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Internalized and externalized weight bias among undergraduates in health and non-health majors
Date
2025
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
Objective(s): To examine weight bias differences by majors (health vs. non-health) and college years (early vs. late). ☐ Study Design: Cross-sectional. ☐ Participants: 539 undergraduates aged 18-24 enrolled at the University of Delaware. ☐ Outcome measures: Differences in internalized (Weight Bias Internalization Scale), externalized (dislike, willpower, and fear of fat subscales from Antifat Attitudes Questionnaire), and implicit weight bias (Harvard Weight Implicit Association Test). ☐ Statistical analyses: Adjusted linear regression models assessed associations between independent variables, majors, college years, and their interaction on weight bias. Group differences were presented using estimated marginal means. Significance was set at P < 0.01 to control for multiple testing. ☐ Results: Weight bias was present in this college sample, but no significant differences emerged by majors, college years, or their interaction. ☐ Conclusions and Implications: Given the persistence of weight bias across academic majors and years, future research may consider broader societal factors that influence weight bias in higher education.
Description
Keywords
Health majors, Non-health majors, Obesity, Undergraduate students, Weight bias, Weight stigma