Change in weight-based bias over a decade: A longitudinal nationally representative survey

Area of Science:

• Sociology
• Psychology
• Public Health

Background:

• Global obesity prevalence has nearly tripled in 45 years, with 2 billion adults overweight or obese.
• Individuals experiencing overweight and obesity often face significant bias and stigma.
• Past research indicated rising weight-based bias, yet recent efforts aim to counteract it.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine changes in weight-based bias over the last decade using a nationally representative survey.
• To investigate if changes in weight-based bias are due to developmental factors (aging) or cohort differences.
• To analyze gender differences in weight-based bias over the past ten years.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the New Zealand Attitudes and Values Survey (NZAVS), an ongoing longitudinal panel study since 2009.
• Included 61,051 participants across 11 waves of data collection.
• Assessed attitudes toward overweight individuals using a feeling thermometer measure over eleven years.

Main Results:

• Weight-based bias demonstrated relative stability over the past decade.
• Minor cohort-based differences were observed in women from four younger birth cohorts, showing increased warmth towards overweight individuals.
• Both genders exhibited a slight, gradual increase in warmth toward overweight people, peaking in middle age.

Conclusions:

• Weight-based bias has remained largely stable in the past decade.
• Observed changes do not appear to be developmental (age-related).
• Slight decreases in bias among younger women cohorts may indicate evolving societal norms, warranting further investigation.