Dispositional mindfulness promotes public health of the obesity population by reducing perceived discrimination and weight stigma concerns

Aim Perceived discrimination and weight stigma concerns are believed to induce negative emotional symptoms. In this article, we tested the mediation effect of perceived discrimination and weight stigma concerns on the association between dispositional mindfulness and negative emotional symptoms. Subjects and methods A total of 254 recruited obesity participants who provided their height and weight and completed the Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale were investigated along with their stigma-related variables (perceived discrimination and weight stigma concerns). Results The results indicated a negative association between dispositional mindfulness and perceived discrimination and between weight stigma concerns and negative emotional symptoms. Perceived discrimination, weight stigma concerns, and negative emotional symptoms were also positively correlated. The mediation analysis showed that perceived discrimination mediated the relationship between dispositional mindfulness and negative emotional symptoms rather than weight stigma concerns, which mediated the relationship between perceived discrimination and negative emotional symptoms. Conclusion Mindfulness may benefit negative emotional symptoms of obese individuals by reducing the effect of perceived discrimination, which further reduces weight stigma concerns. The results shed light on mindfulness-based weight stigma reduction interventions.