Predictors of weight stigma experienced by patients with obesity in disadvantaged areas of Australia

Context: Rates of obesity have increased globally and weight stigma is commonly experienced by people who are obese. Feeling stigmatised can be a barrier to healthy eating, physical activity and to seeking help to manage weight. Identifying patients most likely to experience weight stigma is helpful for identifying those most in need of support. Objective: To identify predictors of weight-based stigma. Design: Multi-level analysis of baseline data from a randomised clinical trial. Setting: Australian General Practice. Participants: 120 patients aged 40–70 years with a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 from 17 general practices in socioeconomically disadvantaged of Sydney and Adelaide. Instrument: Health Literacy Questionnaire; The Impact of Weight on Quality of Life-Lite Measure. Outcome measure: experience of weight-related discrimination. Predictors: Socio-demographic variables and health literacy. Results: Weight stigma was positively associated with obesity class 2(BMI=35-