Does terminology matter when measuring stigmatizing attitudes about weight? Validation of a brief, modified attitudes toward obese persons scale.

Findings suggest that a modified, brief version of the ATOP (ATOP-Heigher Weight; ATOP-HW) with neutral language is suitable for assessing negative attitudes about higher-weight people. The ATOP-HW may slightly underestimate weight stigma compared to the original ATOP, or the language in the ATOP may magnify negative attitudes. Further examination of the terminology used in weight stigma measures is needed to determine how to best assess weight stigma without reinforcing stigmatizing attitudes. The present study's findings suggest that the use of neutral terms in measures of anti-fat bias is a promising solution that warrants further investigation.