Coping with Weight Stigma Among Adults in a Commercial Weight Management Sample

Coping responses to weight stigma can adversely affect health. Using data from a large commercial weight management sample, this study examined how adults cope with weight stigma, relationships among experienced weight stigma, weight bias internalization, and coping, as well as coping strategies as mediators of the stigma-health relationship.

Participants were adults enrolled in WW (formerly Weight Watchers) who reported at least one lifetime experience of weight stigma (N = 11,924). Participants completed questionnaires about the type and frequency of stigma experiences, weight bias internalization, strategies used to cope with weight stigma, and health-related quality of life.

Active coping, planning, positive reframing, acceptance, emotional support, and exercise avoidance were the most common coping strategies employed in response to acute weight stigma experiences. Weight bias internalization was more strongly associated with coping strategies likely to exacerbate health (e.g., disordered eating, substance use, self-blame) than positive reframing, acceptance, and emotional support. More types of experienced weight stigma (e.g., teasing, unfair treatment) were associated with more frequent use of all coping strategies. Coping strategies did not mediate the stigma-health relationship, and several strategies were associated with poor mental health.

More types of experiences with weight stigma were associated with more attempts to cope generally, while weight bias internalization was associated with coping strategies which were in turn associated with poor mental health. Developing effective approaches for identifying individuals likely to internalize weight stigma and helping individuals adopt effective coping strategies in response to stigma are important avenues of future research.