Subconscious biases against overweight people often exist even among those who do not believe they are biased, according to researchers reporting in the journal Health Psychology.

Dr. Bethany A. Teachman of the University of Virginia said a study showed that even when people say they do not have negative feelings toward the overweight, a word association exercise showed otherwise.

In the study, some of the 144 participants were shown a "research study" that said obesity was caused primarily by genetics; another group was given a study that said obesity was most often due to overeating and lack of exercise. A third group was not given anything to read.

"When participants were informed that obesity is caused predominantly by overeating and lack of exercise, higher implicit bias relative to controls was produced," the researchers reported.

But the participants showed no less bias toward overweight people in the group that was informed that obesity is mainly due to genetic factors, the researchers added.

Teachman concluded that many people -- even those who claim to have no anti-fat biases -- have strong implicit anti-fat attitudes.

Other sources: Health Psychology