Weight stigma in the COVID-19 pandemic: a scoping review
Abstract Background Weight stigma is a phenomenon associated with adverse behavioural and psychological consequences. Although experts suggest that its increase during the COVID-19 pandemic may be associated with worse health outcomes for people with obesity, a thorough analysis of the main findings...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2022-03-01
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| Series: | Journal of Eating Disorders |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-022-00563-4 |
| _version_ | 1811173591681597440 |
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| author | Patricia Fortes Cavalcanti de Macêdo Carina Marcia Magalhães Nepomuceno Nedja Silva dos Santos Valterlinda Alves de Oliveira Queiroz Emile Miranda Pereira Lucineide da Conceição Leal Lígia Amparo da Silva Santos Leonardo Fernandes Nascimento Poliana Cardoso Martins Mônica Leila Portela de Santana |
| author_facet | Patricia Fortes Cavalcanti de Macêdo Carina Marcia Magalhães Nepomuceno Nedja Silva dos Santos Valterlinda Alves de Oliveira Queiroz Emile Miranda Pereira Lucineide da Conceição Leal Lígia Amparo da Silva Santos Leonardo Fernandes Nascimento Poliana Cardoso Martins Mônica Leila Portela de Santana |
| author_sort | Patricia Fortes Cavalcanti de Macêdo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Weight stigma is a phenomenon associated with adverse behavioural and psychological consequences. Although experts suggest that its increase during the COVID-19 pandemic may be associated with worse health outcomes for people with obesity, a thorough analysis of the main findings and gaps is still needed when relating to this subject. Objective We aim to answer three questions: (1) How does weight stigma manifest in the COVID-19 pandemic? (2) How can weight stigma affect people with overweight or obesity in times of COVID-19? (3) What are the perceptions and experiences of weight stigma during the pandemic in individuals who experience overweight or obesity? Methods We conducted a scoping review of studies addressing weight stigma and the COVID-19 pandemic in electronic databases (Medline/PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, PsycInfo, BVS/Lilacs, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and OpenGrey) published until 10th August 2021. All relevant studies were reviewed in full by two researchers. In addition, a narrative synthesis of the data was performed. Results The results included 35 studies out of 8,090 records and identified 13 original research publications, 14 text and opinion papers, and 6 narrative reviews. The results revealed the presence of weight stigma in the media, healthcare settings, interpersonal relationships, and public campaigns during the COVID-19 pandemic. The evidence of increasing weight stigma in the COVID-19 outbreak is limited, though. Many weight discrimination consequences were described during this time, such as impairment in accessing healthcare, worst COVID-19 outcomes, and maladaptive eating. However, only maladaptive behaviours and decline in mental health outcomes were demonstrated empirically in all age groups. This effect occurred regardless of body mass index, but people with high body weight were more likely to experience weight stigma. For some people with obesity, weight stigma in the pandemic has made activities of daily routine difficult. Conclusions The results suggest that weight stigma in the COVID-19 pandemic occurs in several settings; moreover, although weight discrimination impacts mental health, whether before or during the pandemic, this influence between the pandemic and pre-pandemic scenario is still unclear. Therefore, more research is required in this field while the pandemic lasts, especially with people with obesity. Plain English summary Overall, people with overweight or obesity are more vulnerable to weight stigma than individuals without overweight. In addition, weight stigma refers to discrimination or prejudice based on a person’s weight and relates to several consequences, for instance, poor healthcare treatment and mental health problems. In the COVID-19 outbreak, these weight stigma effects tend to become even more critical because they may be associated with unfavourable COVID-19 outcomes and eating disorder risks. Thus, it is crucial to investigate how weight stigma occurs during the pandemic and its impact on health, mainly for the most affected people. We investigated 35 studies published between 2019 and 2021 to map and explore how weight stigma was manifested and the related consequences for people with overweight or obesity in the COVID-19 pandemic. Only about a third of them were quantitative or qualitative, limiting the evidence of weight stigma in the COVID-19 context. The available evidence suggests that weight stigma manifests in several settings such as media, healthcare, public campaigns, and is more common in people with excess weight. However, weight discrimination experiences before or during the pandemic were associated with adverse psychological and behavioural consequences across all age groups, regardless of body weight. For some people with obesity, for instance, weight stigma made it difficult to accomplish their activities of daily routine. Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether weight stigma has increased in the pandemic, thus, more studies are required, especially about people with overweight or obesity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T17:50:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2afcb7bf6a2c4cc4965d93893f845a41 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2050-2974 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T17:50:35Z |
| publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Eating Disorders |
| spelling | doaj.art-2afcb7bf6a2c4cc4965d93893f845a412023-02-02T21:44:09ZengBMCJournal of Eating Disorders2050-29742022-03-0110111510.1186/s40337-022-00563-4Weight stigma in the COVID-19 pandemic: a scoping reviewPatricia Fortes Cavalcanti de Macêdo0Carina Marcia Magalhães Nepomuceno1Nedja Silva dos Santos2Valterlinda Alves de Oliveira Queiroz3Emile Miranda Pereira4Lucineide da Conceição Leal5Lígia Amparo da Silva Santos6Leonardo Fernandes Nascimento7Poliana Cardoso Martins8Mônica Leila Portela de Santana9School of Nutrition, Federal University of BahiaMetropolitan Union for the Development of Education and Culture (UNIME), Psychology CourseSchool of Nutrition, Federal University of BahiaSchool of Nutrition, Federal University of BahiaSchool of Nutrition, Federal University of BahiaSchool of Nutrition, Federal University of BahiaSchool of Nutrition, Federal University of BahiaFaculty of Social Sciences, Federal University of BahiaSchool of Nutrition, Federal University of BahiaSchool of Nutrition, Federal University of BahiaAbstract Background Weight stigma is a phenomenon associated with adverse behavioural and psychological consequences. Although experts suggest that its increase during the COVID-19 pandemic may be associated with worse health outcomes for people with obesity, a thorough analysis of the main findings and gaps is still needed when relating to this subject. Objective We aim to answer three questions: (1) How does weight stigma manifest in the COVID-19 pandemic? (2) How can weight stigma affect people with overweight or obesity in times of COVID-19? (3) What are the perceptions and experiences of weight stigma during the pandemic in individuals who experience overweight or obesity? Methods We conducted a scoping review of studies addressing weight stigma and the COVID-19 pandemic in electronic databases (Medline/PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, PsycInfo, BVS/Lilacs, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and OpenGrey) published until 10th August 2021. All relevant studies were reviewed in full by two researchers. In addition, a narrative synthesis of the data was performed. Results The results included 35 studies out of 8,090 records and identified 13 original research publications, 14 text and opinion papers, and 6 narrative reviews. The results revealed the presence of weight stigma in the media, healthcare settings, interpersonal relationships, and public campaigns during the COVID-19 pandemic. The evidence of increasing weight stigma in the COVID-19 outbreak is limited, though. Many weight discrimination consequences were described during this time, such as impairment in accessing healthcare, worst COVID-19 outcomes, and maladaptive eating. However, only maladaptive behaviours and decline in mental health outcomes were demonstrated empirically in all age groups. This effect occurred regardless of body mass index, but people with high body weight were more likely to experience weight stigma. For some people with obesity, weight stigma in the pandemic has made activities of daily routine difficult. Conclusions The results suggest that weight stigma in the COVID-19 pandemic occurs in several settings; moreover, although weight discrimination impacts mental health, whether before or during the pandemic, this influence between the pandemic and pre-pandemic scenario is still unclear. Therefore, more research is required in this field while the pandemic lasts, especially with people with obesity. Plain English summary Overall, people with overweight or obesity are more vulnerable to weight stigma than individuals without overweight. In addition, weight stigma refers to discrimination or prejudice based on a person’s weight and relates to several consequences, for instance, poor healthcare treatment and mental health problems. In the COVID-19 outbreak, these weight stigma effects tend to become even more critical because they may be associated with unfavourable COVID-19 outcomes and eating disorder risks. Thus, it is crucial to investigate how weight stigma occurs during the pandemic and its impact on health, mainly for the most affected people. We investigated 35 studies published between 2019 and 2021 to map and explore how weight stigma was manifested and the related consequences for people with overweight or obesity in the COVID-19 pandemic. Only about a third of them were quantitative or qualitative, limiting the evidence of weight stigma in the COVID-19 context. The available evidence suggests that weight stigma manifests in several settings such as media, healthcare, public campaigns, and is more common in people with excess weight. However, weight discrimination experiences before or during the pandemic were associated with adverse psychological and behavioural consequences across all age groups, regardless of body weight. For some people with obesity, for instance, weight stigma made it difficult to accomplish their activities of daily routine. Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether weight stigma has increased in the pandemic, thus, more studies are required, especially about people with overweight or obesity.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-022-00563-4Weight prejudiceFeeding and eating disordersQuarantine |
| spellingShingle | Patricia Fortes Cavalcanti de Macêdo Carina Marcia Magalhães Nepomuceno Nedja Silva dos Santos Valterlinda Alves de Oliveira Queiroz Emile Miranda Pereira Lucineide da Conceição Leal Lígia Amparo da Silva Santos Leonardo Fernandes Nascimento Poliana Cardoso Martins Mônica Leila Portela de Santana Weight stigma in the COVID-19 pandemic: a scoping review Journal of Eating Disorders Weight prejudice Feeding and eating disorders Quarantine |
| title | Weight stigma in the COVID-19 pandemic: a scoping review |
| title_full | Weight stigma in the COVID-19 pandemic: a scoping review |
| title_fullStr | Weight stigma in the COVID-19 pandemic: a scoping review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Weight stigma in the COVID-19 pandemic: a scoping review |
| title_short | Weight stigma in the COVID-19 pandemic: a scoping review |
| title_sort | weight stigma in the covid 19 pandemic a scoping review |
| topic | Weight prejudice Feeding and eating disorders Quarantine |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-022-00563-4 |
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