Pauline Cheung

  2. Department of Public Health, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan

    Carol Strong

  3. Department of Psychology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI, USA

    Janet D. Latner

  4. Department of Early Childhood and Family Education, College of Education, National Taipei University of Education, Taipei, Taiwan

    Yi-Ching Lin

  5. Department of Pediatrics, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan

    Meng-Che Tsai

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  1. Chung-Ying Lin
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Correspondence to Chung-Ying Lin.

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Lin, CY., Strong, C., Latner, J.D. et al. Mediated effects of eating disturbances in the association of perceived weight stigma and emotional distress. Eat Weight Disord 25, 509–518 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-019-00641-8

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