"Before I Saw a Gas Canister, Now I See a Person": Post Obesity-Intervention Body Acceptance and Responses to Weight Stigma among Urban Brazilian Gorda Women

Author(s)

Scagliusi, Fernanda Baeza ; Ulian, Mariana Dimitrov ; Gualano, Bruno ; Roble, Odilon Jose ; Unsain, Ramiro Fernandez ; Carriers, Maria Regina ; Sato, Priscila de Morais ; SturtzSreetharan, Cindi ; Brewis, Alexandra ; Wutich, Amber

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: HUMAN ORGANIZATION; v. 79, n. 3, p. 16-pg., 2020-09-01.

Abstract

Weight stigma is reportedly globalizing, but there is limited evidence of how concerns around weight change are impacting those in many places. Additionally, few studies to date have considered how weight stigma operates in the context of interventions that purposefully eschew from a focus on weight itself. We have used qualitative analysis to examine body acceptance and responses to weight stigma among urban Brazilian gorda women participating in two forms of Health at Every Size (R) (HAES (R)) interventions: an intensive HAES (R) program (I-HAES (R), n=26), which directly addressed weight stigma and a traditional, less-intensive HAES (R) program (CTRL, n=13). Individual, semi-structured interviews regarding how participants felt about their bodies were conducted post-intervention. Exploratory content analysis followed an inductive approach. The I-HAES (R)-group was more prone to accept their bodies, to feel well-being, to do new things, and to give proactive responses to weight stigma, while the CTRL-group internalized and accepted stigma, reported a lack of body acceptance, and indicated they were less able to challenge stigma in their lives. Interdisciplinary, intensive HAES (R) interventions appear able to meaningfully tackle responses to weight stigma and promote body acceptance, important in contexts where stigma is a major component of how women experience their weight. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 17/17424-9 - Health and Well-Being in Obesity: evaluation of an interdisciplinary intervention based on the "Health at every size" approach for obese women.
• Grantee: Fernanda Baeza Scagliusi
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research
• FAPESP's process: 15/03878-2 - Health and Well-Being in Obesity: evaluation of an interdisciplinary intervention based on the "Health at every size" approach for obese women
• Grantee: Fernanda Baeza Scagliusi
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 19/00031-0 - Fat stigma experiences and how these are built thought the life trajectory of fat women before and after bariatric surgery: a study centered on ethnography
• Grantee: Mariana Dimitrov Ulian
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral