Weight stigma in higher education: A diagnosis in university students

Abstract

Weight discrimination constitutes a form of social stigmatization that may affect students’ emotional well-being, self-esteem, and social integration in higher education. The aim of this study was to identify the frequency with which students from the higher level experience situations of discrimination related to their body weight. A quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 71 students selected using the finite population formula. The Spanish version of the Stigmatizing Situations Inventory was applied, and data were analyzed using descriptive statistics in SPSS. Results show that in seven of the ten evaluated items, more than 85% of participants reported experiencing stigmatizing situations at low frequency, indicating that weight discrimination does not appear as a generalized phenomenon within the analyzed institutional context. However, specific cases with higher frequency of experiences were identified in close social and family environments, particularly regarding direct comments about body weight, which reflects the persistence of body stigma as a selective social phenomenon. It is concluded that weight discrimination in the studied population does not constitute a dominant practice, but it remains a present social experience that may affect certain students. The findings provide local empirical evidence that contributes to understanding body stigma in higher education and highlight the need to promote institutional strategies aimed at strengthening inclusion, respect for body diversity, and student well-being.