Name, shame, and blame: The biopsychosocial cost of weight stigma during adolescence

One in four Australian adolescents are overweight or obese and experience peer victimisation and societal stigma as a consequence. Recent research with adults suggests that weight stigma leads to behavioural responses that promote weight gain rather than loss. This research will address an important gap by investigating whether these same behavioural responses occur in adolescents. Further, this research examines the individual and contextual variables that influence the perception and impact of weight-stigma on adolescents’ mental and physical health which is currently poorly understood. The findings will have wide-ranging implications for public health, new weight-loss initiatives, and the future well-being of young Australians.