The Role of Weight Stigmatization in Cumulative Risk for Binge Eating

Previous research supports a positive association between weight stigmatization experiences and binge eating. However, the extent to which weight stigmatization accounts for binge eating in the context of other risk factors requires further investigation. Using a cumulative risk model, we examine previously studied risk factors (environmental stress, psychological functioning, negative coping, body dissatisfaction) as well as weight stigmatization as predictors of binge eating bariatric patients and undergraduate students. Results show a unique contribution of weight stigmatization. Analyses by sample indicated that this was only the case for the undergraduate student sample. Results support weight stigmatization as a meaningful predictor of binge eating and highlight the need for further work investigating how these experiences work to promote eating pathology. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol 67:278-292, 2011.