title: Predictors of obesity bias among exercise science students.
abstract: The purpose of the present study was to investigate particular psychosocial predictors of obesity bias in prehealth professionals, which include the internalization of athletic and general body ideals, perceived media pressure and information, and achievement goal orientations. Exercise science undergraduate students (n= 242) filled out a survey containing questions of demographic characteristics, achievement goals, social-cultural attitudes toward appearance (using Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-3), and obesity bias measurements (using the antifat attitudes test and fat phobia scale). The results indicated that students were explicitly biased toward overweight and obese individuals, held had high task and ego goals, and had high internalization of an athletic body type ideal, as determined by mean scores being above the median values for each scale. Internalization of the athletic body type predicted obesity bias for fat phobia, weight control blame, and physical/romantic attractiveness. In conclusion, exercise science students may enter programs socialized from society and sport, and, potentially, these psychosocial attitudes and beliefs may have implications to working with future clients, especially for those of the general population and those whose body shape and size are different than themselves.
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Kinesiology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia; jlangdon@georgiasouthern.edu.
authors.forename: Jody
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5589-1694
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Langdon
authors.affiliation: Department of Exercise Science, Health Studies, Physical Education, and Sport Management, Adelphi University, Garden City, New York; and.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rukavina
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
authors.forename: Christy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Greenleaf
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000523:psychology*; D010806:Physical Education and Training; D011287:Prejudice / Q000523:psychology*; D013336:Students, Health Occupations / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-3; achievement goals; athletic body ideal; prehealth-related professionals; weight control blame