BACKGROUND: Negative obesity stereotypes and anti-fat attitudes have been observed in children from age three. It is uncertain whether this is specific to fatness or generalizable to other visible differences. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether young children base decisions about qualities in others and friendship choices more on fatness than other visible differences between people. METHODS: Using a personal construct theory approach, 85 children (mean age 5.7, 42 girls) completed a simple repertory grid. The children were asked about differences (constructs) between four illustrations (elements) that showed children as healthy weight, fat, the opposite gender and in a wheelchair. Children were also asked about friendship with the illustrated children and self-image preferences. Their answers were grouped using thematic analysis. RESULTS: The fat, opposite gender and wheelchair-bound characters were equally chosen by children as different to the standard character. When identifying differences, fatness or body shape was referred to significantly less than gender or being in a wheelchair. Children were more likely to reject an opposite gender character as a friend, or as someone they would like to be, than to reject the fat character. Only one child, themselves overweight, voiced strong anti-fat attitudes. CONCLUSIONS: Apparent negativity towards fatness is fostered by failure to consider other visible differences and by children's 'like me' peer preferences. It was less desirable in the eyes of most 5-year old girls to be a boy than to be fat. This offers some reassurance to those working to improve children's health literacy in obesity.
BACKGROUND: Negative obesity stereotypes and anti-fat attitudes have been observed in children from age three. It is uncertain whether this is specific to fatness or generalizable to other visible differences. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether young children base decisions about qualities in others and friendship choices more on fatness than other visible differences between people. METHODS: Using a personal construct theory approach, 85 children (mean age 5.7, 42 girls) completed a simple repertory grid. The children were asked about differences (constructs) between four illustrations (elements) that showed children as healthy weight, fat, the opposite gender and in a wheelchair. Children were also asked about friendship with the illustrated children and self-image preferences. Their answers were grouped using thematic analysis. RESULTS: The fat, opposite gender and wheelchair-bound characters were equally chosen by children as different to the standard character. When identifying differences, fatness or body shape was referred to significantly less than gender or being in a wheelchair. Children were more likely to reject an opposite gender character as a friend, or as someone they would like to be, than to reject the fat character. Only one child, themselves overweight, voiced strong anti-fat attitudes. CONCLUSIONS: Apparent negativity towards fatness is fostered by failure to consider other visible differences and by children's 'like me' peer preferences. It was less desirable in the eyes of most 5-year old girls to be a boy than to be fat. This offers some reassurance to those working to improve children's health literacy in obesity.
Authors: Flóra Faragó; Sarah Savoy; Emily A Sanchez; Neusha Khaleghi; Lauren Evans; Emily L Adams; Edgar Palomino Journal: Arch Sex Behav Date: 2022-04-26
Authors: Garden Tabacchi; Giuseppe Battaglia; Giuseppe Messina; Antonio Paoli; Antonio Palma; Marianna Bellafiore Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2020-04-16 Impact factor: 3.390