Reducing Anti-Fat Bias Among Kinesiology Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial of the WIT FITS Intervention

This study examined effects of Weight-Inclusive Thinking for Fitness Spaces (WIT FITS), an online weight stigma reduction intervention, on kinesiology students’ attitudes toward fatness. Ninety-four kinesiology students were randomized to either the WIT FITS intervention or a control course. Attitudes toward fatness were measured pre- and post-intervention using the Fat Attitudes Assessment Toolkit (FAAT), including total scores, fat acceptance and attribution complexity composites, and responsibility and body acceptance subscales. Post-intervention outcomes were compared between groups using ANCOVAs controlling for pre-intervention scores. The WIT FITS group scored significantly higher on total FAAT scores (p < 0.001), attribution complexity (p < 0.001), responsibility (p = 0.04), and body acceptance (p < 0.006). The fat acceptance composite approached but did not reach significance (p = 0.058). An online intervention significantly improved kinesiology students’ attitudes toward fatness on attribution complexity, responsibility, and body acceptance. WIT FITS offers a scalable approach to reducing anti-fat bias among pre-professional populations, potentially advancing inclusive fitness environments.