Perceived Weight Discrimination and General Coping Strategies.

Background: Perceived weight discrimination is associated consistently with worse health outcomes. Coping strategies may be one mechanism of this association. The present research examined the association between perceived weight discrimination and strategies used to cope with general stress (not weight-specific) and whether these strategies accounted for part of the association with markers of health.

Method: Participants (N = 1882) completed a cross-sectional survey with a comprehensive measure of coping strategies and reported on their perceived experience of weight discrimination and markers of physical, mental, and social health.

Results: Perceived weight discrimination was associated with greater use of disengaged coping strategies (β = .19, p < .01) and was unrelated to active and support coping strategies. Disengaged coping mediated the association between weight discrimination and worse physical, mental, and social health (proportion of mediation ranged from 14 to 47%). This pathway was independent of body mass index (BMI). Individuals in the obesity weight category (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²) were less likely to use active (β =  - .11, p < .01) and support (β =  - .09, p < .01) coping strategies, which did not consistently mediate the association with health.

Conclusion: Perceived experiences of weight discrimination are associated with disengaged coping strategies to manage stressful experiences, and these strategies are one mechanism that may contribute to the worse health associated with unfair treatment due to weight.