title: Weight conversations in romantic relationships: What do they sound like and how do partners respond?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The limited research examining weight conversations (i.e., conversations about weight, body shape, or size) in adult romantic relationships has shown associations between engaging in these conversations and disordered eating behaviors, overweight/obesity, and psychosocial problems in adults. Given the potential harmful consequences of these conversations, it is important to gather more rich qualitative data to understand how weight talk is experienced in romantic relationships and how romantic partners respond to these conversations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adults (n = 118; mean age 35 years) from a cross-sectional study were interviewed in their homes. The majority of adults (90% female; mean age = 35 years) were from minority (64% African American) and low-income (<$25,000/year) households. Qualitative data were analyzed using inductive content analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-five percent of participants reported that weight conversations were occurring in their romantic relationships. Qualitative themes included the following: (a) Weight conversations were direct and focused on physical characteristics; (b) weight conversations included joking or sarcastic remarks; (c) weight conversations focused on "we" and being healthy; (d) weight conversations occurred after watching TV or movies, as a result of insecurities in oneself, as length of the relationship increased, or as partners aged; and (e) partners responded to weight conversations by feeling insecure or by engaging in reciprocal weight conversations with their romantic partner.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Weight conversations were prevalent in romantic relationships, with some conversations experienced as negative and some positive. Qualitative themes from the current study should be confirmed in quantitative studies to inform future intervention research targeting weight conversations in romantic relationships. (PsycINFO Database Record
authors: Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Minnesota Medical School.
authors: Jerica M
authors: 0000-0003-3371-351X
authors: JM
authors: Berge
authors: Ohio State University.
authors: Keeley
authors: K
authors: Pratt
authors: Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Minnesota Medical School.
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Miller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001835:Body Weight; D003142:Communication; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008910:Minnesota; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology*