Examining Weight Bias Attitudes and Obesity Beliefs among Undergraduate Students

Objective: This cross-sectional study examined the weight bias attitudes and obesity beliefs of health science (HS), nursing, and pre-medicine undergraduate students. Methods: Using snowballing and convenience sampling strategies, students (N = 139) completed an online survey, including a 24-item Antifat Attitudes Scale (AFAS) and eight-item Belief About Obese Persons (BAOP) scale. Results: HS students have higher weight bias than nursing and pre-medicine students combined (M = 43.45, SD = 10.75), t(137) = -2.45, p = 0.016). A negative correlation exists between AFAS and BAOP suggesting high weight bias influences a belief that obesity is controllable. Gender positively predicted weight bias attitudes ([beta] = -11.43, t = -4.33, p < 0.001) and obesity beliefs ([beta] = 3.75, t = 3.01, p = 0.003). Conclusions: Findings confirm that HS students have weight bias attitudes. This supports undergraduate curricular changes on obesity etiology that may improve treatment plans of individuals who are obese.