Sources of weight stigma and adolescent mental health: from whom is it the most harmful?

Although youth experiences of weight stigma have been documented in multiple settings including school, health care, the media, and the home, most research to date has examined the frequency and consequences of weight stigma from a single source (e.g., peers) or in a single context (e.g., home). To address this gap, this research investigated adolescents’ experiences of weight stigma in the home, school, and community context to identify the most common sources of weight stigma, compare distress levels associated with each source, and examine group and sex differences in mental health outcomes. Self-report online surveys were administered to a sample of 371 adolescents (52% female) aged 12–17 years (M_age = 13.8) and data were analyzed within an analysis of variance framework. Results revealed that adolescents most commonly experienced weight-based stigma from same-aged peers and siblings, although perceived it as most distressing when perpetrated by adults. There were no sex differences in the frequency or sources of weight stigma, however, females reported greater distress than males when stigmatized by a family member or friend. Those experiencing stigma, reported psychological difficulties that were two to three times higher than those not victimized, with females being at a greater risk of engaging in self-harm. Collectively, the findings indicate that experiences of weight-based stigma are associated with an increased risk of mental health problems among adolescents and highlight the need for holistic intervention in the school, home, and community that targets same-aged peers where it most common, and adults where it induces the greatest distress.