Addressing Weight Bias in the Cisgender Population: Differences between Sexual Orientations

Nutrients

Angela Favaro¹  Elena Tenconi¹  Enrico Collantoni¹  Paolo Meneguzzo¹  Valentina Meregalli¹ 

[1] Department of Neuroscience, University of Padova, 35121 Padova, Italy;

关键词: weight bias;    gay;    lesbian;    bisexual;    obesity;    cisgender;   

DOI  :  10.3390/nu14091735

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

(1) Background: Weight bias (WB) is an implicit psychological construct that can influence attitudes, beliefs, body experience, and evaluation of specific psychopathology relationships. Sexual orientation has played a crucial role in developing and maintaining psychiatric conditions linked to body evaluation, but few studies have evaluated possible connected biases. Thus, the paper aims to assess potential relationships between sexual orientation and WB, looking at potential roles in specific psychopathology; (2) Methods: A total of 836 cisgender subjects participated in an online survey, aged between 18 and 42 years old. Two specific aspects of WB were evaluated with validated scales about beliefs about obese people and fat phobia. Demographic variables, as well as depression and eating concerns were evaluated; (3) Results: Gay men and bisexual women showed higher levels of fat phobia, depression, and eating concerns. Regression analysis showed that sexual orientation significantly predicted fat phobia (p < 0.001) and beliefs about obese people (p = 0.014); (4) Conclusions: This study confirms the vulnerability of gay men and bisexual women to cognitive bias about their own bodies, showing a potential vulnerability about body and weight concerns.

【 授权许可】

Unknown