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NICE Evidence Reviews Collection (2025). In Evidence Review for Psychological Approaches to Address Weight Stigma in Children, Young People and Adults: Overweight and Obesity Management: Preventing, Assessing and Managing Overweight and Obesity: Evidence Review I. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Copyright © NICE 2025.

has been cited by the following article:

• TITLE: Weight Stigma and Psychosocial Development in Children and Adolescents with Obesity: A Global Perspective on Mechanisms, Interventions, and Public Health Implications

  AUTHORS: Ruiqi Huo

  KEYWORDS: Weight Stigma, Childhood Obesity, Adolescent Development, Psychosocial Development, Internalized Weight Bias, Mental Health, Public Health, China

  JOURNAL NAME: Open Journal of Social Sciences, Vol.14 No.5, May 29, 2026

  ABSTRACT: Weight stigma—devaluation based on body size—pervasively threatens the psychosocial development of youth with obesity globally. This narrative review synthesizes evidence on its manifestations, prevalence, consequences, mechanisms, and interventions. Worldwide, 40% - 75% of adolescents with obesity experience weight-related stigma across interpersonal, institutional, self-directed, and digital domains, with rising rates in China. Stigma predicts depression, anxiety, eating disorders, social withdrawal, and cognitive impairment, mediated by psychosocial (stereotype threat, social rejection), developmental, and biopsychological (HPA axis dysregulation) pathways. Evidence-based interventions span individual, family, school, community, and policy levels. However, major gaps include Western-centric research and insufficient longitudinal data from China. Future research must prioritize cross-cultural longitudinal designs and participatory approaches. Addressing weight stigma is a public health imperative requiring coordinated action to protect millions of children worldwide.