Attitudes Toward Submental Fat Among Adults in the United States

BACKGROUND Excess submental fat (SMF) can cause submental fullness resulting in negative perceptions of individuals. However, the impact of SMF on perceptions of social traits has not been well studied. OBJECTIVE To characterize the impact of SMF on external value judgments in adults in the United States. METHODS Respondents completed an online survey in which they reacted to statements about individuals with varying grades of SMF. Attributes were rated on a scale from 0 to 100 with higher scores for more positive attributes. RESULTS Similar proportions of respondents (N = 1996) indicated that women and men with double chins were less attractive than those without (91% and 90%, respectively). A double chin was more likely to be noticed on a woman than on a man (78% of respondents). With increasing SMF, individuals were perceived as significantly less likeable, intelligent, happy, active, and easygoing. Those with greater amounts of SMF were rated as significantly less attractive than those with less SMF. For all attributes, male respondents rated all individuals lower than female respondents did. CONCLUSION Results from this study provide further evidence of negative perceptions of individuals with SMF. Aesthetics of the submental area, especially SMF, likely impact the overall assessment of attractiveness and social attributes.