Objectives: Our objective in this study was to establish the relationships among active and inactive physical activity, HRQoL, and weight stigma in children. Additionally, we investigated weight stigma as a mediator of the relationship between physical activity and HRQoL.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Hong Kong (June 2017-July 2018). Participants were 437 children in elementary school (2 primary schools and 2 non-governmental organizations) and their parents (dyads). Participants completed questionnaires containing items assessing demographic characteristics, physical activity level, and several HRQoL measures.Results: We found a statistically significant difference between a higher physically activity group (exercise > 2 hours/week) in all measures of HRQoL. Weight stigma had a significant mediating effect on the relationship between physical activity and child-rated HRQoL (Coefficient = -0.37; SE=0.05; t = 8.21; p < .001), parent-rated HRQoL (Coefficient = -0.16; SE = 0.04; t = 4.21; p < .001), and child-rated weight-related QoL (Coefficient = -0.56; SE = 0.04; t = 14.92; p < .001). Conclusions: Physical activity was associated with better HRQoL and lower weight stigma. Weight stigma appears to affect how physical activity is related to better HRQoL, but the association is somewhat weak.

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Background This study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Weight Self-Stigma Questionnaire (WSSQ) and Perceived Weight Stigma Scale (PWS) among Malaysian university students. Methods University students who were studying in a Malaysia university with a mean age of 24.0 years (n = 380; females 71.6%) were recruited through convenience sampling between 19 August and 30 September 2021. They completed a Google Form consisting of information on sociodemographic background, weight stigma, psychological distress and self-reported body weight and height. Psychometric testing was conducted using the classical test theory (including confirmatory factor analysis) and Rasch models to confirm the two-factor structure of WSSQ and the unidimensional structure of the PWS using the various fit indices. Concurrent validity of the total scores of WSSQ and PWS with psychological distress and body mass index (BMI) was also investigated. Internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha was conducted. ResultsThe confirmatory factor analyses and Rasch analyses verified the two-factor structure for the WSSQ and the singlefactor structure for the PWS. Both the WSSQ and PWS showed good internal consistency and good concurrent validity as demonstrated by their significant correlations with psychological distress and BMI. ConclusionThe WSSQ and PWS have strong validity and reliability, and they can both be used to assess weight stigma among Malaysian university students. Level of evidence V: Descriptive study.

The present study evaluated the psychometric properties of four instruments related to internet use, namely the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS), Smartphone Application-Based Addiction Scale (SABAS), (nine-item) Internet Gaming Disorder Scale Short Form (IGDS9-SF), and Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMPQ) as well as their associations with psychological distress among Malaysian university students. A total of 380 Malaysian university students (71.6% females, mean age 24.0 years) were recruited through convenience sampling and completed an online survey including questions concerning socio-demographic background, social media addiction, smartphone addiction, internet gaming disorder, and nomophobia. Confirmatory factor analysis and Rasch analysis were applied to evaluate the psychometric properties of the instruments and Cronbach’s alpha value and McDonald’s omega value were used to confirm the internal consistency reliability of the instruments. The unidimensional structure was confirmed for the BSMAS, SABAS, and IGDS9-SF while the four-factor structure was confirmed for NMPQ. All instruments showed good internal consistency reliability. Promising validity and reliability were confirmed for BSMAS, SABAS, IGDS9-SF, and NMPQ. Therefore, they are useful to assess different types of problematic internet use among university students in Malaysia. Furthermore, a significant association was observed between internet use and psychological distress. The present study is the first to investigate the validity and reliability of BSMAS, SABAS, IGDS9-SF, and NMPQ among Malaysian university students using rigorous psychometric testing methods (i.e., Rasch analysis).

Physical inactivity is a common health problem in female college students, and factors such as weight self-stigma and smartphone addiction may negatively impact physical activity in this population. The aim of the current study was to investigate the associations between these variables and identify the moderating effects of smartphone addiction between weight stigma and physical activity. Using a cross-sectional study, information on the level of physical activity in the past week, weight-related self-stigma, and smartphone addiction, as well as demographics, were collected via an online survey from 391 female college students in Taiwan. Participants in two groups of moderate to high and low physical activity were compared using a zero-order bivariate correlation in terms of independent variables. A moderated mediation model using Model 14 in the Hayes’ PROCESS macro with 1000 bootstrapping resamples was applied to assess moderation effects. There were significant differences in terms of weight status, smartphone addiction, and weight stigma between active and inactive groups (p < 0.001). All independent variables except for age were positively correlated (0.14 < r < 0.45). Multivariate regression models indicated that weight status was associated with weight stigma (odds ratio [OR] = 9.13, p < 0.001; 95% CI = 6.90, 11.35). Weight status (OR = 0.47, p = 0.03; 95% CI = 0.23, 0.93), weight stigma (OR = 0.96, p = 0.03; 95% CI = 0.922, 0.997), and smartphone addiction (OR = 0.11, p = 0.003; 95% CI = 0.03, 0.47) were associated with physical activity. The moderating role of smartphone addiction on the association between weight stigma and physical activity was also identified (OR = 1.05, p = 0.049; 95% CI = 1.0001, 1.1004). The moderating effect of smartphone addiction on the association between weight stigma and physical activity suggests that designing interventions to address the negative impacts of both weight stigma and smartphone addiction may help to improve physical activity in female college students.

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Background The study aimed to examine the association between perceived weight stigma (PWS), weight status, and eating disturbances. We hypothesized that PWS would partially mediate the association between weight status and eating disturbances among university students. Methods The study involved 705 undergraduate students (379 females and 326 males) recruited from Hong Kong and Taiwan Universities (399 Hong Kong; 306 Taiwan participants). Our sample was from one Hong Kong university (located in Kowloon) and five Taiwan universities (three located in Southern Taiwan, one located in Central Taiwan, and one located in North Taiwan). Participants’ mean age was 20.27 years (SD = 1.79). All participants completed a demographic information sheet, the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire-18 (TFEQ-R18), and the PWS questionnaire. PROCESS macro models were used to analyze potential mediations. Results We found a significantly higher PWS scores in a high weight group for females and males. There was a significant difference between weight status and eating disturbances. Moreover, PWS partially mediated the association between weight status and eating disturbances for both genders. Conclusions PWS is associated with weight status and eating disturbances, making it an important target for health improvement among young adults. Further studies are needed to corroborate such associations in participants from other societies and cultures.

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