Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Paper
  • Published:

Fat phobia scale revisited: the short form

International Journal of Obesity volume 25, pages 252–257 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To develop a shortened form of the original 50-item fat phobia scale.

METHOD: The first factor from the original fat phobia scale—undisciplined, inactive and unappealing—was identified as a potential short form of the scale. A new sample of 255 people completed the original 50-item scale. The reliability of a shortened 14-item version of the scale was tested and compared to that of the full scale using both the new sample and the original sample of 1135 study participants.

RESULTS: The fat phobia scale—short form demonstrated excellent reliability in both samples and was strongly correlated with the 50-item scale. Mean and 90th percentile scores are given for both the long and short versions of the scale.

CONCLUSION: The shortened fat phobia scale is expected to increase the utility of the measure in a diverse array of research and clinical settings. Future research should focus on developing scale norms for the general population and conducting research on fat phobia in males and among different ethnic groups.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Aronson D . No laughing matter Teaching Tolerance 1997 Fall: 21–23.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Cowan GSM Jr . What do patients, families and society expect from the bariatric surgeon? Obes Surg 1998 8: 77–85.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Friedman MA, Brownell KD . Psychological correlates of obesity: moving to the next research generation Psychol Bull 1995 117: 3–20.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Hebl MR, Heatherton TF . The stigma of obesity in women: the difference is Black and White Personality Social Psychol Bull 1998 24: 417–426.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Hill AJ, Silver EK . Fat, friendless and unhealthy: 9-year old children's perception of body shape stereotypes Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1995 19: 423–430.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Kuss CL . Absolving a deadly sin: a medical and legal argument for including obesity as a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act J Contemp Health Law Policy 1996 12: 563–605.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Lewis RJ, Cash TF, Jacobi L, Bubb-Lewis C . Prejudice toward fat people: the development and validation of the Antifat Attitudes Test Obes Res 1997 5: 297–307.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Robinson BE, Bacon JG . The ‘If Only I Were Thin...’ Treatment Program: decreasing the stigmatizing effects of fatness Prof Psychol Res Pract 1996 27: 175–183.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Robinson BE, Bacon JG, O'Reilly J . Fat phobia: measuring, understanding, and changing anti-fat attitudes Int J Eat Disord 1993 14: 467–480.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Robinson BE, Gjerdingen DK, Houge, DR . Obesity: a move from traditional to more patient-oriented management J Am Board Fam Pract 1995 82: 99–108.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Senior K . Obesity: how can it be controlled? Mol Med Today 1997 May: 204–206.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Stunkard AJ . Current views on obesity Am J Med 1996 100: 230–236.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Yuker HE, Allison DB, Faith MS . Methods for measuring attitudes and beliefs about obese people. In: Allison DB (ed) Handbook of Assessment Methods for Eating Behaviors and Weight-Related Problems: Measures, Theory, and Research Sage Publishing: Thousand Oaks, CA 1995 81–105.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Breytspraak LM, McGee J, Conger JC, Whatley JL, Moore JT . Sensitizing medical students to impression formation processes in the patient interview J Med Educ 1997 52: 47–54.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Maddox GL, Liderman, V . Overweight as a social disability with medical implications J Med Educ 1969 44: 214–220.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Price JH, Desmond SM, Krol RA, Snyder FF, O'Connell JK . Family practice physicians' beliefs, attitudes, and practices regarding obesity Am J Prev Med 1987 3: 339–345.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Bagley CR, Conklin DN, Isherwood RT, Pechiulis DR, Watson LA . Attitudes of nurses toward obesity and obese patients Percept Motor Skills 1989 68: 954.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Peternelj-Taylor C . The effects of patient weight and sex on nurses' perceptions: a proposed model of nurse withdrawal J Adv Nurs 1989 14: 744–754.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Oberrieder H, Walker R, Monroe D, Adeyanju UM . Attitude of dietetics students and registered dietitians toward obesity J Am Diet Assoc 1995 95: 914–916.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Maiman L, Wang VL, Becker M, Finlay J, Simonson M . Attitudes toward obesity and the obese among professionals J Am Diet Assoc 1978 74: 331–336.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Goldfield A, Chrisler JC . Body stereotyping and stigmatization of obese persons by first graders Percept Motor Skills 1995 81: 909–910.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Crandall CS . Do parents discriminate against their heavyweight daughters? Personality Social Psychol Bull 1995 21: 724–735.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Sitton S, Blanchard S . Men's preferences in romantic partners: obesity vs addiction Psychol Rep 1995 77: 1185–1186.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Sobal J, Nicolopoulos V, Lee J . Attitudes about overweight and dating among secondary school students Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1995 19: 376–381.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Wiederman MW, Hurst SR . Body size, physical attractiveness, and body image among young adult women: relationships to sexual experience and sexual esteem J Sex Res 1998 35: 272–281.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Bellizzi JA, Klassen ML, Belonax JJ . Stereotypical beliefs about overweight and smoking and decision-making in assignments to sales territories Percept Motor Skills 1989 69: 419–429.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Jasper CR, Klassen ML . Stereotypical beliefs about appearance: implications for retailing and consumer issues Percept Motor Skills 1990 71: 519–528.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Pagan JA, Davila A . Obesity, occupational attainment, and earnings Social Sci Q 1997 78: 757–770.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Popovich PM, Everton WJ, Campbell KL, Godinho RM, Kramer KM, Mangan MR . Criteria used to judge obese persons in the workplace Percept Motor Skills 1997 85: 859–866.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Rothblum ED, Miller CT, Garbutt B . Sterotypes of obese female job applicants Int J Eat Disord 1988 7: 277–283.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Bordieri JE, Drehmer DE, Taylor DW . Work life for employees with disabilities: recommendations for promotion Rehab Counseling Bull 1997 40: 181–191.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Agell G, Rothblum ED . Effects of clients' obesity and gender on the therapy judgments of psychologists Prof Psychol Res Pract 1991 22: 223–239.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Young LM, Powell B . The effects of obesity on the clinical judgments of mental health professionals J Health Soc Behav 1985 26: 233–246.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Kimm SYS, Barton BA, Berhane K, Ross JW, Payne GH, Schreiber GB . Self-esteem and adiposity in Black and White girls: the NHLBI Growth and Health Study Ann Epidemiol 1997 7: 550–560.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Lewinsohn PM, Graf M . Pleasant activities and depression J Consult Clin Psychol 1973 41: 261–268.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Lutter JM, Jaffe L . The Bodywise Woman, 2nd edn Human Kinetics: Champaign, IL 1996.

  37. Grassi AT . Dietetic students' attitudes toward obese individuals based on the student's self-perceptions of weight Dissertation, Northern Illinois University: DeKalb, IL 1999.

  38. Rowland ML . A nomogram for computing body mass index Diet Curr 1989 16: 1–12.

    Google Scholar 

  39. Nunnally JC . Psychometric Theory, 2nd edn McGraw-Hill: New York 1978.

  40. Myers DG . Social Psychology, 2nd edn McGraw-Hill: New York 1987.

  41. Crandall C, Biernat M . The ideology of anti-fat attitudes J Appl Social Psychol 1990 20: 227–243.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. Gelman D, Rosenberg D, Quade V, Roberts E, Senna D . Tune in, come out Newsweek 1993 122: 70–72.

    Google Scholar 

  43. Oppenheimer M . ‘The inherent worth and dignity’: gay unitarians and the birth of sexual tolerance in liberal religion J Hist Sex 1996 7: 73–101.

    Google Scholar 

  44. Stark P . Gays see gains in country radio Billboard 1997 109: 68.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Preparation of this article was supported in part by resources and assistance from the Program in Human Sexuality, Department of Family Practice and Community Health, University of Minnesota Medical School. Credit goes to Deb Finstad for data management, to Libby Frost and Priscilla Palm for manuscript preparation, and to Anne Marie Weber-Main for her comments on manuscript flow, readability, and content. Thanks also to Michael Wiederman for his advice and comments. We acknowledge the assistance of Melpomene Institute, St Paul, Minnesota (especially Lynn Jaffe), TOPS Chapters 507, 794 and 1282, and TOPS leaders and coordinators, Olive Kunz, Mavis Hornby and Diane Stoetzel, for allowing us to survey their members.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. White Bear Lake Area Community Counseling Center, White Bear Lake, Minnesota, USA

    JG Bacon

  2. HealthEast, St Paul, Minnesota, USA

    KE Scheltema

  3. Department of Family Practice and Community Health, Program in Human Sexuality, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

    BE Robinson

Authors
  1. JG Bacon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. KE Scheltema
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. BE Robinson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to BE Robinson.

Appendix 1. F-Scale short form

Appendix 1. F-Scale short form

Appendix 1 F-Scale short form
Full size table

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bacon, J., Scheltema, K. & Robinson, B. Fat phobia scale revisited: the short form. Int J Obes 25, 252–257 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0801537

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0801537

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links