Internalized weight bias in patients presenting for bariatric surgery

• Published in: Eating behaviors : an international journal Vol. 39; p. 101429
• Main Authors: Wagner, A.F., Butt, M., Rigby, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2020
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Bariatric Surgery; Body dissatisfaction; Body Image; Body Weight; Disordered eating; Humans; Internalized weight bias; Psychometrics; Quality of Life; Body dissatisfaction; Disordered eating; Bariatric surgery; Internalized weight bias
• ISSN: 1471-0153; 1873-7358
• DOI: 10.1016/j.eatbeh.2020.101429

Internalized weight bias (IWB) is significantly related to poor psychosocial health outcomes in patients with increased body mass index (BMI). The objective of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties and correlates of the Weight-Bias Internalization Scale in a pre-surgical bariatric population. Self-report measures were administered to patients prior to surgery. Measures assessed internalized weight bias, body dissatisfaction, depression, anxiety, quality of life, and eating behaviors. Statistical methods included confirmatory factor analysis to examine the factor structure [of the WBIS] in this population, descriptive statistics, correlations, and hierarchical linear regression between continuous variables to determine patterns of associations, and t-tests to compare levels of IWB between the current sample and previously documented samples. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated an acceptable fit using a one-factor structure for the WBIS, with one item removed. Mean WBIS in the current sample was comparable to that documented in a community sample of adults with overweight and obesity, as well as a sample of adolescents seeking bariatric surgery. Additionally, IWB was positively associated with body dissatisfaction, restrained, emotional, and external eating, depression, and anxiety, and negatively associated with quality of life. Further, individuals endorsing episodes of loss of control over eating had significantly higher WBIS scores. This study highlights the strong pattern of associations with measures of body image, disordered eating, and quality of life point toward the relevance of IWB to bariatric patients' experiences. Future studies to explore the longitudinal effects of IWB in a post-bariatric population are needed particularly to understand psychosocial and surgical health outcomes. •The WBIS was examined in patients seeking bariatric surgery.•Mean WBIS scores were similar to scores obtained from previous community samples.•WBIS had positive associations with body dissatisfaction and disordered eating.•Those reporting loss of control over eating reported significantly higher WBIS scores.