Measuring negative attitudes towards overweight and obesity in the German population: psychometric properties and reference values for the German short version of the Fat Phobia Scale (FPS)

Objective: Obesity is one of the leading public health problems worldwide. Obese individuals are often stigmatized and the psychosocial consequences of overweight and obesity are the subject of current research. To detect stigmatizing attitudes towards obese people, the Fat Phobia Scale (FPS) was developed in the USA in the early nineties. In addition, the 14-item short form of the FPS was constructed. The FPS belongs to the most commonly used instruments for measuring negative attitudes towards obese people because of its good psychometric properties. For the recently developed German short form of the FPS, however, the comprehensive investigation of the psychometric properties and the determination of reference values are still pending. Thus, the main objectives of this study were the evaluation of the psychometric quality of the scale as well as the calculation of reference values. Methods: The study was based on a representative survey in the German general population. A sample of 1,657 subjects (18–94 years) was assessed via structured telephone interviews including the 14-item German version of the FPS. Descriptive statistics and inference-statistical analyses were conducted. Reference values in terms of percentage ranks were calculated. Results: Substantial evidence for the reliability and validity of the German short version of the FPS was found. This study, for the first time in Germany, provides age-specific reference values for the German short form of the FPS allowing the interpretation of individual test scores. Conclusion: Facing the far-reaching consequences of experienced stigmatization of obese individuals, these study results provide an important basis for further studies aiming at the investigation of negative attitudes towards overweight and obesity

Measuring negative attitudes towards overweight and obesity in the German population: psychometric properties and reference values for the German short version of the Fat Phobia Scale (FPS)

Objective: Obesity is one of the leading public health problems worldwide. Obese individuals are often stigmatized and the psychosocial consequences of overweight and obesity are the subject of current research. To detect stigmatizing attitudes towards obese people, the Fat Phobia Scale (FPS) was developed in the USA in the early nineties. In addition, the 14-item short form of the FPS was constructed. The FPS belongs to the most commonly used instruments for measuring negative attitudes towards obese people because of its good psychometric properties. For the recently developed German short form of the FPS, however, the comprehensive investigation of the psychometric properties and the determination of reference values are still pending. Thus, the main objectives of this study were the evaluation of the psychometric quality of the scale as well as the calculation of reference values. Methods: The study was based on a representative survey in the German general population. A sample of 1,657 subjects (18–94 years) was assessed via structured telephone interviews including the 14-item German version of the FPS. Descriptive statistics and inference-statistical analyses were conducted. Reference values in terms of percentage ranks were calculated. Results: Substantial evidence for the reliability and validity of the German short version of the FPS was found. This study, for the first time in Germany, provides age-specific reference values for the German short form of the FPS allowing the interpretation of individual test scores. Conclusion: Facing the far-reaching consequences of experienced stigmatization of obese individuals, these study results provide an important basis for further studies aiming at the investigation of negative attitudes towards overweight and obesity

Measuring negative attitudes towards overweight and obesity in the German population - psychometric properties and reference values for the German short version of the Fat Phobia Scale (FPS).

Obesity is one of the leading public health problems worldwide. Obese individuals are often stigmatized and the psychosocial consequences of overweight and obesity are the subject of current research. To detect stigmatizing attitudes towards obese people, the Fat Phobia Scale (FPS) was developed in the USA in the early nineties. In addition, the 14-item short form of the FPS was constructed. The FPS belongs to the most commonly used instruments for measuring negative attitudes towards obese people because of its good psychometric properties. For the recently developed German short form of the FPS, however, the comprehensive investigation of the psychometric properties and the determination of reference values are still pending. Thus, the main objectives of this study were the evaluation of the psychometric quality of the scale as well as the calculation of reference values.The study was based on a representative survey in the German general population. A sample of 1,657 subjects (18-94 years) was assessed via structured telephone interviews including the 14-item German version of the FPS. Descriptive statistics and inference-statistical analyses were conducted. Reference values in terms of percentage ranks were calculated.Substantial evidence for the reliability and validity of the German short version of the FPS was found. This study, for the first time in Germany, provides age-specific reference values for the German short form of the FPS allowing the interpretation of individual test scores.Facing the far-reaching consequences of experienced stigmatization of obese individuals, these study results provide an important basis for further studies aiming at the investigation of negative attitudes towards overweight and obesity

Measuring negative attitudes towards overweight and obesity in the German population: psychometric properties and reference values for the German short version of the Fat Phobia Scale (FPS)

Objective: Obesity is one of the leading public health problems worldwide. Obese individuals are often stigmatized and the psychosocial consequences of overweight and obesity are the subject of current research. To detect stigmatizing attitudes towards obese people, the Fat Phobia Scale (FPS) was developed in the USA in the early nineties. In addition, the 14-item short form of the FPS was constructed. The FPS belongs to the most commonly used instruments for measuring negative attitudes towards obese people because of its good psychometric properties. For the recently developed German short form of the FPS, however, the comprehensive investigation of the psychometric properties and the determination of reference values are still pending. Thus, the main objectives of this study were the evaluation of the psychometric quality of the scale as well as the calculation of reference values. Methods: The study was based on a representative survey in the German general population. A sample of 1,657 subjects (18–94 years) was assessed via structured telephone interviews including the 14-item German version of the FPS. Descriptive statistics and inference-statistical analyses were conducted. Reference values in terms of percentage ranks were calculated. Results: Substantial evidence for the reliability and validity of the German short version of the FPS was found. This study, for the first time in Germany, provides age-specific reference values for the German short form of the FPS allowing the interpretation of individual test scores. Conclusion: Facing the far-reaching consequences of experienced stigmatization of obese individuals, these study results provide an important basis for further studies aiming at the investigation of negative attitudes towards overweight and obesity

Socio-demographic characteristics of the study sample (n = 1,657).

<p>Notes. M = Mean, SD = Standard deviation, ¹in Euro.</p><p>Socio-demographic characteristics of the study sample (n = 1,657).</p

Analyses on item level of the FPS in different conditions and results of the t-tests (n = 1,657).

<p>Notes. n = Sample size, M = Mean, SD = Standard deviation, t = test statistic, Significance level (two-tailed) *p<0.05, **p<0.01, ***p<0.001, all significant results are in bold, Items 1, 2, 8, 9, 11 und 13 were recoded, ¹Exclusion of n = 6 because of missing values.</p><p>Analyses on item level of the FPS in different conditions and results of the t-tests (n = 1,657).</p

Analyses of mean differences between FPS score and socio-demographic factors – results of the analyses of variance (ANOVA) (n = 1,657).

<p>Notes. df = degrees of freedom, F = test statistic, Significance level (two-tailed) *p<0.05, **p<0.01, ***p<0.001, ^§Occupational status comprised the categories employed, student, trainee/apprentice, draftee/community or civilian service, unemployed, housewife/houseman, retirement, early or partial retirement, disability/invalidity pension, maternity/parental leave, voluntary social/ecological year, ^#BMI comprised the categories <18.49, 18.5–24.9, 25–29.9, 30–34.9, 35–39.9, >40.</p><p>Analyses of mean differences between FPS score and socio-demographic factors – results of the analyses of variance (ANOVA) (n = 1,657).</p

Reference values (percentages) for the FPS score and the weighted FPS score for the total sample (n = 1,657) and for different age groups.

<p>Notes. yrs = years, n = Sample size, M = mean, SD = Standard deviation.</p><p>Reference values (percentages) for the FPS score and the weighted FPS score for the total sample (n = 1,657) and for different age groups.</p

Mean scores of Fat Phobia Scale (FPS) and distribution of FPS scores according to a cut-off indicating neutral/positive or negative attitudes towards overweight and obesity [14], [22].

<p>Notes. n = Sample size, M = Mean, SD = Standard deviation, Test statistic Z = Kolmogorov-Smirnov-Z, significance level (two-tailed) *p<0.05, **p<0.01, ***p<0.001, ¹Exclusion of n = 6 participants because of missing values.</p><p>Mean scores of Fat Phobia Scale (FPS) and distribution of FPS scores according to a cut-off indicating neutral/positive or negative attitudes towards overweight and obesity <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0114641#pone.0114641-Sikorski1" target="_blank">[14]</a>, <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0114641#pone.0114641-Hilbert1" target="_blank">[22]</a>.</p