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PubMedDate not supplied

Understanding weight stigmatization: a focus group study.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this research was to investigate, in a nonclinical sample of adults, thoughts on and experiences with weight stigmatization. DESIGN: Focus groups were used to collect information. Participants were recruited through a newspaper advertisement and flyers posted in public places in Minneapolis and St. Paul. During the focus groups, participants were led in a discussion about their thoughts on weight stigmatization and personal experiences of being treated differently or poorly because of their weight. SUBJECTS: Six gender-specific focus groups consisted of 31 adult volunteers (17 women and 14 men). VARIABLES MEASURED: Perceptions of weight-based stereotypes and weight stigmatization and personal reports of having been treated differently or poorly owing to weight were measured. RESULTS: Participants reported a variety of experiences of being treated differently or poorly because of their weight. These included teasing, harassment, slurs and insults, negative judgments and assumptions, and perceived discrimination. Participants reported that such experiences occurred at home, among friends and strangers, at work, and in health care settings. Women reported a greater number and a greater variety of negative experiences than men. IMPLICATIONS: The results indicated that participants experienced weight-based stigmatization in many aspects of their lives. Awareness of these experiences may assist in the development of treatments for overweight individuals.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

A dynamic theory of proportional judgment: context and judgment of length, heaviness, and roughness.

Subjects judged the length of lines, the heaviness of weights, or the roughness of sandpaper in 2 conditions. In 1 condition, they were instructed to make all their judgments relative to a long-term reference point, which consisted of a reference response and sensation. In the other condition, they were told to use a short-term reference point, namely, the response and sensation of the previous trial. A dynamic model of proportional judgment (L. T. DeCarlo, 1989/1990) predicts that the autocorrelation of successive responses will be larger for the latter instructions. This prediction was confirmed for the 3 continua. In addition, fits of a recently proposed dynamic regression model show that there is little or no effect of the previous stimulus intensity on the current response, whereas the results for an earlier model suggest a large contrast effect. The theory and experiments provide insight into judgmental and sensory processes in magnitude scaling.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Body weight: relationship to conversational distance and self-actualization.

Body weight is a major concern for women. This study investigated the relationship between body weight deviation, perceived effect of weight, conversational distance, and self-actualization in healthy caucasian college women (N = 109) between the ages of 18 and 50. The perception of body weight was measured with a structured questionnaire. Conversational distance was measured by having the participant approach the investigator, and self-actualization was determined using the Personal Orientation Inventory (POI). Significant correlations were found between the Time Competence (TC) subscale of the POI and Perceived Effect (PE) and between conversational distance and TC. Further analysis of the data revealed a relationship between body weight deviation, using the actual deviation from the norm, and the combined effect (magnitude and direction) of body weight (r = .54, p less than .001). Path analysis revealed the multidimensional nature of the issue of body weight for women. The usual assumptions about body fat for women are questioned and implications for future research are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Sensory-perceptual qualities of images.

Four experiments demonstrated that such sensory-perceptual features of objects as weight, color, and numerosity affect imaginal performance involving images of those objects. For example, imaginary transport times of objects increased with both the hypothetical weight of the imagined object and the distance traversed. The transport functions were steeper when a map of the terrain was imagined than when it was perceived, suggesting that imaginal performance of heft did not parallel more perceptually guided performance. Corresponding to the view that images activate noncanonical information from long-term memory, mental transport times were longer for maps of familiar terrains than for those of presumably unelaborated unfamiliar terrains. Further, the effects of imaginary color discriminations depended on the familiarity of the object being imagined. Images of customarily colored familiar objects were generated faster when projected onto a surface of the same color than when projected onto a surface of another color, whereas images constructed from unfamiliar targets were recognized more accurately when the target's color differed substantially from that of the ground than when it differed by a smaller amount. The results were predicted by a model that assumed that images may incorporate ancillary characteristics in addition to canonical information.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Low-income African-American mothers' perception of exposure to racial discrimination and infant birth weight.

We performed a hospital-based case-control study of African-American mothers to explore the relation between a mother's perception of exposure to racial discrimination during pregnancy and very low birth weight. We administered a structured questionnaire to low-income mothers of very low birth weight (<1500 gm; N = 25) and non-low birth weight (>2500 gm; N = 60) infants. The unadjusted and adjusted odds ratio of very low birth weight for maternal exposure to racial discrimination were 1.9 (0.5-6.6) and 3.2 (0.9-11.3), respectively. We conclude that maternal perception of exposure to racial discrimination during pregnancy may be associated with very low birth weight in their infants.

Black or African American↗
PubMed2006

Human breast areolae as scent organs: morphological data and possible involvement in maternal-neonatal coadaptation.

In humans, areolar skin glands (AG) enlarge during pregnancy and lactation. Their role in mother-infant interactions may pertain to protective, mechanical, and communicative functions. It was questioned here whether more profuse AG could be related to more optimal adaptation to breastfeeding. A morphological study of the areolae was undertaken between birth and day 3 to assess the number, secretory status, and spatial distribution of AG. These data were related to infants' weight variation, mothers' perception of their infant's behavior at breast, and time between delivery and onset of lactation. AG were seen in virtually all women but with great interindividual variations; their areolar distribution was nonrandom, and about 1/5 of the women had AG giving off a secretion. The AG number was positively related with neonatal weight gain between birth and day 3, and with the mother's perception of infant's latching speed and sucking activity. AG numbers were also positively related with the onset of lactation in first-time mothers. In conclusion, the maternal endowment in AG may contribute to the infants' breastfeeding performance, early growth, and the mother's lactation onset.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Parents' reports of the body shape and feeding habits of 36-month-old children: an investigation of gender differences.

OBJECTIVE: The current study examined parental perception of offspring body shape, differential reporting of offspring eating behaviors by mothers and fathers, and gender-specific patterns of offspring feeding habits. METHODS: Parents of a community sample of 36-month-old children (N = 93) completed measures regarding their offspring's feeding patterns and body shape. RESULTS: Results revealed noteworthy correlates (e.g., concerns about their child's appetite) of parental perception of offspring weight status. They further suggested that mothers and fathers often differed in their accounts of their child's eating habits, and that parents report certain eating behaviors differently depending on the gender of their child. CONCLUSION: Clinical and theoretical implications are discussed.

Body Image↗
PubMed1989

MR imaging of experimental demyelination.

Seventeen rabbit sciatic nerves undergoing experimental demyelination and 17 control nerves were imaged in vivo with a 0.3-T MR imaging system using a silicone chamber wrapped around the nerves to isolate them from surrounding tissues. Three pulse sequences were used for each nerve: (1) spin-echo 500/28 (TR/TE), (2) spin-echo 2000/56, and (3) inversion recovery 1000/300/30 (TR/TI/TE). Image intensity data were acquired for each nerve by placing a region of interest over the nerve and measuring pixel brightness within the region of interest by means of a computer algorithm. The mean signal intensity of the experimental nerve was then compared with the mean signal intensity of the contralateral control nerve on the same image. Histologic sections of the nerves were stained with Loyez's stain for myelin and thionin for glial cells. MR findings were then compared with histopathologic data. Experimental nerves showed distinct stages of demyelination. Two fundamental observations were surmised from the data: (1) Perceptible MR signal changes are associated with early nerve degeneration, in which there is demyelination in the absence of glial cell proliferation; these changes are appreciated as increased intensity on heavily T2-weighted sequence. In these nerves no signal changes are seen on T1-weighted sequences. (2) Perceptible MR signal changes are associated with more advanced nerve degeneration, in which there is an increase in the number of glial cells in the absence of further demyelination; these changes are appreciated as decreased intensity on T1-weighted sequences and markedly increased intensity on T2-weighted sequences, respectively. The results show that MR can distinguish stages of demyelination in degenerating nerves, thereby providing a powerful method for the diagnosis and characterization of demyelinating disease.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Influence of Local Cooling on Proprioceptive Acuity in the Quadriceps Muscle.

OBJECTIVE: To test the influence of cooling on proprioceptive acuity as reflected in the ability to discriminate weights. DESIGN AND SETTING: Participants were trained to perform a weight-discrimination task. Their ability to correctly report small increments in weight was compared before and after local cooling (a 20-minute application of a crushed-ice pack) of the quadriceps muscle group. Data were collected at a university research laboratory. SUBJECTS: Twenty young, physically active adults (undergraduate students; 14 men, 6 women; mean age, 22.1 +/- 2.6 years). MEASUREMENTS: We calculated overall performance in the weight-discrimination task (percentage of discrimination correct) for each participant to estimate the differential threshold (ie, minimal increment in weight that yields a probability of 75% correct responses). RESULTS: Before local cooling, participants discriminated increments in the order of 4% to 10% from the standard weight (mean threshold, 0.17 +/- 0.06 kg). After local cooling, the discriminative performance remained, on average, very similar to that seen before cooling (mean threshold, 0.17 +/- 0.08 kg; paired t test: t = 0.24, P =.81). Only a small group of participants (n = 5) showed evidence of a decreased ability to discriminate weight after cooling. CONCLUSIONS: The perception of force signals required for weight discrimination does not appear to be affected by local cooling of the quadriceps muscle group. This finding provides additional evidence for the relative safety of cold applications and their effect on proprioceptive perceptual abilities.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1996

Clinical characteristics associated with binge eating in obese females: a descriptive study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate differences in clinical characteristics of obese female participants based on presence and degree of binge eating behavior. DESIGN: Descriptive comparison of various clinical characteristics of obese women diagnosed with binge eating disorder (BED) assessed by semi-structured interview to those for similar weight participants reporting subthreshold BED and those who do not binge eat. SUBJECTS. 185 healthy women seeking obesity treatment (age: 20-55 y, BMI: 28.4-51.5 kg/m2). MEASUREMENTS: Baseline self-report questionnaires included the Weight and Eating Patterns (QEWP), Eating Disorders Questionnaire (EDQ), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI); clinical interviews included the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R-Patient Version (SCID-P). RESULTS: In comparison to other obese women, obese participants meeting full BED criteria report an earlier onset of binge eating, increased food cravings, increased diet pill use, decreased fasting, greater fear of gaining weight, increased body perception disturbance, and increased depressive symptomatology and general psychopathology. CONCLUSIONS: Obese women with BED report greater eating-related and general psychopathology than non-binge eating disordered women of comparable weight. Although endorsement of food cravings unrelated to hunger was associated with binge eating diagnosis, the role of dietary restriction among this population remains unclear and requires further investigation. Theoretical and clinical implications that binge eating episodes for individuals with BED may be related to negative affect states and increased dietary disinhibition are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Haptic form perception: relative salience of local and global features.

When we examine objects haptically, do we weight their local and global features as we do visually, or do we place relatively greater emphasis on local shape? In Experiment 1, subjects made either haptic or visual comparisons of pairs of geometric objects (from a set of 16) differing in local and global shape. Relative to other objects, those with comparable global shape but different local features were judged less similar by touch than by vision. Separate groups of subjects explored the same objects while wearing either thick gloves (to discourage contour-following) or splinted gloves (to prevent enclosure). Ratings of similarity were comparable in these two conditions, suggesting that neither exploratory procedure was necessary, by itself, for the extraction of either local or global shape. In Experiment 2, haptic exploration time was restricted to 1, 4, 8, or 16 sec. Limiting exploration time affected relative similarity in objects differing in their local but not their global shape. Together, the findings indicate that the hepatic system initially weights local features more heavily than global ones, that this differential weighting decreases over time, and that neither contour-following nor enclosure is exclusively associated with the differential emphasis on local versus global features.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Perceptions of local neighbourhood environments and their relationship to childhood overweight and obesity.

OBJECTIVES: To examine associations between parent and child perceptions of the local neighbourhood and overweight/obesity among children aged 5-6 and 10-12 y. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. SUBJECTS: In total, 291 families of 5-6-y-old and 919 families of 10-12-y-old children. MEASURES: Parent's perceptions of local neighbourhood and perceived child access to eight local destinations within walking distance of home; 10-12-y-old children's perception of local neighbourhood; socio-demographic characteristics (survey). Children's height and weight (measured). RESULTS: No perceptions of the local neighbourhood were associated with weight status among 5-6-y-old children. Among 10-12-y-old children, those whose parents agreed that there was heavy traffic in their local streets were more likely to be overweight or obese (OR=1.4, 95% CI=1.0-1.8), and those whose parents agreed that road safety was a concern were more likely to be obese (OR=3.9, 95% CI=1.0-15.2), compared to those whose parents disagreed with these statements. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that parental perceptions of heavy traffic on local streets and concern about road safety may be indirect influences on overweight and obesity among 10-12-y-old children. Future work should also consider perceptions of the neighbourhood related to food choice.

Attitude↗
PubMed1999

Eating attitudes, body shape perceptions and mood of elite rowers.

The study assessed the influence of age, gender and weight category upon eating attitudes, body shape perceptions, and mood. Elite rowers (N = 103) participating in the 1996 World Championships or Great Britain National Championships completed the Eating Attitude Test (EAT), the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ), and a short form of the Profile of Mood States (POMS-C). Participants were grouped as lightweight (Female: < 59 kg, n = 19; Male: < 72.5 kg, n = 31) or heavyweight (Female: n = 25; Male: n = 28) competitors. Results showed higher EAT scores among the lightweight group, 12.0% of whom reported scores above the threshold associated with eating disorders. Body shape concerns were higher for heavyweights than lightweights and for females than males. The interaction effect was not significant. BSQ scores were negatively correlated with age. Depression, Confusion and Tension scores collectively predicted 37% of the variance in BSQ scores while Depression scores predicted 9% of the variance in EAT scores. The results provide further evidence that the risk of eating disorders among elite rowers is moderated by age, gender and weight category. Further, they suggest that measures of mood may help identify athletes at risk from eating disorders.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Smoking behaviour and dietary restraint in young adolescent women: the role of physical self-perceptions.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship among BMI, smoking consumption, dietary restraint, smoking to control weight, physical self-perception and self-esteem in young female adolescents. METHODS: 702 grade 9 students (14-15 yrs old) completed self-reported validated measures in classroom settings. RESULTS: 26.7% of students had smoked in the last 30 days. Cigarette consumption was low with only 13% smoking one or more cigarettes a day. MANOVA revealed smokers had higher dietary restraint and lower perceptions of physical appearance, conditioning, and self-esteem. A similar pattern emerged for those girls classified as using smoking to control weight. Multiple regression found dietary restraint was predicted by higher BMI, and lower body appearance and self-esteem. CONCLUSIONS: The data provided converging evidence that girls with low self-perceptions are more likely to engage in health-compromising behaviours. Smoking behaviours and dietary restraint were also linked. However, the small effect sizes for smoking behaviours warrants caution.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

(Mis)interpretation of body weight in adult women and men.

INTRODUCTION: This study examined what methods people use to determine and interpret their body weight, and what factors are associated with either an underestimation of overweight or an overestimation of a healthy body weight. METHOD: The study used self-reported data on weight and height. Data were collected by means of questionnaires (n = 722). RESULTS: In comparison with unaware overweight individuals, aware overweight respondents had a significantly lower score on comparing their body to that of others and on listening to remarks from others as methods to determine and interpret their body weight. The same was true for respondents with a correct perception of their healthy body weight compared with respondents who overestimated their healthy body weight. Respondents with a correct perception also had a significantly lower score on using the need to change to a different clothing size to determine body weight. Underestimation of overweight was significantly associated with body mass index (BMI), intense physical activity, knowledge of a healthy weight range and body comparison; overestimation of healthy body weight was significantly associated with gender, BMI, weight loss history and media influences. DISCUSSION: The study had a cross-sectional design, and therefore no causal relations could be determined. Despite this, the study provided more insight into the way people estimate and judge their body weight.

Body Height↗
PubMed1986

Influence of dietary zinc on di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate-induced testicular atrophy and zinc depletion in adult rats.

Groups of 48 adult male F344 rats were maintained on synthetic diets containing 20 ppm (normal), 2 ppm (low), or 200 ppm (high) zinc. After 1 week of acclimation to the various diets, groups of 12 rats from each dietary regimen were gavaged for 13 consecutive days with 0.0 (vehicle), 0.33, 1.0, or 3.0 g/kg di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP). These were selected as relatively nontoxic, mildly toxic, and moderately toxic doses for producing testicular injury in adult male rats. At termination on the 14th day, body weight gain was reduced by 3.0 g/kg DEHP dose in the normal and low-zinc diet groups but not in the high-zinc diet group. The low-zinc diet alone reduced body weight gain, independent of DEHP treatment. DEHP had no perceptible effects on the weights of testis, seminal vesicle, prostate, or epididymis from rats maintained on normal- or high-zinc diets, but reduced the weights of all of these organs from animals on the low-zinc diet in a dose-dependent manner. Lactate dehydrogenase activity, total and free sulfhydryl contents, and zinc concentrations in testes were also reduced, and testicular degeneration was induced by DEHP in the low-zinc diet groups. In contrast, dose-dependent liver enlargement and hypolipidemia (reduction of serum cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations) were produced by equivalent doses of DEHP in all of the three zinc groups. The selectively enhanced susceptibility of adult male F344 rats on a zinc deficient diet to the gonadotoxic effects of DEHP supports the hypothesis that testicular zinc depletion is causally related to the ensuing testicular and accessory sex organ atrophies. Other biological effects of DEHP (e.g., hypolipidemia, hepatomegaly) appear to occur independent of zinc homeostasis.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Rorschach personality predictors of weight loss with behavior modification in obesity treatment.

Weight loss outcome for 49 obese patients after 6 months treatment in a behavior modification program was related to Rorschach personality characteristics according to the Comprehensive System (Exner, 2003), also including the Rorschach Oral Dependency Scale (Bornstein, 1996; Masling & Rabie, 1967). Less weight loss was predicted by signs of perceptual and cognitive distortions indicated by the Schizophrenia Index. More weight loss was predicted by Food Contents, suggesting a food preoccupation and possibly a benign dependency orientation. Patients with a focus on food and dependent needs could benefit above all from the treatment program implying learning how to handle food and eating in a supportive setting, as evidenced by more weight loss. Distortions in perception and cognition could constitute more profound difficulties in weight reduction important to recognize in obesity treatment.

Adult↗