Weight Stigma by Association Among Parents of Children With Obesity

Parents of children with obesity report feeling blamed for their children's weight and reluctant to seek pediatric care after stigmatizing experiences. This "weight stigma by association" may have direct consequences for parents, children, and the parent-child relationship. The present study builds on qualitative evidence to experimentally test weight stigma and weight stigma by association in a parent-child relationship using a large, community-based sample. In an experiment conducted via an online survey, participants were randomly assigned to view a picture of a parent-child dyad, for which parent and child's gender (male vs. female) and weight status (with obesity vs. without obesity) were manipulated. Participants read identical general parenting descriptions that adhered to American Academy of Pediatrics parenting recommendations, then rated the parent's effectiveness, helpfulness, and caring.