Black and White women's attributions of women with underweight

Abstract

Despite the idealization of thin bodies, many people with low body weights report experiencing weight stigma. This stigma might relate to stereotypes about eating disorders (EDs). Specifically, people with lower body weights might be perceived as having EDs, conditions associated with significant stigma. Also, there is considerable pressure for Black women to obtain a curvy ideal, which could lead to anti-thin bias (i.e., the belief that individuals at lower body weights have undesirable characteristics) in this group. The current study evaluated these possibilities via an examination of anti-thin bias in Black and White women. Further, we explored perceived attributions of weight for Black and White women with underweight. Black (n = 96) and White (n = 128) participants read racially concordant vignettes in which characters varied by body mass index (BMI) status (slightly underweight, average weight, and slightly overweight). White women were more likely to ascribe negative personality characteristics to White vignette characters with underweight than to characters with average weight. In contrast, Black women's perceptions of Black vignette characters did not differ according to weight status. Both Black and White participants were more likely to attribute underweight characters' body weight to an ED compared with average weight characters. Results suggest that weight bias literature should incorporate the assessment and impact of weight stigma for individuals across the BMI spectrum.