Grant: Doctoral: Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships

Weight bias is the tendency to unfairly judge a person because of his or her weight. It has many serious physical, mental, and social health outcomes, such as depression, disordered eating patterns, and avoidance of physical activity. Indeed, such negative outcomes can lead to further weight gain. In Canada, one in four children has overweight or obesity. These children face weight bias in all aspects of their lives, including at school, where weight is the most common cause of bullying. Research on ways to reduce weight bias in children is scarce. However, one promising strategy is to address weight bias in school policies and curricula. This strategy is timely given the recent focus on creating safe and caring learning environments in schools. Partnering with the Edmonton, Alberta school community, I will lead a study to develop, implement, and assess the impact of a tailored, school-based program in reducing weight bias in Grades 1-3 students, school staff, and parents. Proposed program elements include student, school staff, and parent education and anti-weight bias policy. I will develop resources, such as lesson plans, for the program, which will be implemented for eight months in an elementary school. To assess program impact, I will examine weight bias in students, school staff, and parents before and after the program implementation period. I will also explore school staff experiences in delivering the program, in order to improve its content and design. This research is needed to create effective strategies to reduce weight bias in schools, a public health issue affecting many Canadian children. By presenting findings to key stakeholders (e.g., Alberta Education), I hope to influence policy change to address weight bias in schools and foster positive social environments that promote children's health and well-being. This program has the potential to be scaled up for students in Grades K-12 across Canada.