title: Changes in weight bias and perceived employability following weight loss and gain.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The present weight stigma study examined whether attitudes toward and employability of a normal weight person can change after learning that the person had been obese.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants (N = 154) viewed an image of a normal weight woman and rated their impression of her. Next, participants rated their impression of her overweight image after learning how she had previously gained and subsequently lost weight.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants rated the model far less favorably including perceived employability if they thought the once overweight model lost weight through surgery vs. diet and exercise. How the model initially gained the weight had little impact on participant ratings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Surgical weight loss had a significant impact on personality judgments. These negative views extended to hiring decisions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27858, USA, carelsr14@ecu.edu.
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Carels
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Borushok
authors.forename: Maija B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Allison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kiefner-Burmeister
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cross
authors.forename: Nova
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hinman
authors.forename: Jacob M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Burmeister
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D050110:Bariatric Surgery / Q000523:psychology*; D001835:Body Weight; D004032:Diet; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery; D050177:Overweight / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D010465:Perception; D010551:Personality; D010560:Personnel Selection; D057545:Social Stigma; D015430:Weight Gain; D015431:Weight Loss; D055815:Young Adult