Rathbone, J. A., Cruwys, T., Jetten, J., Banas, K., Smyth, L. and Murray, K. (2023) How conceptualizing obesity as a disease affects beliefs about weight, and associated weight stigma and clinical decision-making in health care. British Journal of Health Psychology, 28(2), pp. 291-305. (doi: 10.1111/bjhp.12625) (PMID:36164278)
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Abstract
Objectives: This study empirically investigated how conceptualizing obesity as a disease (i.e., pathologizing obesity) affects beliefs about weight, and weight stigma and discrimination among health professionals. Design: An experiment that manipulated the pathologization of obesity was completed by a multi-nation sample of health professionals from Australia, UK, and USA (N = 365). Methods: Participants were randomly assigned to one of two conditions where they were asked to conceptualize obesity as a disease or not a disease; then presented with a hypothetical medical profile of a patient with obesity who was seeking care for migraines. We measured biogenetic causal beliefs about obesity, endorsement of weight as a heuristic for health, negative obesity stereotypes, and treatment decisions. Results: Participants in the disease (vs. non-disease) condition endorsed biogenetic causal beliefs more strongly and made more migraine-related treatment recommendations. No effect of the manipulation was found for the remaining outcomes. Biogenetic causal beliefs about obesity were associated with less weight stigma. Endorsing weight as a heuristic for health was associated with greater weight stigma and differential treatment recommendations focused more on the patient's weight and less on their migraines. Conclusions: Pathologizing obesity may reinforce biogenetic explanations for obesity. Evidence demonstrates complex associations between weight-related beliefs and weight stigma and discrimination. Biogenetic causal beliefs were associated with less weight stigma, while endorsing weight as a heuristic for health was associated with greater weight stigma and differential treatment. Further research is needed to inform policies that can promote health without perpetuating weight-based rejection in health care.
| Item Type: | Articles |
|---|---|
| Additional Information: | This research was supported by an Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship awarded to the first author. |
| Keywords: | Weight-based discrimination, obesity as a disease, health professionals, health care, weight stigma. |
| Status: | Published |
| Refereed: | Yes |
| Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: | Banas, Dr Kasia |
| Authors: | Rathbone, J. A., Cruwys, T., Jetten, J., Banas, K., Smyth, L., and Murray, K. |
| College/School: | College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing |
| Journal Name: | British Journal of Health Psychology |
| Publisher: | Wiley |
| ISSN: | 1359-107X |
| ISSN (Online): | 2044-8287 |
| Published Online: | 26 September 2022 |
| Copyright Holders: | Copyright © 2022 The Authors |
| First Published: | First published in British Journal of Health Psychology 28(2): 291-305 |
| Publisher Policy: | Reproduced under a Creative Commons License |
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