Weight-Normative versus Weight-Inclusive Narratives in Weight-Related Public Health Campaigns: Effects on Anti-Fat Attitudes, Stigma, Motivation, and Self-Efficacy
Abstract
:1. Introduction
1.1. Weight-Normative Narratives
1.1.1. Personal Responsibility
1.1.2. Public Health Crisis
1.2. Weight-Inclusive Narratives
1.2.1. Health at Every Size
1.2.2. Fat Acceptance
1.3. The Current Research: Aims and Hypotheses
- Weight-normative campaigns (personal responsibility, public health crisis) would be associated with stronger anti-fat attitudes than weight-inclusive campaigns (HAES, fat acceptance);
- Weight-normative campaigns would be rated as more stigmatising than weight-inclusive campaigns;
- The HAES campaign would be rated as more motivating than all other campaigns;
- The fat acceptance campaign would be rated as less motivating than all other campaigns.
- 5
- The HAES campaign would be associated with higher self-efficacy than all other campaigns;
- 6
- The fat acceptance campaign would be associated with lower self-efficacy than all other campaigns.
2. Study 1
2.1. Methods
2.1.1. Participants
2.1.2. Materials and Measures
Campaign Messages
Campaign Images
Campaign Stigmatisation
Campaign Motivation
Anti-Fat Attitudes
Social Distance
Positive Contact and Negative Contact with Obese Persons
Personal Experiences of Weight-Based Discrimination
Motivation to Control Prejudiced Reactions
Demographic Information
Manipulation Checks
2.1.3. Procedure
2.1.4. Data Analysis
2.2. Results
2.3. Discussion
2.3.1. Anti-Fat Attitudes
2.3.2. Stigmatisation
2.3.3. Motivation
3. Study 2
3.1. Methods
3.1.1. Participants
3.1.2. Materials and Measures
Campaign Messages
Campaign Image
Campaign Stigmatisation
Campaign Motivation
Campaign Self-Efficacy
Personal Experiences of Weight-Based Discrimination
Demographic Information
Manipulation Check
3.1.3. Procedure
3.1.4. Data Analysis
3.2. Results
3.3. Discussion
3.3.1. Stigmatisation
3.3.2. Motivation
3.3.3. Self-Efficacy
4. General Discussion
Strengths, Limitations, and Future Directions
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Variable | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. Campaign Motivating | |||||||||||
2. Campaign Stigmatisation | 0.03 | ||||||||||
3. AFAS Dislike | 0.02 | −0.04 | |||||||||
4. AFAS Fear of Fat | 0.03 | 0.12 | 0.23 | ||||||||
5. AFAS Willpower | −0.03 | −0.09 | 0.54 | 0.21 | |||||||
6. Social Distance | −0.01 | 0.07 | 0.69 | 0.14 | 0.39 | ||||||
7. Experience of Weight Discrimination | 0.09 | 0.23 | −0.09 | 0.27 | −0.18 | −0.04 | |||||
8. Motivation to Control Prejudice | 0.11 | 0.06 | −0.14 | −0.05 | −0.27 | −0.05 | −0.06 | ||||
9. Positive Contact with Obese Persons | 0.09 | 0.04 | −0.40 | −0.03 | −0.13 | −0.42 | 0.11 | −0.06 | |||
10. Negative Contact with Obese Persons | −0.06 | 0.16 | 0.30 | 0.04 | 0.06 | 0.31 | 0.18 | −0.04 | 0.16 | ||
11. BMI | 0.11 | 0.18 | −0.16 | 0.18 | −0.12 | −0.17 | 0.58 | −0.21 | 0.21 | 0.01 |
Campaign Condition | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Personal Responsibility n = 36 | Public Health Crisis n = 39 | Health at Every Size n = 37 | Fat Acceptance n = 38 | Obese Control n = 32 | Average Weight Control n = 30 | |||||||
Variable (score range) | EMM | SE | EMM | SE | EMM | SE | EMM | SE | EMM | SE | EMM | SE |
AFAS (1–10) Dislike | 2.97 | 0.25 | 2.73 | 0.24 | 2.89 | 0.25 | 3.19 | 0.24 | 3.03 | 0.27 | 3.17 | 0.28 |
Fear of Fat | 5.66 | 0.41 | 5.39 | 0.40 | 5.12 | 0.41 | 6.01 | 0.40 | 6.07 | 0.44 | 6.32 | 0.46 |
Willpower | 6.46 | 0.39 | 5.29 | 0.33 | 5.55 | 0.34 | 6.10 | 0.33 | 5.64 | 0.36 | 5.66 | 0.37 |
Social Distance (6–30) | 10.93 | 0.67 | 9.04 | 0.65 | 10.36 | 0.66 | 9.95 | 0.65 | 10.26 | 0.71 | 9.44 | 0.74 |
Reaction to Campaign (1–5) Stigmatising | 3.07 | 0.16 | 2.93 | 0.15 | 2.26 | 0.16 | 2.47 | 0.15 | 2.83 | 0.17 | 2.21 | 0.17 |
Motivating | 3.05 | 0.14 | 2.65 | 0.13 | 2.72 | 0.14 | 1.87 | 0.13 | 2.81 | 0.15 | 2.32 a | 0.15 |
Variable | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. Campaign Motivation | |||||
2. Campaign Stigmatisation | −0.25 | ||||
3. Campaign Self-efficacy | 0.69 | −0.23 | |||
4. Experience of Weight Discrimination | 0.03 | 0.30 | 0.07 | ||
5. BMI | −0.04 | 0.12 | −0.01 | 0.47 |
Campaign Condition | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Personal Responsibility n = 34 | Public Health Crisis n = 37 | Health at Every Size n = 34 | Fat Acceptance n = 37 | Control n = 33 | ||||||
Variable (score range) | EMM | SE | EMM | SE | EMM | SE | EMM | SE | EMM | SE |
Reaction to Campaign (1–5) Stigmatising All Men Women | 3.07 2.61 3.54 | 0.14 0.21 0.19 | 2.62 2.50 2.76 | 0.14 0.21 0.18 | 2.50 2.74 2.27 | 0.15 0.20 0.22 | 2.43 2.40 2.47 | 0.14 0.20 0.19 | 2.71 2.82 2.60 | 0.15 0.22 0.19 |
Motivation | 3.27 | 0.14 | 2.90 | 0.15 | 2.79 | 0.15 | 2.26 | 0.14 | 3.25 | 0.15 |
Self-efficacy | 3.54 | 0.17 | 2.89 a | 0.16 | 3.18 | 0.17 | 2.27 | 0.16 | 3.12 | 0.17 |
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McGregor, S.; Roberts, S.; Grant, S.L.; O’Loghlen, E. Weight-Normative versus Weight-Inclusive Narratives in Weight-Related Public Health Campaigns: Effects on Anti-Fat Attitudes, Stigma, Motivation, and Self-Efficacy. Obesities 2022, 2, 76-93. https://doi.org/10.3390/obesities2010008
McGregor S, Roberts S, Grant SL, O’Loghlen E. Weight-Normative versus Weight-Inclusive Narratives in Weight-Related Public Health Campaigns: Effects on Anti-Fat Attitudes, Stigma, Motivation, and Self-Efficacy. Obesities. 2022; 2(1):76-93. https://doi.org/10.3390/obesities2010008
Chicago/Turabian StyleMcGregor, Suzy, Stephanie Roberts, Sharon L. Grant, and Elyse O’Loghlen. 2022. "Weight-Normative versus Weight-Inclusive Narratives in Weight-Related Public Health Campaigns: Effects on Anti-Fat Attitudes, Stigma, Motivation, and Self-Efficacy" Obesities 2, no. 1: 76-93. https://doi.org/10.3390/obesities2010008