Weight Stigma in Adolescents With Obesity From Low-Income Backgrounds: Qualitative Perspectives From Adolescents and Caregivers

IF 5.5 2区医学 Q1 PEDIATRICS

Journal of Adolescent Health Pub Date : 2025-02-18 DOI:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2024.12.019

Katherine E. Darling Ph.D., Emily Panza Ph.D., Jennifer Warnick Ph.D., Emma Small, Annabelle Derrick, Elissa Jelalian Ph.D.

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Purpose

Weight stigma is a common experience for adolescents at high weight statuses. Prior research regarding experiences of weight stigma in adolescence has been in primarily homogenous samples. The present study sought to characterize weight stigma experiences and internalization in adolescents from low-income backgrounds. This was done by reporting on teen's experiences of weight stigma in daily life and in conversations with health-care professionals, and examining the effect of internalization of this stigma.

Methods

This study is a secondary analysis of semi-structured qualitative interviews conducted with adolescents with high weight from low-income backgrounds who had been referred to weight management, as well as their caregivers. Data was analyzed using applied thematic analysis.

Results

Fifty-five participants (29 adolescents and 26 caregivers) from low-income backgrounds participated in semi-structured interviews. Given the broader focus of the primary study, weight stigma was not a focus of interviews. However, almost all participants identified weight stigma and bias as influencing their lives and medical care. Identified themes included the following: (1) difficulty identifying preferences regarding weight-related terminology; (2) commonality of experienced weight stigma; and (3) significant effect of internalized weight bias on adolescent daily living.

Discussion

Overall, the present study identified nearly ubiquitous experiences of weight stigma for a sample of youth from low-income backgrounds living in larger bodies. This highlights the pervasive presence of weight stigma and bias throughout adolescents' lives, including in health-care settings. These findings are particularly stark, given that weight stigma was not a topic within the interview guide.

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来自低收入背景的肥胖青少年的体重耻辱感：来自青少年和照顾者的定性观点。

目的：体重耻辱感是高体重青少年的常见经历。先前关于青少年体重耻辱经历的研究主要是在同质样本中进行的。本研究旨在描述来自低收入背景的青少年的体重耻辱经历和内化。这是通过报告青少年在日常生活和与卫生保健专业人员的对话中体重耻辱的经历，并检查这种耻辱内化的影响来完成的。方法：本研究是对来自低收入背景的高体重青少年及其照顾者进行的半结构化定性访谈的二次分析。数据分析采用应用专题分析。结果：55名来自低收入背景的参与者（29名青少年和26名照顾者）参加了半结构化访谈。考虑到最初研究的广泛焦点，体重耻辱感不是访谈的重点。然而，几乎所有参与者都认为体重歧视和偏见影响了他们的生活和医疗保健。确定的主题包括以下内容：(1)难以确定有关体重相关术语的偏好；(2)体重病耻感的共性；(3)内化体重偏差对青少年日常生活的影响显著。讨论：总的来说，目前的研究发现，对于生活在较大身体中的低收入背景的年轻人样本来说，体重耻辱几乎无处不在。这突出表明，在青少年的整个生活中，包括在卫生保健机构中，普遍存在体重耻辱和偏见。这些发现尤其明显，因为体重歧视并不是面试指南中的一个话题。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Journal of Adolescent Health 医学-公共卫生、环境卫生与职业卫生

CiteScore

10.40

自引率

3.90%

发文量

526

审稿时长

46 days

期刊介绍： The Journal of Adolescent Health is a scientific publication dedicated to enhancing the health and well-being of adolescents and young adults. Our Journal covers a broad range of research topics, spanning from the basic biological and behavioral sciences to public health and policy. We welcome a variety of contributions, including original research papers, concise reports, literature reviews, clinical case reports, opinion pieces, and letters to the editor. We encourage professionals from diverse disciplines such as Anthropology, Education, Ethics, Global Health, Health Services Research, Law, Medicine, Mental and Behavioral Health, Nursing, Nutrition, Psychology, Public Health and Policy, Social Work, Sociology, and Youth Development to share their expertise and contribute to our mission of promoting adolescent health. Moreover, we value the voices of young individuals, family and community members, and healthcare professionals, and encourage them to submit poetry, personal narratives, images, and other creative works that provide unique insights into the experiences of adolescents and young adults. By combining scientific peer-reviewed research with creative expressions, our Journal aims to create a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities in adolescent and young adult health.