Healing from weight stigma in community: A thematic analysis of a group intervention for large-bodied individuals.

Discrimination against and negative beliefs about large-bodied individuals, known as weight stigma, is pervasive and harmful. While previous research has focused on the negative consequences of weight stigma, the present study aims to highlight the lived experience of large-bodied individuals while also exploring the process of healing from harmful experiences of weight stigma. Ten adult (9/10 White, 8/10 cisgender women), large-bodied individuals recruited via snowball sampling through a nonprofit, grassroots, eating disorder advocacy organization participated in a 10-week, counselor-facilitated support group with the shared goal of healing from the impact of weight stigma. Researchers used reflexive thematic analysis to analyze video recordings and transcripts of group sessions to answer the following question: how did participants make sense of their weight stigma experiences and engage with the process of healing in community? Four primary themes were generated: (a) Community is Essential, (b) Storying, (c) Deprogramming and Changing Mindset, and (d) Expansive Healing. These results underscore the impact of weight stigma in the lives of large-bodied individuals and provide insight into how clinicians might support such individuals engaging in collective healing from these painful experiences. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

"Are people thinking I'm a vector because I'm fat?": Cisgender experiences of body, eating, and identity during COVID-19.

While a range of studies have shown the negative impact of COVID-19 on disordered eating and body image, few have engaged with how identity and social context interact with these domains. The current study used inductive codebook thematic analysis to understand experiences of body and eating during the pandemic among a diverse (sub)clinical sample of individuals with self-reported disordered eating. We interviewed 31 cisgender participants (18/31 Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC), 24/31 women) with a history of disordered eating (diagnosed and undiagnosed). Five themes were identified: Body Surveillance and Dissatisfaction, Movement and Intake Fixation, Food Scarcity and Resource Concerns, Changes in Visibility of Body and Eating, and Bodies Are Vulnerable. We examined the extent to which themes pertained to certain identities over others. Notably, BIPOC, large-bodied, queer participants more commonly spoke to body vulnerability than White, small/medium-bodied, straight participants. BIPOC and large-bodied participants also particularly spoke to feeling relief from discrimination as social distancing and mask wearing reduced their public visibility. Participants related these themes to changed body and eating experiences that spanned distress and resilience. Our analysis offers insight into multifaceted and contextual impacts of COVID-19 on experiences of body, eating, and identity.

Body Mass Index Requirements for Gender-Affirming Surgeries Are Not Empirically Based.

Body mass index (BMI) requirements for gender affirmation surgery (GAS) are ubiquitous and vary across providers. Requirement variation is not surprising given little data to suggest an association between BMI and GAS outcomes. Implementation of subjective BMI requirements limits access to GAS and negatively impacts patient health and safety. We outline the literature on BMI and GAS outcomes, discuss clinical utility of GAS, and summarize dangers of prescribing weight loss as a prerequisite for surgery. We propose that providers use empirically supported indices of health and comorbidity instead of BMI to determine surgical eligibility for all patients considering GAS.

Dismantling weight stigma: A group intervention in a partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient eating disorder treatment program.

The authors piloted a weight stigma psychotherapy group at an eating disorder partial hospitalization (PHP) and intensive outpatient program (IOP). This was an optional, transdiagnostic eating disorder group for patients with past/present weight stigma experiences related to being in large bodies. A total of 36 individuals participated in the weekly group from June 2018 to June 2019 during their PHP/IOP episode of care. We present the group's overarching framework of destigmatizing language and intersectional discussions of weight stigma. We also discuss clinical processes that unfolded during this group including simulated dialog from the group. Finally, we present relevant client quotes that provide preliminary support for future exploration in this area, as client subjective experiences of the group were positive. Our preliminary pilot experience suggests that delivering a group of this nature in a PHP/IOP eating disorder treatment setting is feasible and that further work is needed to build upon this antiweight stigma framework as a critical piece of eating disorder treatment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).