title: Holding fat stereotypes is associated with lower body dissatisfaction in normal weight Caucasian women who engage in body surveillance.
abstract: This study examined the moderating effect of body surveillance on the relationship between fat stereotype endorsement and body dissatisfaction in normal weight women. Participants (N=225) completed online measures of fat stereotyping, body surveillance, body dissatisfaction, and internalized thin ideals. After accounting for thin ideals, body surveillance moderated the relationship between fat stereotypes and body dissatisfaction. Contrary to hypotheses, higher fat stereotype endorsement predicted lower body dissatisfaction in women with higher body surveillance. Conversely, higher fat stereotype endorsement predicted greater body dissatisfaction in women with lower body surveillance. Thus, endorsing fat stereotypes appears protective against body dissatisfaction in normal weight women who extensively engage in body surveillance. For women who hold fat stereotypes and report high body surveillance, we propose that downward appearance comparison may create a contrast between themselves and the people with overweight whom they denigrate, thus improving body dissatisfaction.
authors: University of Windsor, Department of Psychology, 401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor, ON, Canada N9B 2P4. Electronic address: kim11f@uwindsor.ca.
authors: Jean
authors: J
authors: Kim
authors: University of Windsor, Department of Psychology, 401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor, ON, Canada N9B 2P4. Electronic address: jjarry@uwindsor.ca.
authors: Josée L
authors: JL
authors: Jarry
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D001835:Body Weight; D002170:Canada; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D050177:Overweight / Q000523:psychology*; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D013240:Stereotyping; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Body dissatisfaction; Body image; Body surveillance; Fat stereotype; Weight prejudice