Weight Literacy Scale

Are you planning a program or research intervention to help people manage their weight or lose weight? 

A starting point can be to learn about what participants may know or understand about losing weight, or managing their weight. 

Over one third (36.5%) of U.S. adults are obese, a prevalence that continues to increase nationally and globally. Obesity is associated with many chronic diseases, increased health care costs, and shorter life expectancies. Research has found that people who are able to understand health information are less likely to be obese, but there is limited research about what people know and understand about weight loss (weight literacy). Under the leadership of Milagros C. Rosal, PhD, the UMass Chan Prevention Research Center developed this Weight Literacy Scale. It is a valid and reliable tool, and is available in English and Spanish.

Feel free to download the Weight Literacy Scale. If you would like technical assistance, let us know! To learn more about how it was developed, check out the Research Brief: