Examining the effect of an obesity suit role-playing exercise on empathy and weight bias in nutrition students

Abstract

Background: Addressing weight bias in registered dietitians should start during their education. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a role-playing exercise utilizing an obesity suit on empathy and weight bias among nutrition science students.

Methods: A quasi-experimental design was used with 34 first-year nutrition sciences students. Participants wore an obesity simulation suit and engaged in a standardized scenario illustrating weight bias. Surveys, including the Anti-Fat Attitudes Questionnaire (AFA), the short form of the Fat-Phobia Scale (FPS), Weight Implicit Association Test (Weight-IAT), and Jefferson Scale of Empathy S version, were administered at baseline, 1-week, and 3-week post-intervention. Demographic and weight history data were collected at baseline.

Results: A total of 34 students participated in the study, with a median age of 24 years; 70.6% were women. The mean scores for the Weight-IAT test decreased over time (P < 0.001). In contrast, no significant changes were observed in AFA, FPS, or empathy scores (P = 0.877, P = 0.053, P = 0.960, respectively). While not statistically significant, the AFA "fear of fat" subscale showed an increasing trend (3.46 ± 0.39, 3.66 ± 0.42, 3.91 ± 0.46 at baseline, 1-week, and 3-week post-intervention, P = 0.293), whereas the "willpower" subscale demonstrated a decreasing trend (4.40 ± 0.34, 3.82 ± 0.30, 3.81 ± 0.35 at baseline, 1-week, and 3-week post-intervention, P = 0.081).

Conclusions: An intervention involving an obesity suit and simulation scenario reduced implicit weight bias scores among nutrition science students. However, no significant changes were observed in overall anti-fat attitudes, fat-phobia, or empathy.

Gov number: NCT06192537.

Keywords: Allied health professional; Dietitians; Obesity; Students; Weight bias.