Perceived weight discrimination linked to physical inactivity

People who feel that they have been discriminated against because of their weight are much less likely to be physically active than people who don't perceive that they have suffered any such stigmatisation, according to new research led by UCL. The research was published in the journal BMJ Open .  It was the first study to examine the relationship between weight discrimination and physical activity in a large population sample. The scientists looked at data from more than 5,400 men and women aged over 50 who were participants in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. People who felt discriminated against because of their size had almost 60% higher odds of being inactive and 30% lower odds of engaging in moderate or vigorous exercise once a week than their peers. There could be several reasons for the findings. These include that overweight and obese people who feel stigmatised may be more self-conscious about exercising in front of others for fear they will attract undesirable attention, leading to embarrassment or teasing, said Dr Sarah Jackson (UCL Epidemiology and Public Health) who led the research.