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Weight-Related Terms Differentially Affect Self-Efficacy and Perception of Obesity.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Hopkins, CM; Bennett, GG
Published in: Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.)
September 2018

Little work has explored the effect of weight-related terms on treatment initiation; only one study has investigated weight-related terms and the psychological constructs associated with treatment uptake. The present study examines the effects of four common weight-related terms on treatment initiation and the moderating effect of weight bias internalization.Adult participants with overweight and obesity (n = 436) were recruited online and asked to read three vignettes describing clinical encounters; the weight-related term (i.e., "weight," "BMI," "obesity," or "fat") was varied randomly. Participants then reported self-efficacy, cognitive and emotional illness beliefs about obesity (i.e., illness perception), and interest in a weight loss program.The term "obesity" resulted in the greatest self-efficacy and perceived control over obesity. "Fat" resulted in the least illness coherence (i.e., understanding of obesity). Weight bias internalization did not moderate the effect of term on self-efficacy, nor did it moderate illness perception. No differences in weight loss program enrollment were observed.Use of the term "obesity" may promote patients' perceived control and self-efficacy. Use of "fat" should be avoided. Results suggest that, despite patient and clinician preference for euphemistic weight terms, use of clinical language such as "obesity" may perform better in provider intervention.

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Published In

Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.)

DOI

EISSN

1930-739X

ISSN

1930-7381

Publication Date

September 2018

Volume

26

Issue

9

Start / End Page

1405 / 1411

Related Subject Headings

  • Self Efficacy
  • Perception
  • Overweight
  • Obesity
  • Male
  • Language
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Endocrinology & Metabolism
  • Body Weight
 

Citation

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Hopkins, C. M., & Bennett, G. G. (2018). Weight-Related Terms Differentially Affect Self-Efficacy and Perception of Obesity. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.), 26(9), 1405–1411. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.22255
Hopkins, Christina M., and Gary G. Bennett. “Weight-Related Terms Differentially Affect Self-Efficacy and Perception of Obesity.Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.) 26, no. 9 (September 2018): 1405–11. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.22255.
Hopkins CM, Bennett GG. Weight-Related Terms Differentially Affect Self-Efficacy and Perception of Obesity. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md). 2018 Sep;26(9):1405–11.
Hopkins, Christina M., and Gary G. Bennett. “Weight-Related Terms Differentially Affect Self-Efficacy and Perception of Obesity.Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.), vol. 26, no. 9, Sept. 2018, pp. 1405–11. Epmc, doi:10.1002/oby.22255.
Hopkins CM, Bennett GG. Weight-Related Terms Differentially Affect Self-Efficacy and Perception of Obesity. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md). 2018 Sep;26(9):1405–1411.
Journal cover image

Published In

Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.)

DOI

EISSN

1930-739X

ISSN

1930-7381

Publication Date

September 2018

Volume

26

Issue

9

Start / End Page

1405 / 1411

Related Subject Headings

  • Self Efficacy
  • Perception
  • Overweight
  • Obesity
  • Male
  • Language
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Endocrinology & Metabolism
  • Body Weight