Mapping changes in the obesity stigma discourse through Obesity Canada: A content analysis

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dc.contributor.authorKirk, Sara F.L.
dc.contributor.authorForhan, Mary
dc.contributor.authorYusuf, Joshua
dc.contributor.authorChance, Ashly
dc.contributor.authorBurke, Kathleen
dc.contributor.authorBlinn, Nicole
dc.contributor.authorQuirke, Stephanie
dc.contributor.authorRamos Salas, Ximena
dc.contributor.authorAlberga, Angela
dc.contributor.authorRussell-Mayhew, Shelly
dc.date.accessioned2024-06-07T21:22:40Z
dc.date.available2024-06-07T21:22:40Z
dc.date.issued2021-11-15
dc.descriptionKirk, S., Forhan, M., Yusuf, J., Chance, A., Burke, K. Blinn, N., Quirke, S., Ramos Salas, X., Alberga, A. & Russell-Mayhew, S. (2022). Mapping changes in the obesity stigma discourse through Obesity Canada: a content analysis. AIMS Public Health, 9(1), 41-52.
dc.description.abstractBackground: Stigmatization of persons living with obesity is an important public health issue. In 2015, Obesity Canada adopted person-first language in all internal documentation produced by the organization, and, from 2017, required all authors to use person-first language in abstract submissions to Obesity Canada hosted conferences. The impact of this intentional shift in strategic focus is not known. Therefore, the aim of this study was to conduct a content analysis of proceedings at conferences hosted by Obesity Canada to identify whether or how constructs related to weight bias and obesity stigma have changed over time. Methods: Of 1790 abstracts accepted to conferences between 2008–2019, we excluded 353 abstracts that featured animal or cellular models, leaving 1437 abstracts that were reviewed for the presence of five constructs of interest and if they changed over time: 1) use of person-first versus use of disease-first terminology, 2) incorporation of lived experience of obesity, 3) weight bias and stigma, 4) aggressive or alarmist framing and 5) obesity framed as a modifiable risk factor versus as a disease. We calculated and analyzed through linear regression: 1) the overall frequency of use of each construct over time as a proportion of the total number of abstracts reviewed, and 2) the ratio of abstracts where the construct appeared at least once based on the total number of abstracts. Results: We found a significant positive correlation between use of person-first language in abstracts and time (R2 = 0.51, p < 0.01 for frequency, R2 = 0.65, p < 0.05 for ratio) and a corresponding negative correlation for the use of disease-first terminology (R2 = 0.48, p = 0.01 for frequency, R2 = 0.75, p < 0.001 for ratio). There was a significant positive correlation between mentions of weight bias and time (R2 = 0.53 and 0.57, p < 0.01 for frequency and ratio respectively). Conclusion: Use of person-first language and attention to weight bias increased, while disease-first terminology decreased in accepted abstracts over the past 11 years since Obesity Canada began hosting conferences and particularly since more explicit actions for expectations to use person-first language were put in place in 2015 and 2017.
dc.identifier.citationSara FL Kirk, Mary Forhan, Joshua Yusuf, Ashly Chance, Kathleen Burke, Nicole Blinn, Stephanie Quirke, Ximena Ramos Salas, Angela Alberga, Shelly Russell-Mayhew. Mapping changes in the obesity stigma discourse through Obesity Canada: a content analysis[J]. AIMS Public Health, 2022, 9(1): 41-52. doi: 10.3934/publichealth.2022004
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.3934/publichealth.2022004
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1880/118882
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherAIMS Press
dc.publisher.facultyWerklund School of Educationen
dc.publisher.hasversionpublishedVersion
dc.publisher.institutionDalhousie University, University of Calgary
dc.publisher.policyhttps://www.aimspress.com/index/news/solo-detail/openaccesspolicy
dc.rightsUnless otherwise indicated, this material is protected by copyright and has been made available with authorization from the copyright owner. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.en
dc.rightsAttribution 4.0 Internationalen
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.subjectobesity stigma
dc.subjectweight bias
dc.subjectcontent analysis
dc.subjecthealth research
dc.subjectpolicy
dc.titleMapping changes in the obesity stigma discourse through Obesity Canada: A content analysis
dc.typeArticle
ucalgary.scholar.levelFaculty
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