Overvaluation of shape and weight as a mediator between self-esteem and weight bias internalization among patients with binge eating disorder.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to evaluate the roles of self-esteem and overvaluation of shape and weight in accounting for the internalization of weight bias among patients with binge eating disorder (BED) and obesity.


METHODS
Two hundred forty-five treatment-seeking individuals with BED and obesity were evaluated with diagnostic and semi-structured interviews and completed the Weight Bias Internalization Scale (WBIS) and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE). Correlations and bootstrapping mediation analyses were computed to evaluate the relationships among self-esteem, overvaluation of shape/weight, and weight bias internalization. The effects of body mass index (BMI) and binge-eating frequency were also tested.


RESULTS
Significant correlations emerged between WBIS, RSE, and overvaluation of shape and weight. BMI did not correlate with any measure, and binge-eating frequency only correlated with overvaluation. Mediation analyses provided support for the hypothesis that overvaluation of shape and weight mediates the relationship between self-esteem and weight bias internalization.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings provide support to the proposed model that self-esteem and overvaluation of shape and weight contribute to weight bias internalization among patients with BED, which holds implications for clinical efforts to address weight bias and associated eating and weight-related psychopathology.
Department of Psychology, Yale University, P.O. Box 208205, New Haven, CT 06520, United States. Electronic address: rebecca.pearl@yale.edu.
Rebecca L
RL
Pearl
Department of Psychology, Yale University, P.O. Box 208205, New Haven, CT 06520, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, P.O. Box 208098, 301 Cedar Street, 2nd Floor, New Haven, CT 06520, United States; Department of Chronic Disease and Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT 06520, United States. Electronic address: marney.white@yale.edu.
Marney A
MA
White
Department of Psychology, Yale University, P.O. Box 208205, New Haven, CT 06520, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, P.O. Box 208098, 301 Cedar Street, 2nd Floor, New Haven, CT 06520, United States. Electronic address: carlos.grilo@yale.edu.
Carlos M
CM
Grilo
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D056912:Binge-Eating Disorder / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D012649:Self Concept; D055815:Young Adult
Binge eating disorder; Overvaluation of shape/weight; Self-esteem; Weight bias internalization