Correlates of Internalized Weight Bias in an Ethnically Diverse College Sample

Understanding factors related to internalized weight bias (IWB), particularly among diverse populations, is an important avenue of research to inform interventions aimed at reducing IWB. This study surveyed college students (n = 319) about their body image, social media use, and culture. ANOVA, multiple regression, and hierarchical regressions were used to analyze data. Overall, body image flexibility emerged as a strongly negatively related to IWB, indicating potentially protective qualities. Physical appearance comparison, objectified body consciousness, and BMI emerged as maladaptive correlates. Findings related to social media were more complicated, with appearance related social media consciousness as an important negative correlate, while social media use, ethnic identification, experiences of weight-based stigma, and thin ideal internalization were not significant predictors. Though ethnic identity was not significantly related to IWB, ethnicity was, indicating a need for further investigation. This study’s findings contribute to better understanding IWB among an ethnically diverse college student sample.