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Perceived weight discrimination and C‐reactive protein
Author(s) -
Sutin Angelina R.,
Stephan Yannick,
Luchetti Martina,
Terracciano Antonio
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
obesity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.438
H-Index - 199
eISSN - 1930-739X
pISSN - 1930-7381
DOI - 10.1002/oby.20789
Subject(s) - overweight , obesity , body mass index , medicine , association (psychology) , c reactive protein , attribution , cross sectional study , gerontology , demography , psychology , inflammation , social psychology , pathology , sociology , psychotherapist
Objective Perceived weight discrimination has been linked to health outcomes, including risk of obesity. Less is known about how discrimination is associated with intermediate physiological markers of health, such as systemic inflammation. This research examined the association between weight discrimination and C‐reactive protein (CRP) and whether it varied by participants' body mass index (BMI). Methods Cross‐sectional design using data from the Health and Retirement Study. Among participants who were overweight or obese ( N = 7,394), regression analysis was used to test for an association between weight discrimination and CRP and whether this association was moderated by BMI. Similar associations among seven other attributions for discrimination were tested. Results The association between weight discrimination and CRP varied as a function of BMI: At BMI between the thresholds for overweight and obesity (BMI ∼25–30), weight discrimination was associated with higher circulating levels of CRP; there was no association between weight discrimination and CRP as BMI approached Class 3 obesity (BMI ∼40). A similar pattern emerged for discrimination based on a physical disability, but not for the other attributions for discrimination (e.g., race, age). Conclusions Weight discrimination is associated with higher circulating CRP, an association that is moderated by BMI.