Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39972429›Full record

ArticleBMC public health2025

Weight bias among students and employees in university settings: an exploratory study.

Léonie Sohier, Claudia Mc Brearty, Stéphanie LeBlanc, Dominic J Chartrand, Audrey St-Laurent, Schohraya Spahis, Léonel Philibert, Inès Auclair Mangliar, Marie-Pierre Gagnon-Girouard, Clara Lakritz and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Léonie SohierSchool of Psychology, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.
Claudia Mc BreartySchool of Psychology, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.
Stéphanie LeBlancResearch Center of the Quebec Heart and Lung Institute, 2725 Ch Ste-Foy, Québec, QC, G1V4G5, Canada.
Dominic J ChartrandResearch Center of the Quebec Heart and Lung Institute, 2725 Ch Ste-Foy, Québec, QC, G1V4G5, Canada.
Audrey St-LaurentCHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Center, Québec, QC, Canada.
Schohraya SpahisBiochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.
Léonel PhilibertPôle pluralité humaine, Université de l'Ontario Français, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Inès Auclair MangliarCHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Center, Québec, QC, Canada.
Marie-Pierre Gagnon-GirouardDepartment of Psychology, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada.
Clara LakritzResearch Center of the Quebec Heart and Lung Institute, 2725 Ch Ste-Foy, Québec, QC, G1V4G5, Canada.
Sylvain IcetaResearch Center of the Quebec Heart and Lung Institute, 2725 Ch Ste-Foy, Québec, QC, G1V4G5, Canada. sylvain.iceta.1@ulaval.ca.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0054-1865

Funding

Fonds de Recherche du Québec - Santé 312066
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundWeight bias and stigmatization are highly prevalent in modern society, especially in educational settings, such as universities. Despite extensive documentation of the adverse consequences on students' daily functioning and psychological health, there is limited literature regarding factors associated with weight bias and its extent in Quebec universities.

objectivesThis exploratory study aims to assess the prevalence of weight bias and experiences of weight-related stigmatization, as well as to examine their associations with gender, psychological health problems, and status (students or employees) in a college environment in the province of Quebec.

methodsParticipants were recruited via their university emails. A total of 292 students and 129 university employees participated in an online survey distributed via the secure REDCap platform. The following data was collected: sociodemographic information, status (students or employees), body weight, experiences of stigma, and prejudice towards people living with a higher weight (Fat Phobia Scale; FPS).

resultsApproximately half of the respondents reported experiencing weight-related stigma (44.7%), and half indicated holding prejudice towards overweight people (51.1%), with a moderate rate of bias according to the FPS (3.25). Experience of weight-related stigma was found to be associated with gender (X

conclusionsVarious factors are associated with the experience of weight bias and stigmatization towards people with higher weight in the college population. Campaigns to prevent and reduce weight-related bias should be aimed specifically at staff members as well as students. Future research should examine weight bias internalization as a mediator between self-perceived weight and prejudice.

Indexed as

Social StigmaStudentsWeight PrejudiceAdolescentAdultFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedQuebecSurveys and QuestionnairesUniversitiesYoung AdultEmployeesObesityPrejudicesStudentsUniversityWeight bias

Identifiers

PMID39972429
PMCPMC11841011

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.