title: Making snacking less sinful: (counter-)moralising obesity in the public discourse differentially affects food choices of individuals with high and low perceived body mass.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  As public discourse surrounding obesity highlights the societal costs of obesity and individual's own responsibility for their weight, being overweight is often framed as immoral. Such 'moralizing' messages about being overweight may be a psychological threat for those with high body mass. Attempting to counter-moralise the public discourse (i.e. actively arguing that there is nothing 'immoral' about being overweight) may relieve this threat, inducing people, especially those with higher (perceived) weight, to engage in healthier behaviours.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two experiments were performed among Dutch and US participants. (Counter-)moralisation was manipulated. Body mass and weight-related self-perceptions were measured. The dependent variable was healthy vs. unhealthy snack choice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  (Counter-)moralisation and (perceived) overweight jointly predicted snack choice: counter-moralising messages induced healthy snacking, but only among those who regarded themselves to have a high body mass.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The effects of moralising vs. counter-moralising obesity depended on one's (perceived) overweight. This suggests that, for people with relatively high weight, the current moralising public discourse on obesity works in counterproductive ways. Campaigns that 'counter-moralize' obesity (i.e. that refute moralising messages) are more productive, although they should be tailored to those who see themselves as being overweight.
authors.affiliation: a Faculty of Economics and Business, Department of HRM&OB , University of Groningen , Groningen , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Laetitia B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Mulder
authors.forename: Deborah E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Rupp
authors.forename: Arie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dijkstra
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D001835:Body Weight; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009014:Morals; D009765:Obesity / Q000523:psychology*; D011639:Public Opinion; D062410:Snacks / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: body weight; eating; health behaviour; moralisation; obesity; overweight; public discourse