Residual Fat Stigma After Weight Loss: The Mediating Role of Perceived Effort

The current research examined if the method of weight loss influences individuals' perceptions of a formerly fat target. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three weight loss descriptions: diet/exercise, diet pill, or no weight loss description (control). Targets who lost weight via diet pill were ascribed more negative attributions relative to those who lost weight via diet/exercise. This relationship was mediated by the amount of perceived effort expended to achieve weight loss. Furthermore, these findings suggest that individuals who lose weight are still susceptible to the negative attributions and stigmatizations associated with fatness, particularly if a less effortful method is used.
Source: Journal of Applied Biobehavioral Research - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Original Article Source Type: research