1.
Pressure To Be Thin and Insulin Sensitivity Among Adolescents.
Schvey, NA, Shomaker, LB, Kelly, NR, Pickworth, CK, Cassidy, O, Galescu, O, Demidowich, AP, Brady, SM, Tanofsky-Kraff, M, Yanovski, JA
The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine. 2016;(1):104-10
-
-
Free full text
-
Abstract
PURPOSE Extant research indicates that some of the comorbidities associated with adult obesity may be adversely affected by the stress resulting from negative body image and weight-related stigma. This study examined the association between weight-related pressure and insulin sensitivity in adolescents, who are vulnerable to both weight-based teasing and the onset of metabolic dysregulation. METHODS Participants were 215 adolescent healthy volunteers (55% female; 59% white; 35% overweight/obese; mean ± standard deviation age = 15.4 ± 1.4 year), who completed a self-report measure of pressure to be thin from parents, friends, and romantic partners. Fasting blood samples were obtained to assess serum insulin and glucose, which were used to calculate insulin sensitivity; fat mass (kg) and fat-free mass (%) were measured with air-displacement plethysmography. Pubertal stage was determined by physical examination. RESULTS Pressure to be thin was positively associated with fasting insulin (p = .01) and negatively associated with insulin sensitivity (p = .02), after controlling for pubertal stage, sex, race, height, fat-free mass, and adiposity. Pressure to be thin was associated with a greater odds of having hyperinsulinemia (fasting insulin ≥ 15 μIU/mL; odds ratio (95% confidence interval): 1.65 [1.08-2.50], p = .02), adjusting for the same covariates. CONCLUSIONS Results indicate that adolescents perceiving more pressure to be thin have greater elevations of fasting insulin and poorer insulin sensitivity above and beyond the effect of fat mass. Future research is warranted to elucidate the mechanisms responsible for this relationship.
2.
"Before and after" diet advertisements escalate weight stigma.
Geier, AB, Schwartz, MB, Brownell, KD
Eating and weight disorders : EWD. 2003;(4):282-8
Abstract
The stigma-producing effects of "before and after" diet advertisements on a healthy weight sample were examined. Subjects (n = 59) were exposed to a presentation containing either a "before and after" diet ad, or solely the "before" or "after" picture embedded in a different ad. Subjects were then given measures to assess negative attitudes and endorsement of stereotypes about overweight people. Across all subjects, strong implicit anti-fat bias was present. Subjects in the Before and After condition indicated that weight is more easily controllable than did subjects in either the Before Picture Only or the After Picture Only conditions. There were two moderating variables for this effect. Subjects who reported greater life satisfaction endorsed fewer anti-fat stereotypes, and those who enjoyed an emotionally close relationship with an overweight person were less biased. These results suggest that "before and after" diet ads enhance weight stigma and perpetuate damaging stereotypes.