Professor Anastasiadou Presents at the 33rd European Congress on Obesity

Professor Dimitra Anastasiadou from the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology presented an oral communication on May 13 at the 33rd European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2026), held in Istanbul. The presentation, titled " Longitudinal Analysis of Exposure Trajectories to Family-Based Weight Stigma and its Impact on Adolescent Psychological Well-being," was developed in collaboration with Salomé Tárrega from Universitat de Vic - Universitat Central de Catalunya, and Albert Fornieles-Deu and David Sánchez-Carracedo from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.

The work presents findings from the WbSad longitudinal study, based on a representative sample of secondary school students from Terrassa. The findings show that exposure to weight stigma in the family environment is associated with greater psychological distress in adolescents. Moreover, the study identifies differences by gender: among girls, maternal and paternal comments related to weight appear to have a particularly significant impact. The results also indicate that recent exposure to stigma is particularly harmful, suggesting that it matters not only who makes the comment but also when it occurs.

These findings underscore the need to promote family environments free from stigmatizing comments about weight. Rather than centering messages on physical appearance, the study points to the importance of family communication oriented toward health, well-being, and emotional support, especially during adolescence.