Appearance Pressure From the Media Mediates the Relationship Between Internalized Weight Bias and Eating Disorder Risk for Young Women: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Internalized weight bias (IWB) is the application of negative stereotypes about people in larger bodies to oneself. IWB is associated with numerous negative physical and mental health outcomes, including increased risk of disordered eating. It is possible that this relationship is explained in part by pressure to achieve a so-called ideal body, due to the preponderance of the pro-thin and anti-fat bias often perpetuated in Western media content (ie, appearance pressure from the media).

Objective: This study aimed to examine whether appearance pressure from the media mediated the relationship between IWB and eating disorder risk in a nonclinical sample of young adult women.

Design: Mediating pathways were examined using cross-sectional data.

Participants: Participants were 265 female-identifying students (mean age = 20.1 ± 4.1 years) recruited from introductory psychology classes at the University of Hawai'i in the United States during 2019.

Main outcome measures: Participants completed the Eating Attitudes Test.

Statistical analyses performed: Bivariate correlations and mediation analyses were conducted.

Results: IWB had significant negative associations with eating disorder risk (b = 3.7 ± 0.4; P < .001). Appearance pressure from the media statistically mediated the relationship between internalized weight bias and eating disorder risk (b = 3.3 ± 4, 95% CI, 2.5-4.0; P < .001).

Conclusions: Findings of this study suggest that women who have internalized negative stereotypes about people in larger bodies may be motivated to control their weight in maladaptive ways following increased exposure to appearance-related pressure from the media. More research is needed to examine these relationships longitudinally and in a clinical sample.