Perceived Discrimination and Obesity: The Role of Negative Affectivity and Diet Quality

Abstract

Several risk factors have been linked to the etiology of obesity, including genetic, psychological, and behavioral factors. The aim of the study was to determine whether perceived discrimination was directly associated with obesity, and indirectly via negative affectivity and diet quality. Four hundred and twenty participants from a regional state university in southern Chile were enrolled in the study, using a convenience non-probabilistic sampling procedure (248 women, average age 44 years, SD = 8.79). Participants completed measures of perceived discrimination, perceived psychological stress, state-trait anxiety, and depressive symptoms (CES-D) and self-reported their diet quality. Structural equation modeling revealed that perceived discrimination was not directly related to obesity (measured using waist size circumference, WSC), however, it was found to be associated with negative affectivity. The latter factor was associated with diet quality, which was itself directly related to WSC. There is a sequenced mediated effect of perceived discrimination on WSC via negative affectivity and diet quality. Though small, this effect is statistically significant. The negative effects of perceived discrimination on health are highlighted and an underlying mechanism linking these variables is identified.