An Examination of the Link Between Weight Stigma and Binge Eating

• Main Author: Douglas, Valerie Jane
• Format: Others
• Published: North Dakota State University 2020
• Subjects: binge eating; disordered eating; eating disorder; emotion dysregulation; weight bias internalization; weight stigma
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10365/31557

Past research shows that weight-related teasing is linked to binge eating, but little is known about the individual risk factors that render certain people more vulnerable than others. The current study examined three potential risk factors for binge eating in response to weight-related teasing: weight stigmatization experiences, weight bias internalization, and emotion dysregulation. The current study empirically investigated how these factors interacted to predict concurrent binge eating behavior through a self-report questionnaire and eating behavior in a laboratory following exposure to a weight stigma vignette. First, it was hypothesized that higher levels of weight stigmatization and emotion dysregulation would be associated with higher levels of binge eating, which was consistent with the results of a multiple linear regression analysis. Second, it was predicted that higher levels of weight stigmatization and emotion dysregulation would predict greater quantities of cookie consumption during a bogus taste test following exposure to a weight stigma vignette. The hypothesis was not supported by a multiple linear regression. Third, we posited that weight bias internalization would moderate the relationship between weight stigmatization and emotion dysregulation on disordered eating, such that higher levels of weight bias internalization would be associated with higher levels of binge eating. This was not supported by a hierarchical regression analysis. Overall, the results highlight variables pertinent to the relationship between weight stigma and binge eating. Future research should test the model in clinical samples to see if it is more relevant to people with more severe levels of eating pathology.