Weight stigma and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in individuals seeking bariatric surgery

After bariatric surgery, some patients experience adverse psychiatric outcomes, including substance use, suicidality, and self-harm. These factors are commonly associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and related symptoms (PTSD-S) that develop following adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and traumatic events. However, emerging evidence suggests that chronic discrimination also may contribute to PTSD-S. Weight-based discrimination is salient for people with obesity but has received little attention in relation to PTSD-S. Our study examined factors that may contribute to the link between experienced weight stigma (WS), which is common in individuals seeking bariatric surgery, and PTSD-S. Teaching hospital and surgical weight loss center in the United States. A total of 217 participants completed self-report surveys of experienced and internalized WS, ACEs, and PTSD-S. Demographics and trauma history were obtained from patient medical records. A stepwise multiple regression examined associations between experienced WS and internalized WS with PTSD-S, co-varying demographics, ACEs, and trauma, followed by examination of whether findings held co-varying anxiety/depressive symptoms in a participant subset (n = 189). After accounting for covariates in step 1 and ACEs and trauma in step 2 (ΔR2 = .14), experienced WS and internalized WS accounted for substantial PTSD-S variance in steps 2 and 3 (ΔR2 = .12 and .13, respectively; overall model R2 =.44; P < .001). Findings held after co-varying anxiety/depressive symptoms. Over and above ACEs and trauma, experienced WS and internalized WS may contribute to PTSD-S. Longitudinal research is needed to better elucidate the pathways underlying these associations. •Experienced weight stigma accounts for PTSD symptom (PTSD-S) variance•Internalized weight stigma likewise accounts for PTSD-S variance•Findings hold controlling for other traumatic stressors•Both factors account for greater PTSD-S variance than other traumatic stressors