Obese people who self-stigmatize may have elevated cardiometabolic risk, according to a study involving 178 individuals.

Participants—all of whom were obese—had their blood pressure, waist circumference, fasting glucose, triglycerides, and HDL cholesterol measured at baseline. Additionally, 151 of them completed the Weight Bias Internalization Scale and Patient Health Questionnaire. Investigators defined metabolic syndrome according to medication use for hypertension, dyslipidemia, and prediabetes. Among the results:

• ~One third met criteria for metabolic syndrome.
• Odds of having high triglycerides were nearly twice as high in people with higher weight bias internalization.
• Odds of having metabolic syndrome were 54% higher in those with higher weight bias internalization; however, the difference was not significant when considering covariates.