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To examine the role of stress and health-risk behaviours in relationships between weight discrimination and health and well-being. Secondary data analysis of an observational cohort study. The English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Data were from 4341 adults (≥50 years) with overweight/obesity. We tested associations between perceived weight discrimination at baseline (2010/2011) and self-rated health, limiting long-standing illness, depressive symptoms, quality of life and life satisfaction over 4-year follow-up (2010/2011; 2014/2015). Potential mediation by stress exposure (hair cortisol) and health-risk behaviours (smoking, physical inactivity, alcohol consumption) was assessed. Cross-sectionally, perceived weight discrimination was associated with higher odds of fair/poor self-rated health (OR=2.05 (95% CI 1.49 to 2.82)), limiting long-standing illness (OR=1.76 (95% CI 1.29 to 2.41)) and depressive symptoms (OR=2.01 (95% CI 1.41 to 2.85)) and lower quality of life (B=-5.82 (95% CI -7.01 to -4.62)) and life satisfaction (B=-2.36 (95% CI -3.25 to -1.47)). Prospectively, weight discrimination was associated with higher odds of fair/poor self-rated health (OR=1.63 (95% CI 1.10 to 2.40)) and depressive symptoms (OR=2.37 (95% CI 1.57 to 3.60)) adjusting for baseline status. Those who reported discrimination had higher hair cortisol concentrations (B=0.14 (95% CI 0.03 to 0.25)) and higher odds of physical inactivity (OR=1.90 (95% CI 1.18 to 3.05)). These variables did not significantly mediate associations between discrimination and health outcomes. Weight discrimination is associated with poor health and well-being. While this discrimination is associated with stress exposure and physical inactivity, these variables explain little of the association between discrimination and poorer outcomes. © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY. Published by BMJ.

Citation

Ruth A Hackett, Sarah E Jackson, Elizabeth Corker, Andrew Steptoe. The role of stress and health behaviour in linking weight discrimination and health: a secondary data analysis in England. BMJ open. 2023 Sep 14;13(9):e072043

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PMID: 37709322

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