Children's implicit and explicit weight-related attitudes

Abstract

This study examined attitudes towards overweight peers among children in both middle (6–8 years) and late (9–13 years) childhood using implicit and explicit measures. Thirty-three children (17 middle group and 16 late group) completed a child-oriented version of the Implicit Association Test (IAT), explicit rating scales and the Shared Activities Questionnaire (SAQ). Children in both age groups showed bias against overweight peers on both the implicit and explicit measures. Implications of these findings are discussed.