Background: Weight bias is a global problem that can lead to negative health consequences and an increased risk of obesity. Preconception, pregnant and postpartum (PPP) women are highly stigmatised groups due to societal norms around weight and weight gain during the reproductive period, but little is known about the characteristics of the perpetrators of weight biases. We aimed to explore community members’ sociodemographic and weight self-perception correlates of weight bias towards PPP women.
Methods: An online cross-sectional survey was conducted with community-dwelling individuals (aged ≥18 years) from Australia, US, UK, Canada, Malaysia, and India between May and July 2023. Explicit weight bias (intentional and conscious negative attitudes and beliefs towards people of higher weight; Fat Phobia Scale [FPS]), demographic characteristics and weight self-perception were assessed. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses examined associations between explicit weight bias and sociodemographic variables and weight self-perception (block 2).
Result: Of the 514 respondents (mean age 49±18.2 years; range 18-84), 61.5% were female and 60.1% were White. Approximately one-third (35.4%) reported that they were living with obesity. The mean FPS score was 2.92 out of 5 (±0.82) and 5.4% of the sample demonstrated high levels of explicit weight bias (FPS score of ≥4.4). Being unemployed (vs. employed; B = 0.368, p < .001) and single (vs. married; B = 0.252, p = .005) were associated with higher FPS scores (i.e., higher weight bias). Residents of India (vs. other countries) demonstrated lower FPS scores (B = -0.601, p = 0.005). Gender, age, ethnicity, education, and weight self-perception (controlling for demographics), were not significantly associated with FPS scores.
Conclusion: Our findings have implications for weight bias elimination by providing insight into the segment of the population that should be targeted for intervention. Reducing weight bias will have positive impacts on health outcomes for PPP women living with obesity.