Weight Stigma in Women Who Are Obese: Assessing How an Acute Exposure to Stigma Negatively Impacts Cardiovascular Health

Weight Stigma in Women Who Are Obese: Assessing How an Acute Exposure to Stigma Negatively Impacts Cardiovascular Health

The current study examined the influence of an acute weight stigma exposure on cardiovascular reactivity among women with obesity and high blood pressure and women with obesity and normal blood pressure.

The current study examined the influence of two video exposures, one containing scenes of weight stigma (STIGMA) and the other non-stigmatizing neutral (NEUTRAL) scenes, on cardiovascular reactivity as assessed by resting BP and ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) and heart rate (HR), among women with obesity and high BP (HBP) or normal BP (NBP). The investigators hypothesized that as a result of STIGMA compared to NEUTRAL, cardiovascular reactivity would be significantly greater immediately upon watching the video and persist outside of the laboratory over ambulatory conditions in women with obesity and HBP compared to women with obesity and NBP.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Premenopausal
• BMI > 30 kg/m2
• No other known chronic cardiovascular or metabolic diseases besides hypertension

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pregnant or planned on becoming pregnant
• Took medications that may have affected the primary outcome of BP (e.g., stimulants for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or steroids for asthma)
• Currently using tobacco products
• Diagnosed with an eating disorder