[Association between weight-based stigmatization psychological stress and calorie intake]

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Endocrinology
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Weight-based stigmatization is a prevalent issue affecting individuals with overweight and obesity.
• Understanding the psychological and physiological impacts of weight stigma is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between weight-based stigmatization, psychological stress, cortisol levels, negative emotions, and eating behaviors.
• To examine these associations in a cohort of middle-aged women.

Main Methods:

• Eighty-two middle-aged women (55% overweight/obese) were randomized to view either a weight-stigma video or a control video.
• Salivary cortisol, self-reported psychological stress, negative emotions, and calorie consumption were assessed.
• Cortisol was measured via four samples, while stress and emotions were self-reported.

Main Results:

• A direct association was found between psychological stress and calorie intake among women exposed to the stigma video.
• Negative emotions did not mediate the relationship between stress and calorie intake.
• Psychological stress moderated the association between viewing the stigma video and cortisol output (β = 0.32; p = 0.005).

Conclusions:

• Elevated psychological stress correlates with increased calorie consumption in women.
• Exposure to weight-stigmatizing content, combined with high psychological stress, is linked to heightened cortisol release, indicating a physiological stress response.