Weight Stigma can Predict Emotional Distress and Binge Eating During COVID-19

Links between obesity and COVID-19 complications have received increasing attention throughout the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic. But the social stigma that people suffer because of their weight could also have harmful implications for people's health during the pandemic.

A new study from the UConn Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity and the University of Minnesota shows that young adults who encountered weight stigma before the COVID-19 pandemic have higher levels of stress, depressive symptoms, eating as a coping strategy, and are more likely to binge-eat during COVID-19 than to those who haven't experienced weight stigma.

World Obesity Day - Time to Take Action
World Obesity Day is observed on the 11th October to raise awareness about the dangers of obesity and to educate the public on ways to end weight stigma and improve weight loss.

‘People who encountered weight stigma prior to the COVID pandemic are three times more likely to engage in binge eating during the pandemic. ’

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Researchers wanted to learn whether weight mistreatment could predict health behaviors during COVID-19 that might worsen health, mainly in this time period of increased anxiety and stress for many people. The findings of the study are published in the journal Annals of Behavioral Medicine.

584 young adults joined in the population-based longitudinal EAT (Eating and Activity over Time) 2010-2018 study, who were asked to finish a follow-up survey during the COVID-19 outbreak. Weight stigma previously reported by these participants in 2018 was considered as a predictor of binge eating, physical activity, eating to cope, depressive symptoms, and stress during COVID-19.

The study recognized weight stigma, independent of BMI, as a factor that may worsen eating behaviors and emotional distress for young adults during this pandemic.

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Source-Medindia

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