Internalized weight stigma as a mediator between past weight stigma and current healthcare avoidance/comfort in seeking medical care

Youth may experience weight stigma from medical providers, which can be internalized and reduce quality of life. However, little is known about how early provider-based weight stigma relates to later healthcare behaviors. This study examined whether internalized weight stigma statistically mediated associations between provider-based weight stigma during childhood and adolescence and (1) healthcare avoidance and (2) comfort in seeking care in adulthood. Participants were 488 university students who reported past and current weight stigma in healthcare, internalized weight stigma, healthcare avoidance, and comfort in seeking medical care. Over half experienced provider-based weight stigma during youth and one-third within the past year. Early provider-based weight stigma was associated with greater avoidance and lower comfort, with significant indirect effects through internalized stigma. Findings underscore the lasting associations between early weight-stigmatizing healthcare experiences and adult healthcare engagement, with internalized weight stigma statistically accounting for these associations.