Eating and Exercise-Related Correlates of Weight Stigma: A Multinational Investigation

Weight stigma is prevalent across the world. However, little is known about whether and how the harmful health consequences of weight stigma may vary across countries. The current study examined the association between experiences of weight stigma and multiple eating and exercise-related indicators among a large, multinational sample of adults.

Adults enrolled in an international weight management program residing in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States completed identical Web-based surveys in the dominant language for their country. Participants (N = 13,996) reported on their personal experiences of weight stigma and health, including eating behaviors, attitudes toward exercise, and perceived stress.

More than half of all participants in each country reported experiencing weight stigma. Participants who had experienced weight stigma reported engaging in more eating to cope, gym avoidance, and self-monitoring behaviors, as well as higher levels of stress and reduced eating self-efficacy. These associations were documented over and above sociodemographic characteristics and BMI and did not vary across countries.

Study findings document uniform health-related correlates of weight stigma within a multinational context and underscore the need for global initiatives to curtail weight stigma in order to support population health.