Body weight and the quality of interpersonal relationships

We investigate whether underweight, normal-weight, overweight, and obese Americans differ in their evaluations of positive and negative aspects of their interpersonal relationships. Analyses are based on data from the Midlife Development in the United States (MID US) study, a survey of more than 3,000 adults ages 25 to 74 in 1995. We find no significant differences across the body mass index (BMI) categories in the quality of relationships with friends, coworkers, and spouses. Severely obese persons report significantly higher levels of strain and lower levels of support in their family relationships. This pattern, however, is contingent upon one's adolescent body weight. Among persons who were of "normal" weight at age 21, current BMI is not associated with relationship quality. For persons who were overweight at age 21, the level of social support received from family during adulthood declines as adult BMI increases. Implications for stigma theory are discussed.