Stigma, Obesity and Adolescent Risk Behaviors: Current Research and Future Directions

Adolescents are particularly vulnerable to risk behaviors as, in this life stage, they are experiencing intense physical, psychological and social changes. Adolescents who are overweight/obese, but particularly those who perceive themselves as such, are more likely to engage in risk behaviors than those who are or perceive themselves of normal-weight. Weight stigma and discrimination may contribute to this association as they reinforce poor body image and create intense stress. Stress is associated with poor emotion regulation, more impulsive, contextually-determined, and less rational decision-making, leading to greater engagement in risk behaviors. However, pathways from weight stigma/discrimination to risk behavior may be moderated by adolescents' social networks. This review provides a conceptual model and empirical evidence to illustrate the proposed pathways from weight stigma and discrimination to risk behaviors. Public health implications and future research directions are also discussed.