This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Hebl, M. R. Articles by Heatherton, T. F. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Hebl, M. R. Articles by Heatherton, T. F. Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

The Stigma of Obesity in Women: The Difference is Black and White

Dartmouth College

Todd F. Heatherton

Dartmouth College

This study examined whether there is subcultural variation in the stigma of obesity. Black and White women rated photographs of thin, average, and large Black and White women on a number of evaluative dimensions. The photographs depicted professional models dressed in fashionable clothing. Results showed that White women rated large women, especially large White women, lower on attractiveness, intelligence, job success, relationship success, happiness, and popularity than they did average or thin women. By contrast, Black women did not show the same denigration of large women, and this was especially true when they were rating large Black women. A number of possible explanations are offered for these results, such as the difference in Black and White women's social role models, weight salience, subcultural beliefs concerning obesity, and disidentification from mainstream values.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				T. T. Lewis, S. A. Everson-Rose, B. Sternfeld, K. Karavolos, D. Wesley, and L. H. Powell Race, Education, and Weight Change in a Biracial Sample of Women at Midlife Arch Intern Med, March 14, 2005; 165(5): 545 - 551. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. R. Hebl, E. B. King, and J. Lin The Swimsuit Becomes Us All: Ethnicity, Gender, and Vulnerability to Self-Objectification Pers Soc Psychol Bull, October 1, 2004; 30(10): 1322 - 1331. [Abstract] [PDF]

				T. Beauboeuf-Lafontant Strong And Large Black Women?: Exploring Relationships between Deviant Womanhood and Weight Gender Society, February 1, 2003; 17(1): 111 - 121. [Abstract] [PDF]

				C. T. Miller and K. T. Downey A Meta-Analysis of Heavyweight and Self-Esteem Personality and Social Psychology Review, February 1, 1999; 3(1): 68 - 84. [Abstract] [PDF]