research & sources
fat is informed by research examining the psychological effects of weight stigma, particularly the ways weight stigma can become internalized and negatively impact mental health.
Emmer, C., Bosnjak, M., & Mata, J. (2020).
The association between weight stigma and mental health: A meta-analysis. Obesity Reviews, 21, e12935.
A meta-analysis of 105 studies and 59,172 participants found a significant association between weight stigma and poorer mental health, including depression, anxiety, psychological distress, disordered eating, body dissatisfaction, and lower self-esteem. Internalized weight stigma showed the strongest association with diminished mental health among the forms of stigma examined.
Sonneville, K. R., Thurston, I. B., Gordon, A. R., Richmond, T. K., Weeks, H. M., & Lipson, S. K. (2024).
Weight stigma associated with mental health concerns among college students. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 66(2), 260–268.
In a study of 2,707 college students, both experienced and anticipated weight stigma were associated with increased odds of anxiety, depression, eating-disorder risk, binge eating, purging, and high weight concerns. The findings demonstrate that the psychological impact of weight stigma can include not only experiencing mistreatment, but anticipating future weight-based judgment.
Warnick, J. L., Darling, K. E., West, C. E., Jones, L., & Jelalian, E. (2022).
Weight stigma and mental health in youth: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of 40 studies found a significant association between weight stigma and poorer mental health among children and adolescents, including depression, anxiety, disordered eating, body dissatisfaction, and lower self-esteem. The relationship between weight stigma and mental health was stronger among younger participants.
Himmelstein, M. S., Incollingo Belsky, A. C., & Tomiyama, A. J. (2015).
The weight of stigma: Cortisol reactivity to manipulated weight stigma. Obesity, 23(2), 368–374.
In an experimental study, women who perceived themselves as heavy experienced sustained cortisol elevation after being exposed to interpersonal weight stigma. The effect was associated with self-perceived weight rather than objective BMI, providing evidence that weight stigma can produce a measurable physiological stress response.
Emmer, C., Bosnjak, M., & Mata, J. (2020).
The association between weight stigma and mental health: A meta-analysis. Obesity Reviews, 21, e12935.
A meta-analysis of 105 studies and 59,172 participants found a significant association between weight stigma and poorer mental health, including depression, anxiety, psychological distress, disordered eating, body dissatisfaction, and lower self-esteem. Internalized weight stigma showed the strongest association with diminished mental health among the forms of stigma examined.
Sonneville, K. R., Thurston, I. B., Gordon, A. R., Richmond, T. K., Weeks, H. M., & Lipson, S. K. (2024).
Weight stigma associated with mental health concerns among college students. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 66(2), 260–268.
In a study of 2,707 college students, both experienced and anticipated weight stigma were associated with increased odds of anxiety, depression, eating-disorder risk, binge eating, purging, and high weight concerns. The findings demonstrate that the psychological impact of weight stigma can include not only experiencing mistreatment, but anticipating future weight-based judgment.
Warnick, J. L., Darling, K. E., West, C. E., Jones, L., & Jelalian, E. (2022).
Weight stigma and mental health in youth: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of 40 studies found a significant association between weight stigma and poorer mental health among children and adolescents, including depression, anxiety, disordered eating, body dissatisfaction, and lower self-esteem. The relationship between weight stigma and mental health was stronger among younger participants.
Himmelstein, M. S., Incollingo Belsky, A. C., & Tomiyama, A. J. (2015).
The weight of stigma: Cortisol reactivity to manipulated weight stigma. Obesity, 23(2), 368–374.
In an experimental study, women who perceived themselves as heavy experienced sustained cortisol elevation after being exposed to interpersonal weight stigma. The effect was associated with self-perceived weight rather than objective BMI, providing evidence that weight stigma can produce a measurable physiological stress response.