Fat phobia scale and beliefs about obese persons scale: Evidence for the Validity for Brazilian Health Care Students

• Grant number: 24/19655-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 01, 2025
• End date: December 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Nutrition - Nutritional Analysis of Population
• Principal Investigator: Camila Cremonezi Japur
• Grantee: Sofia Takaki Merlin
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Introduction: Weight stigma and fat phobia have negative impacts on the physical and psychological health of affected individuals, in addition to reducing the likelihood of receiving adequate care. Considering these consequences and the incidence of this prejudice among health professionals, studies have sought to assess its presence in undergraduate health students through scales. The beliefs about obese persons scale and fat phobia scale, which measure, respectively, the belief that obesity is under the individual's control or not and the levels of fatphobia, have shown to be capable of screening in different populations internationally. However, there is still no evidence in the scientific literature of the validity of the Brazilian versions of these instruments in health students. Objective: Assess the evidence of validity of beliefs about obese persons scale and fat phobia scale in a population of Brazilian health students. Methodology: This is a cross-sectional study that will use data collected in the research entitled ''Beliefs about obese persons in health students'' (Consolidated Opinion of the ethics committee - HCFMRP - USP: 6.283.883)(2024). Statistical Analysis: Statistical analyses will be performed to verify evidence of structural validity (exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses), reliability (Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega) and convergent validity (Pearson's correlation coefficient).