Notice Number: NOT-HL-24-032
First Available Due Date: February 12, 2025
Expires: May 8, 2028
Background
Obesity is a chronic disease of increasing prevalence that is exacerbated by weight stigma, bias, and discrimination. Although weight stigma, bias, and discrimination are pervasive in our culture, research on this topic has been limited, especially among minority populations in the U.S. Weight stigma negatively affects a variety of health outcomes by decreasing adherence to treatment recommendations, willingness to seek medical care, provider trust, and increasing discrimination stress. This NOSI calls for innovative research to understand the impact of multiple intersecting forms of stigma in diverse populations as well as the underlying mechanisms by which weight stigma, bias, and discrimination affect health outcomes. Understanding the impact and mechanisms of weight stigma, bias, and discrimination is necessary to prevent or treat the detrimental effects of weight stigma. Additionally, rigorous scientific evaluation of policies and programs to address weight stigma and bias can help build an evidence base to better inform policy or educational approaches to prevent weight stigma, bias, and discrimination and their harmful effects. In summary, this NOSI encourages a variety of research approaches to investigate weight stigma, bias, and discrimination in children or adults from diverse backgrounds with a goal to improve health outcomes and health equity.
Research Objectives
The objective of this NOSI is to encourage research and career development training applications to elucidate the mechanisms and consequences of weight stigma, bias, and discrimination in children and adults with overweight or obesity. A secondary objective is to evaluate the effects of obesity-related interventions or policies that address weight bias and/or its consequences (e.g., weight stigma and discrimination) in affected groups. Applications may propose observational studies or clinical trials utilizing quantitative, qualitative, and/or community-based research methods. Intervention research may address mechanisms of action, mechanisms of prevention, implementation strategies, or evaluation of interventions or policies to address weight stigma, bias, or discrimination. Projects may focus on weight stigma and bias across multiple levels and systems, including biological and behavioral pathways and in diverse populations and settings (i.e., children or adults, healthcare providers, schools, facilities or programs for older adults, or healthcare systems). Studies investigating the effects of systemic weight-related bias and discrimination on health outcomes and disparities, healthcare access, quality of care, educational and occupational opportunities, or involvement in the justice system are of interest. Applications examining intersectional stigma, bias, and discrimination in individuals with multiple marginalized identities including those from NIH-designated populations that experience health disparities who have overweight or obesity are strongly encouraged. The inclusion of individuals with lived experience of obesity and weight stigma through community-engaged approaches (e.g., community advisory boards) and throughout the research process, including prioritization of research foci, study design and implementation, analysis, and dissemination of results, is highly encouraged. In addition, mixed-methods approaches that include both quantitative and qualitative methods are encouraged to provide richer information on the lived experiences of individuals with weight stigma and multiple marginalized identities.
For more information, please see the opportunity webpage.