Overweight and Lonely? A Representative Study on Loneliness in Obese People and Its Determinants

Obesity is associated with physical and medical restrictions and comorbidities, but it also entails psychosocial effects such as social isolation and feelings of rejection. The aim of this study was to investigate the link between loneliness and weight stigma in a large sample of obese individuals. Results were derived from a large representative sample (n = 1,000). The survey included the 3-item version of the UCLA loneliness scale, the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) as well as the Weight Bias Internalization scale (WBIS). The mean UCLA score was 1.943 (SD = 0.771). Respondents with higher levels of depression (B = 0.176), higher internalized weight bias (B = 0.435), and the experience of discrimination (B = 0.286) reported higher levels of loneliness. Future studies should investigate the mediation pathways between obesity, loneliness, and its determinants to provide a framework for successful interventions as part of obesity management programs.