Negative peer perceptions of obese children in the classroom environment

Objective: It is asserted that the more immediate and observable consequences of pediatric obesity are psychosocial in nature. This study examines the peer relations of clinically referred obese youth compared to demographically comparable nonoverweight peers within the classroom environment. Methods and Procedures: Peer‐, teacher‐, and self‐reports of behavioral reputation (Revised Class Play (RCP)), and peer reports of social acceptance, nonsocial attributes (attractiveness, athleticism, academic competence), and health interference (school absence, illness, fatigue) were obtained regarding 90 obese youth (BMI > 95th percentile; 8–16 years, 57% girls, 50% African American) and 76 nonoverweight demographically similar comparison classmates. Results: Relative to comparison peers, obese children were nominated significantly less often as a best friend and rated lower in peer acceptance, although the two groups did not differ in the number of reciprocated friendships. Obese youth were described by peer, teacher, and self‐report as more socially withdrawn and by peers as displaying less leadership and greater aggressive‐disruptive behavior. Peers also described obese youth as less physically attractive, less athletic, more sick, tired, and absent from school. Being seen as less attractive and less athletic by peers helped to explain differences in obese and nonoverweight youth's levels of peer acceptance. Discussion: Clinically referred obese youth are characterized by peer relations that differ from those of nonoverweight youth. The peer environment provides a rich context to understand the social consequences of pediatric obesity as well as factors that could be targeted in intervention to promote more positive health and psychosocial outcomes.     

Social influences are associated with BMI and weight loss intentions in young adults

Christakis and colleagues have shown that health behaviors cluster in social networks and suggest social norms may account for the clustering. This study examined: (i) whether obesity clusters among young adults and whether social norms do in fact account for the clustering, and (ii) among overweight/obese (OW/OB) young adults, whether number of social contacts trying to lose weight is associated with weight loss intentions and whether social norms for weight loss account for this effect. Normal weight (NW) and OW/OB young adults (N = 288; 66% female; 75% white) completed measures assessing number of OW social contacts and social norms for obesity. OW/OB young adults also indicated number of OW social contacts currently trying to lose weight, social norms for weight loss, and weight loss intentions. Compared to NW, OW/OB young adults were more likely to have OW romantic partners and best friends and had more OW casual friends and family members (Ps < 0.05), but social norms for obesity did not differ between groups, and social norms did not mediate the relationship between OW social contacts and participants' weight status. However, among OW/OB young adults, having more social contacts trying to lose weight was associated with greater intention to lose weight (r = 0.20, P = 0.02) and social norms for weight loss fully mediated this effect (P < 0.01). This study is the first to show that social contacts and normative beliefs influence weight status and intentions for weight control in young adults. Findings underscore the importance of targeting social influence in the treatment and prevention of obesity in this high-risk age group.     

Social jet lag,chronotype and body mass index in 14–17-year-old adolescents

The relationship between sleep duration and obesity in adolescents is inconclusive. This may stem from a more complex relationship between sleep and obesity than previously considered. Shifts toward evening preferences, later sleep–wake times and irregular sleep–wake patterns are typical during adolescence but their relationship to body mass index (BMI) has been relatively unexplored. This cross-sectional study examined associations between sleep duration, midpoint of sleep and social jet lag (estimated from 7 days of continuous actigraphy monitoring), and morningness/eveningness with BMIs (BMI z-scores) and waist-to-height ratios in 14–17-year-old adolescents. Seventy participants were recruited from ninth and tenth grades at a public high school. Participants’ characteristics were as follows: 74% female, 75% post-pubertal, 36% Hispanic, 38% White, 22% Black, 4% Asian and 64% free/reduced lunch participants with a mean age of 15.5 (SD, 0.7). Forty-one percent of the participants were obese (BMI ≥ 95th percentile); 54% were abdominally obese (waist-to-height ratio ≥ 0.5). Multivariable general linear models were used to estimate the association between the independent variables (school night sleep duration, free night sleep duration, midpoint of sleep (corrected), social jet lag and morningness/eveningness) and the dependent variables (BMI z-scores and waist-to-height ratios). Social jet lag is positively associated with BMI z-scores (p < 0.01) and waist-to-height ratios (p = 0.01). Midpoint of sleep (corrected) is positively associated with waist-to-height ratios (p = 0.01). After adjusting for social jet lag, school night sleep duration was not associated with waist-to-height ratios or BMI z-scores. Morningness/eveningness did not moderate the association between sleep duration and BMI z-scores. Findings from this study suggest that chronobiological approaches to preventing and treating obesity may be important for accelerating progress in reducing obesity rates in adolescents.     

Insulin Secretion in Hypothalamic Obesity: Diurnal Variation and the Effect of Naloxone

This paper has tested the hypothesis that patients with hypothalamic obesity have altered mechanisms controlling insulin secretion when compared to obese patients without hypothalamic injury. Fasting glucose and insulin values were significantly higher in the morning than in the afternoon in the six control obese patients, but there was no diurnal difference in the six patients with hypothalamic obesity (n=6). The control obese subjects showed a diurnal variation in glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, whereas the patients with hypothalamic obesity did not, suggesting that hypothalamic injury had destroyed diurnal rhythms. Naloxone, an opioid antagonist, acutely suppressed fasting insulin in the six patients with essential obesity but had little effect on fasting insulin in the three patients with hypothalamic obesity or in five normal-weight controls. Naloxone increased insulin sensitivity in the obese control patients, but did not affect either insulin secretion or insulin sensitivity in patients with hypothalamic obesity or in normal weight subjects. Our results support the conclusion that hypothalamic obesity disrupts diurnal rhythms, with the suggestion that opioid peptides affect insulin secretion differently in patients with essential obesity as compared to normal weight subjects or those with hypothalamic obesity.     

Onset of obesity in a 36 year birth cohort study.

A large national cohort of children studied from birth to 36 years was used to test the predictive value of childhood obesity for obesity in adult life. Only 21% (39) of obese 36 year olds had been obese at age 11 years, and even when associated social factors were taken into account the correctly predicted percentage was much lower than the prediction rate achieved using body mass data from age 26 years. The comparatively poor predictive value of childhood obesity and the association of adult obesity with educational achievements and socioeconomic circumstances of family of origin emphasise the need for encouraging good nutritional and exercise habits rather than placing undue emphasis on the control of childhood obesity.     

Dieting,Exercise, or Disordered Eating Does Not Account for Extremes of Body Weight within Families

Objective : Families having both members with obesity and thin members should contain substantial information for genetics studies, provided measured phenotype is an accurate indicator of genetic predisposition. We assessed the impact of potentially complicating behavioral factors on obesity phenotypes of family members selected for a long-term project to identify genes for human obesity. Research Methods and Procedures : Ninety-nine Caucasian families were selected for study because they contained both extremely obese and average-weight family members. Family members (n = 492) were queried about their diet and exercise habits, their psychiatric histories as they pertained to eating disorders, and for a subset of subjects (n = 329), a lifetime dieting history and a lifetime maximum weight were recorded. Results : Subjects with average body weights in these families did not appear to be maintaining their weight by dieting and <4% of the average-weight subjects had ever been obese in the past. Discussion : Although dieting and other weight loss practices potentially could either mask or complicate the genotype-phenotype relationship, we found little evidence for this possibility in the families studied.     

Family mealtimes: A contextual approach to understanding childhood obesity

There has been a growing interest in the role that shared family mealtimes may play in promoting the health and well-being of children. Families that regularly eat their main meal together four or more times a week are more likely to have children who do better in school, are of average weight, less likely to use drugs and alcohol at an early age, and consume more fruits and vegetables. The mere fact that families eat together does not address the process by which shared family mealtimes may protect children from unhealthy weight gain. Just as there is no simple explanation for the rising rates of obesity, the link between shared family mealtimes and childhood obesity is a complex one including socioeconomic and cultural context. In this paper, we provide an overview of how shared family mealtimes are embedded in a socio-cultural context that may either support or derail healthy eating patterns for children and youth. Evidence from an observational study of 200 family mealtimes demonstrates the complex interplay between socio-economic factors, family mealtime behaviors, and child obesity status. Families who had a child of healthy weight spent more time engaged with each other during the meal, expressed more positive communication, and considered mealtimes more important and meaningful than families who had a child who was overweight or obese. Using a cumulative risk model, it was found that the combination of family level and neighborhood risk factors predicted child overweight status. Recommendations are made for future research directions and policies directed toward families living in diverse economic circumstances.     

Dental asymmetry,maternal obesity,and smoking

This study examines the levels of fluctuating dental asymmetry in four samples of school children: those whose mothers were obese and had smoked during the pregnancy concerned (n = 111); those whose mothers were obese non-smokers (n = 114); those whose mothers were non-obese smokers (n = 104); and those whose mothers were lean non-smokers (n = 111). The degree of fluctuating asymmetry was assessed by means of a rescaled asymmetry measure. Obesity was defined as Quetelet's index in excess of 30, and smoking status as at least 20 cigarettes per day during the pregnancy concerned. When the magnitudes of fluctuating asymmetry in children of lean smokers were compared to the control group of lean non-smokers, no significant univariate differences were found. Children of obese mothers, whether these smoked or not, were found to have significantly raised levels of asymmetry. An analysis of variance confirmed that the combination of obesity and maternal smoking was a significant predictor of fluctuating dental asymmetry. The teeth involved tended to be the maxillary first incisor and molars. It is concluded that maternal obesity has a destabilizing effect on the developing fetus and that this effect appears to be enhanced in obese mothers who smoked. This effect was absent in lean mothers, irrespective of their smoking status. Am J Phys Anthropol 102:133–139. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Evolution of obesity by social status in France, 1981-2003

Although France is less affected by the rise in obesity than neighboring countries, the prevalence of obesity has increased, changing the distribution of this pathology in the population. We analyze this evolution by social status, education, income and gender, region of residence, using the three French national Health Surveys conducted in 1981, 1992 and 2003. The average body weight of both women and men has increased in France since 1981 and accelerated since the 1990s. This trend is obtained among all age groups. Nevertheless, this process did not affect all socioeconomic groups similarly. Geographical differences increased between north-east, where the prevalence of obesity is higher, and the Mediterranean region, where it is lower. Likewise, the gap between social and occupational categories has greatly widened: obesity has increased much faster among farmers and blue-collar workers than among managers and professionals. In contrast to women, poorer men are not more likely to be more obese than others. Our findings suggest that differences in BMI values increased substantially among social groups in France, in particular among women.     

Parent- and adolescent-reported barriers to participation in an adolescent overweight and obesity intervention

This study explored reported barriers to treatment completion in a sample of adolescents and their parents who either completed or did not complete family-based cognitive behavioral lifestyle intervention for overweight and obese adolescents. The sample comprises 56 overweight or obese adolescents (52% female) aged 11.5-18.9 years (mean = 14.5, s.d. = 1.8) and a parent. 57% of families did not complete treatment and maintenance phases of the intervention. A telephone-administered questionnaire assessing barriers to participation was completed by 96% of adolescents and 91% of parent completers and 100% of adolescents and 94% of parent noncompleters. Adolescents and parents most commonly reported barriers to participation related to research demands, treatment approach, program components/strategies, practical barriers, and other individual/family demands. Parents also noted adolescent effort, parent-adolescent conflict, and adolescent unhappiness as barriers to participation. While both completers and noncompleters experienced barriers to participation, families who discontinued treatment reported experiencing more treatment barriers. Findings of the current study suggest that adolescents and parents may find it easier to participate in adolescent overweight and obesity interventions if research and out-of-session program demands are minimized, efforts are made to enhance adolescent motivation, and treatment is offered in a convenient location and scheduled around school holidays and other family demands. Results also suggest that targeting adolescent unhappiness, family stressors, and parent-adolescent conflict in treatment may improve retention. Future research should explore the impact of these modifications on treatment completion and outcomes.     

Parental employment,family routines and childhood obesity

Using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey-Kindergarten Class of 1998–1999 (ECLS-K) data from kindergarten through eighth grade, this paper investigate the relationships among maternal employment, family routines and obesity. More hours worked by the mother tend to be negatively related to positive routines like eating meals as a family or at regular times, or having family rules about hours of television watched. Many of these same routines are significantly related to the probability of being obese, implying that family routines may be a mechanism by which maternal employment intensity affects children's obesity. However, inclusion of family routines in the obesity regression does not appreciably change the estimated effect of maternal employment hours. Thus, the commonly estimated deleterious effect of maternal employment on children's obesity cannot be explained by family routines, leaving the exact mechanisms an open question for further exploration.     

Adult socioeconomic,educational, social,and psychological outcomes of childhood obesity: a national birth cohort study

Objectives To assess adult socioeconomic, educational, social, and psychological outcomes of childhood obesity by using nationally representative data.Design 1970 British birth cohort.Participants 16 567 babies born in Great Britain 5-11 April 1970 and followed up at 5, 10, and 29-30 years.Main outcome measures Obesity at age 10 and 30 years. Self reported socioeconomic, educational, psychological, and social outcomes at 30 years. Odds ratios were calculated for the risk of each adult outcome associated with obesity in childhood only, obesity in adulthood only, and persistent child and adult obesity, compared with those obese at neither period.Results Of the 8490 participants with data on body mass index at 10 and 30 years, 4.3% were obese at 10 years and 16.3% at 30 years. Obesity in childhood only was not associated with adult social class, income, years of schooling, educational attainment, relationships, or psychological morbidity in either sex after adjustment for confounding factors. Persistent obesity was not associated with any adverse adult outcomes in men, though it was associated among women with a higher risk of never having been gainfully employed (odds ratio 1.9, 95% confidence interval 1.1 to 3.3) and not having a current partner (2.0, 1.3 to 3.3).Conclusions Obesity limited to childhood has little impact on adult outcomes. Persistent obesity in women is associated with poorer employment and relationship outcomes. Efforts to reduce the socioeconomic and psychosocial burden of obesity in adult life should focus on prevention of the persistence of obesity from childhood into adulthood.     

Impaired response of UCP family to cold exposure in diabetic (db/db) mice

Impaired activity of the uncoupling protein (UCP) family has been proposed to promote obesity development. The present study examined differences in UCP responses to cold exposure between leptin-resistance obese (db/db) mice and their lean (C57Ksj) littermates. Basal UCP1 and UCP3 mRNA expression in brown adipose tissue was lower in obese mice compared with lean mice, but UCP2 expression in white adipose tissue (WAT) was higher. Basal skeletal muscle UCP3 did not change remarkably. The UCP family mRNAs, which were upregulated 12 and 24 h after cold exposure (4 degrees C), were returned to prior levels 12 h after rewarming exposure (21 degrees C) in lean mice. The accelerating effects of cold exposure on the UCP family were impaired in db/db obese mice. Together with these changes, WAT lipoprotein lipase mRNA was downregulated, and the concentration of serum free fatty acid was increased in response to cold exposure in the lean mice but not in db/db obese littermates. The impaired function of the UCP family and diminished lipolysis in response to cold exposure indicate that the reduced lipolytic activity may contribute to the inactivation of the UCP family in db/db obese mice.     

Biochemical and Anthropometric Characterization of Morbid Obesity in a Large Utah Pedigree

A Utah family with morbid obesity was extended to include 122 persons in four generations for the purpose of characterizing anthropometric and biochemical variables in family members with and without morbid obesity. Seventy-seven subjects had blood drawn for biochemical analyses. Of the 77 subjects, 12 were morbidly obese (≥44.5 kg or 100 pounds overweight), 20 were between 22.5–45.4 kg (50 and 99 pounds) overweight and 45 were less than 22.5 kg (50 pounds) overweight Sixty-two randomly-ascertained controls were used for comparisons of age- and gender-adjusted study variables. Morbidly obese subjects had mean body mass indices (BMI) of 41.0 kg/m² (62 kg over ideal weight) compared to 25.3 kg/m² (10 kg overweight) in the <22.5 kg family members (p<0.001). The <22.5 kg family members had lower BMI than the random controls (27.6 kg/m², p<0.05), indicating clear bimodality of obesity within the pedigree. Percent body fat from bioelectrical impedance was 35% versus 24% in the morbidly obese and the <22.5 kg subjects, respectively. Ideal body weight was similar among the three pedigree weight groups. Hip and waist circumferences were much larger in the morbidly obese and the waist-to-hip ratio remained significantly greater in the morbidly obese subjects compared to the <22.5 kg group. Morbidly obese subjects had elevated triglycerides and VLDL-C levels, low HDL-levels, and normal LDL-C levels. Fasting insulin was the best predictor of morbid obesity of all biochemical and lipid measurements (odds ratio of 4.5). Fasting insulin levels and the insulin-to-glucose ratio were more than twice as high as control levels. Even after adjusting for differences in BMI, fasting insulin and the insulin to glucose ratio were elevated in the morbidly obese subjects indicating that insulin levels were inappropriately high for their weight compared to this relationship found in the other groups. Adjusted insulin levels for the 22.5–45.4 kg group were similar to controls, indicating insulin level was at the predicted level for their weight. In conclusion, individuals with morbid obesity appeared to have greater insulin resistance than could be explained by their weight. CHD risk from elevated LD L-C was not present, but CHD risk was increased by the so-called multiple metabolic syndrome (insulin resistance, high triglycerides and low HDL-C).     

徐州市学龄期儿童肥胖现况调查及影响因素分析

目的:对徐州学龄期儿童的肥胖现状进行调查,分析其肥胖原因,以期找到有效的预防方法。方法:随机选取2014年1月-2016年1月徐州市学龄期儿童1021例,采用自理调查量表收集儿童及其父母的基本情况,统计儿童肥胖发生率,采用Logistic多因素回归分析儿童肥胖的影响因素。结果:男童肥胖率为11.15%(58/520),女童肥胖率为5.79%(29/501),男童肥胖率明显高于女童(P0.05);Logistic多因素回归分析显示,儿童肥胖危险因素有家族肥胖史(OR=3.647)、食欲(OR=2.065)、垃圾食品(OR=3.032)、甜食(OR=2.937),保护因素为周末运动时间(OR=-0.865)、体育特长(OR=-0.641)。结论:徐州学龄期儿童肥胖情况较为严重,应当控制肥胖儿童卡路里的摄入,积极进行体育锻炼,从各方面进行防治。     

Prolactin response to TRH in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

17 obese women were examined, 8 of which were diabetic and 9 affected only by essential obesity. These patients, all of whom had become obese during adult life and 8 control subjects were tested for IRI, GH and PRL levels in basal conditions and after infusion of TRH. In the obese and diabetic women fasting GH values were normal while IRI levels were higher than those of the control subjects. In all cases neither IRI nor GH variations during TRH stimulation test. There was no difference in the plasma levels of PRL between the 3 groups when examined in basal conditions. After TRH the hormone increased considerably in all the subjects. In the obese and diabetic obese women the incremental area did not present different values from those observed in the control subjects. In conclusion in insulin-independent diabetes, as in essential obesity, the pharmacological stimulus did not show any evident alteration of the specific hypofisary receptorial system that regulates the secretion of PRL and GH.     

Obesity‐Related Knowledge,Attitudes, and Behaviors in Obese and Non‐obese Urban Philadelphia Female Adolescents

Objectives: To examine relationships between knowledge, attitudinal and behavioral factors, and obesity and to determine how these factors influence obesity status in west Philadelphia female adolescents. Research Methods and Procedures: A matched‐pairs study was conducted with 32 stature‐ and age‐matched pairs of obese (body mass index and triceps skinfold ≥95th percentile of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey I) and non‐obese (body mass index and triceps skinfold between the 15th and 85th percentiles of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey I) female African American adolescents (aged 11 to 15 years), selected from a school‐based study sample, based on obesity status and matching criteria. Adolescents were compared on the following measures: physical activity, inactivity, dietary intake, eating attitudes, health behavior knowledge, body image, self‐esteem, and maturation status. Differences between obese and non‐obese females were tested using paired t tests and Wilcoxon matched‐pairs signed‐rank tests. Results: Physical activity, inactivity, and perception of ideal body size emerged as the most important contributory factors to obesity status. There were no statistically significant matched‐pair differences in macronutrient and micronutrient intakes, self‐esteem, eating attitudes, health behavior knowledge, or maturation status of these adolescents. Obese adolescents had significantly lower levels of physical activity, higher inactivity, and a larger perception of ideal body size than non‐obese adolescents. Discussion: Knowledge and attitudinal factors (with the exception of perception of ideal body size) had far less association with obesity than activity‐related behavioral factors. These findings suggest that future intervention strategies should pay particular attention to physical activity, inactivity, and body image attitudes.     

Lack of skeletal muscle liver kinase B1 alters gene expression,mitochondrial content,inflammation and oxidative stress without affecting high-fat diet-induced obesity or insulin resistance

Ad libitum high-fat diet (HFD) induces obesity and skeletal muscle metabolic dysfunction. Liver kinase B1 (LKB1) regulates skeletal muscle metabolism by controlling the AMP-activated protein kinase family, but its importance in regulating muscle gene expression and glucose tolerance in obese mice has not been established. The purpose of this study was to determine how the lack of LKB1 in skeletal muscle (KO) affects gene expression and glucose tolerance in HFD-fed, obese mice.KO and littermate control wild-type (WT) mice were fed a standard diet or HFD for 14 weeks. RNA sequencing, and subsequent analysis were performed to assess mitochondrial content and respiration, inflammatory status, glucose and insulin tolerance, and muscle anabolic signaling.KO did not affect body weight gain on HFD, but heavily impacted mitochondria-, oxidative stress-, and inflammation-related gene expression. Accordingly, mitochondrial protein content and respiration were suppressed while inflammatory signaling and markers of oxidative stress were elevated in obese KO muscles. KO did not affect glucose or insulin tolerance. However, fasting serum insulin and skeletal muscle insulin signaling were higher in the KO mice. Furthermore, decreased muscle fiber size in skmLKB1-KO mice was associated with increased general protein ubiquitination and increased expression of several ubiquitin ligases, but not muscle ring finger 1 or atrogin-1. Taken together, these data suggest that the lack of LKB1 in skeletal muscle does not exacerbate obesity or insulin resistance in mice on a HFD, despite impaired mitochondrial content and function and elevated inflammatory signaling and oxidative stress.     

Familial Aggregation of Morbid Obesity

Recent studies have shown major gene effects for obesity in randomly ascertained families. To investigate the familial aggregation of a specific subset of obesity, which is particularly prone to medical complications, families with morbid obesity were studied. This condition occurs in 1%-2%of the population and is defined as 45.5 kg (100 pounds) or more over ideal weight. First-degree relatives of 221 morbidly obese probands (1560 adults) were identified, and height and weight (current and greatest) were obtained from each family member. Morbid obesity occurred in the family members of the probands 8 times more often than in the general population. Of the morbidly obese probands, 48% had one or more first-degree relatives who were also morbidly obese compared to a 6% population estimate. By the ages of 20–24, 12% of the morbidly obese probands were already 45.5 kg or more overweight, and 45% were 22.7 kg (50 pounds) or more overweight. There was little difference in the prevalence of familial morbid obesity by the gender of the probands: 47% of the male probands and 48% of the female probands had another morbidly obese relative, while 67% and 53% of the early onset (before age 25) male and female probands, respectively, had one or more first-degree relatives who were also morbidly obese. In addition to the extreme degree of familial aggregation, the prevalence of morbid obesity in parent-offspring sets was calculated within the morbidly obese families. Morbidly obese families who have one or two morbidly obese parents have a 2.6 times increased risk (p<0.002) of having one or more morbidly obese adult offspring, compared to families who have neither parent morbidly obese. Evidence for trimodality of the body mass index distribution was found for each gender (p = 0.0006 for male relatives and p = 0.075 for female relatives). The strong familial aggregation of morbid obesity indicates the need for further understanding of the genetic determinants of this extreme clinical disorder and how environmental factors affect the genetic expression of the trait. (OBESITY RESEARCH 1993;1:261–270)     

Stigmatized Students: Age,Sex, and Ethnicity Effects in the Stigmatization of Obesity

Objective: To assess the stigmatization of obesity relative to the stigmatization of various disabilities among young men and women. Attitudes across ethnic groups were compared. In addition, these findings were compared with data showing severe stigmatization of obesity among children. Research Methods and Procedures: Participants included 356 university students (56% women; mean age, 20.6 years; mean BMI, 23.3 kg/m²; range, 14.4 to 45.0 kg/m²) who ranked six drawings of same‐sex peers in order of how well they liked each person. The drawings showed adults with obesity, various disabilities, or no disability. These rankings were compared with those obtained through a similar procedure with 458 fifth‐ and sixth‐grade children. Results: Obesity was highly stigmatized relative to physical disabilities. African‐American women liked obese peers more than did African‐American men, white men, or white women [F (1, 216) = 4.02, p < 0.05]. Overweight and obese participants were no less stigmatizing of obesity than normal weight participants. Adults were more accepting than children of their obese peers [t (761) = 9.16, p < 0.001]. Discussion: Although the stigmatization of obesity was high among participants overall, African‐American women seemed to have more positive attitudes toward obesity than did white women, white men, or African‐American men. Participants’ weight did not affect their stigmatization of obesity: obese and overweight adults were as highly stigmatizing of obesity as non‐overweight adults. Such internalized stigmatization could help to explain the low self‐esteem and poor body image among obese young adults. However, adults seemed to have more positive attitudes about obesity than children. An understanding of the factors that limit the stigma of obesity among African‐American women could help efforts to reduce stigma.