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Saunders JF, Nutter S, Waugh R, Hayden KA. Testing body-related components of objectification theory: A meta-analysis of the relations between body shame, self-objectification, and body dissatisfaction. Body Image 2024; 50:101738. [PMID: 38850716 DOI: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2024.101738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024]
Abstract
Objectification theory has been instrumental in better understanding risk for eating disorders, depression, and sexual dysfunction, with self-objectification and body shame as serial mediators leading to these outcomes. Although originally proposed to explain these mental health outcomes in heterosexual women, researchers have extended objectification theory to individuals of various ages, racial identities, and sexual and gender identities. We conducted a systematic literature review of empirical peer-reviewed published research examining the relationship between the constructs of self-objectification, body dissatisfaction, and body shame in adult, youth, and LGBTQ+ samples. Our search yielded 5200 results, of which 318 met inclusion criteria. Of the papers included in this review, 26 reported correlations with sexual and gender diverse samples, 43 reported correlations with youth samples, and 249 reported correlations with samples of general adults (non-sexual or gender minorities). The meta-analyses yielded significant, moderate, positive correlations between body dissatisfaction and self-objectification, and between body shame and self-objectification, for each of the sub-samples. The majority of samples were predominantly White and cisgender female, suggesting the need for additional research examining these constructs among racial and gender minority populations. Overall, the results of this review highlight the unique contributions of body shame and body dissatisfaction to self-objectifying behaviors, and identify the moderating role of race and gender in these interrelations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica F Saunders
- Psychology Convening Group, Ramapo College of New Jersey, 505 Ramapo Valley Rd, Mahwah, NJ 07430, USA.
| | - Sarah Nutter
- Educational Psychology & Leadership Studies, University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Rd, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, Canada.
| | - Rachel Waugh
- Educational Psychology & Leadership Studies, University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Rd, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, Canada.
| | - K Alix Hayden
- Health Sciences Library, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada.
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Xia R, Liu Y, Liu B, Kou M, Zhao L, Zhang P, Wang Q. Effects of perspective taking on attention bias to body-related information among junior high school students with body image disturbance. Acta Psychol (Amst) 2024; 243:104131. [PMID: 38219429 DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2024.104131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Using lexical judgment tasks, the present study explored whether perspective taking affected attention bias to body-related information among junior high school students with body image disturbance. Experiment 1 examined the junior high school students' attention bias to body schema-related words; the results showed the body image disturbance group responded significantly more quickly to negative body schema-related words than positive words, whereas the control group did not show a significant difference between positive and negative words. In Experiment 2, participants were asked to judge whether the positive or negative body schema-related words were suitable to describe themselves, when adopting their own perspective or that of another person. The results showed that reaction times to negative words were significantly shorter than to positive words when adopting a self-perspective. When taking another's perspective, there was no significant difference of reaction time between positive and negative words. This result demonstrated that perspective taking reduced attention bias to negative body schema-related information among junior high school students with body image disturbance. The present research suggests that guiding adolescents to view themselves from different perspectives can help them form a more accurate and objective body image.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruixue Xia
- School of Psychology, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, China; Key Laboratory of Behavioral and Mental Health of Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730070, China.
| | - Yang Liu
- School of Psychology, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, China; Key Laboratory of Behavioral and Mental Health of Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Binghua Liu
- School of Psychology, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, China; Key Laboratory of Behavioral and Mental Health of Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730070, China; School of Education and Arts, Lanzhou Modern Vocational College, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Mingjiao Kou
- School of Psychology, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, China; Key Laboratory of Behavioral and Mental Health of Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730070, China; Shenzhen Fuhe Psychological Education Consulting Co., Ltd, Shenzhen 518105, China
| | - Liyun Zhao
- School of Psychology, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, China; Key Laboratory of Behavioral and Mental Health of Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Peiying Zhang
- School of Psychology, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, China; Key Laboratory of Behavioral and Mental Health of Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Qin Wang
- School of Psychology, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, China; Key Laboratory of Behavioral and Mental Health of Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730070, China
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Association of body perception and dietary weight management behaviours among children and adolescents aged 6-17 years in China: cross-sectional study using CHNS (2015). BMC Public Health 2022; 22:175. [PMID: 35081917 PMCID: PMC8790848 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-12574-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Obesity is rapidly globally increasing. Meanwhile, there is an increase in negative perception of the body image and, consequently, an increase in weight control management. Body perception plays an important mediating role between overweight or obesity and weight control behaviours. This study aims to examine whether body perception is associated with dietary weight management behaviours among Chinese children and adolescents. Methods Child body perception and health behaviours from Chinese Health and Nutrition Survey (2015) were assessed, and 729 boys and 640 girls who aged 6 to 17 years were included in this study. Variables assessed as covariates were sociodemographic, physical activity and body perception involving self-perceptive weight status and body image dissatisfaction (BID). Multivariate logistic regression was used to explore the association between dietary weight management behaviours and body perception. Results 60.77% students rightly matched their body mass index (BMI) with self-perceived weight. The prevalence of BID was 59.39%. After adjustment for sociodemographic information, physical activities and BMI, those whose self-perceived weight status as overweight/obesity were associated with an increased risk of dietary weight management behaviours comparing to those who have normal weight in boys (OR = 5.07; 95% CI = 1.86, 13.87; P < 0.001) and girls (OR = 14.28; 95%CI = 5.73, 35.56; P < 0.001). And those who desire to be thinner were strongly associated with dietary weight management behaviours (OR = 9.51; 95%CI = 3.47, 26.09; P < 0.001) comparing to those who were satisfied with their body image in girls. Conclusions The results revealed that body perception had a significant association with dietary weight management behaviours and exited the discrepancy according to sex. It is necessary to promote healthy awareness of body perception and to establish self-motivation for improving basic health knowledge in school health education activities.
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Lotrean LM, Popa I, Florea M, Lazea C, Stanescu AMA, Lencu C. Actual Weight, Perceived Weight and Desired Weight of Romanian School Children by Parents and Children. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 57:medicina57040333. [PMID: 33915949 PMCID: PMC8066543 DOI: 10.3390/medicina57040333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The perception of the body weight by children and parents influences the consequent actions undertaken for children’s body weight management. This study investigated the correspondence between objective evaluations of Romanian school children (actual weight) and perceptions about weight (perceived weight), preoccupation with body weight management (desired weight) and parents’ perceptions on children’s weight. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study was performed among 344 children aged 11 to 14 and 147 parents from Cluj-Napoca, Romania. We made anthropometric measurements of children, and short questionnaires were completed by the children and the parents. Results: The results show that 3.8% of children were underweight, 68.3% had a normal weight and 27.9% were overweight. Of this sample, 61.5% of underweight children, 20% of normal weight children and 43.7% of overweight children had misperceptions about their weight. The percentage of parents who did not estimate their children’s weight correctly was 50%, 11.9% and 41.5%, respectively, for each of the three weight groups. The results of the logistic regression analyses showed that several factors were associated with the misclassification of their own body weight by the children, such as body mass index, gender, weight management practices, misclassification by the parents as well as parent–child discussions on these issues. Conclusions: Education for both Romanian parents and children is needed with regard to correctly identifying and managing children’ body weight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Maria Lotrean
- Department of Community Medicine, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania;
| | - Ioana Popa
- Dietician, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania;
| | - Mira Florea
- Family Medicine Department, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Correspondence: or
| | - Cecilia Lazea
- Department Pediatrics I, Emergency Pediatric Hospital, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania;
| | | | - Codruta Lencu
- Department of Endocrinology, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania;
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Jiang L, Yang D, Li Y, Yuan J. The Influence of Pubertal Development on Adolescent Depression: The Mediating Effects of Negative Physical Self and Interpersonal Stress. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:786386. [PMID: 34867564 PMCID: PMC8637052 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.786386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The current study examined the influence of pubertal development stage on depression and its psychosocial mechanisms in a non-clinical population of 502 adolescents (244 boys and 258 girls) in China, graded 5 to 8. Results indicated that (1) pubertal development was positively correlated with depression, negative physical self and interpersonal stress. (2) There is a significant gender by pubertal development interaction on the measure of academic self-concept, which is accounted for by decreased academic self in boys but not in girls as a function of pubertal development. (3) Mediation analyses show that increased depression in late compared to pre- puberty is partly mediated by the enhancement of negative physical self and interpersonal stress. These findings suggest that the late stage of puberty is coupled by a higher risk of depression in adolescents partly through increased negative physical self and interpersonal stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijiao Jiang
- The Affective Cognition and Regulation Laboratory, Institute of Brain and Psychological Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China.,Department of Psychology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Dandan Yang
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yitong Li
- School of Psychology, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jiajin Yuan
- The Affective Cognition and Regulation Laboratory, Institute of Brain and Psychological Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China
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The Polish adaptation of the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance SATAQ 3 Questionnaire. HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY REPORT 2020. [DOI: 10.5114/hpr.2020.91443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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Forney KJ, Keel PK, O'Connor S, Sisk C, Burt SA, Klump KL. Interaction of hormonal and social environments in understanding body image concerns in adolescent girls. J Psychiatr Res 2019; 109:178-184. [PMID: 30553150 PMCID: PMC6317862 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2018.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2018] [Revised: 11/09/2018] [Accepted: 12/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
During adolescence, peer approval becomes increasingly important and may be perceived as contingent upon appearance in girls. Concurrently, girls experience hormonal changes, including an increase in progesterone. Progesterone has been implicated in affiliative behavior but inconsistently associated with body image concerns. The current study sought to examine whether progesterone may moderate the association between perceived social pressures to conform to the thin ideal and body image concerns. Secondary analyses were conducted in cross-sectional data from 813 girls in early puberty and beyond (ages 8-16) who completed assessments of the peer environment, body image concerns, and progesterone. Models for mediation and moderation were examined with BMI, age, and menarcheal status as covariates. Belief that popularity was linked to appearance and the experience of weight-related teasing were both positively associated with greater body image concerns, but neither was associated with progesterone once adjusting for covariates. Progesterone significantly interacted with perceived social pressures in predicting body image concerns. At higher progesterone levels, appearance-popularity beliefs and weight-related teasing were more strongly related to body image concerns than they were at lower progesterone levels. Findings support a moderating role for progesterone in the link between social pressures and body image concerns in girls. This study adds to a growing literature examining how girls' hormonal environments may modulate responses to their social environments. Longitudinal and experimental work is needed to understand temporal relations and mechanisms behind these associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Jean Forney
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, 1107 W Call St, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA
| | - Pamela K Keel
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, 1107 W Call St, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA.
| | - Shannon O'Connor
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, 316 Physics Rd #262, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Cheryl Sisk
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, 293 Farm Ln, East Lansing, MI, 48825, USA
| | - S Alexandra Burt
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, 316 Physics Rd #262, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Kelly L Klump
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, 316 Physics Rd #262, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
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Saunders JF, Eaton AA. Snaps, Selfies, and Shares: How Three Popular Social Media Platforms Contribute to the Sociocultural Model of Disordered Eating Among Young Women. CYBERPSYCHOLOGY BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NETWORKING 2018; 21:343-354. [PMID: 29883209 DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2017.0713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The current study aimed to integrate and test the sociocultural model of disordered eating with theories explaining the impact of mass media on the development of disordered eating for users of three popular social networking platforms. Young women social networking site (SNS) users (age 18-24) who had never received an eating disorder diagnosis (N = 637) completed questions capturing their SNS gratifications and usage, body surveillance, social comparisons, body dissatisfaction, and eating pathology. Measures were administered in one online session. Model relationships were similar across users of all three SNS platforms: Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. Users of all platforms demonstrated a significant positive relationship between upward comparisons and disordered eating outcomes, and between body surveillance and disordered eating outcomes, although differences between models did emerge. Empirical findings support extending the sociocultural model of disordered eating to include SNS uses and gratifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica F Saunders
- 1 Department of Psychology, Florida International University , Miami, Florida
| | - Asia A Eaton
- 1 Department of Psychology, Florida International University , Miami, Florida
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Stutts LA, Blomquist KK. The moderating role of self-compassion on weight and shape concerns and eating pathology: A longitudinal study. Int J Eat Disord 2018; 51:879-889. [PMID: 29734467 DOI: 10.1002/eat.22880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2017] [Revised: 04/16/2018] [Accepted: 04/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The present study employed a longitudinal design to examine the moderating role of self-compassion in the relationship between weight/shape concerns and the outcomes of eating pathology and stress in a diverse college student population. METHOD Participants were 765 students who completed measures of self-compassion, weight/shape concerns, eating pathology, and stress over their first 2 years of college. We tested whether self-compassion attenuated the relation between weight/shape concerns at the beginning of college and eating pathology, and stress later in college. RESULTS For the first year of college, self-compassion significantly moderated the relationship of weight/shape concerns and eating pathology. For participants who were low in self-compassion, there was a stronger relationship between weight/shape concerns and disordered eating; whereas, for individuals high in self-compassion, there was a weaker relationship between weight/shape concerns and disordered eating. However, these findings did not replicate for the second year of college. Self-compassion also significantly moderated the relationship between weight/shape concerns and stress for the first year of college, though the relationship was complex and warrants further research. DISCUSSION Our findings suggest that high self-compassion may reduce the likelihood that undergraduate students with weight/shape concerns will engage in disordered eating behavior in the first year of college. They also highlight the influence of self-compassion on general stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A Stutts
- Department of Health and Human Values, Davidson College, Davidson, North Carolina
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Schnettler B, Miranda-Zapata E, Grunert KG, Lobos G, Denegri M, Hueche C. Weight Fluctuation and Diet Concern Negatively Affect Food-Related Life Satisfaction in Chilean Male and Female Adolescents. Front Psychol 2018; 9:1013. [PMID: 30002634 PMCID: PMC6032888 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2018] [Accepted: 05/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Problematic eating behaviors and obesity are frequent problems encountered during adolescence that may potentially result in psychological, social and physical consequences that may interfere with adolescent development and well-being. The present study evaluates the relationship between satisfaction with food-related life and satisfaction with family life, and their relationship with life satisfaction in male and female adolescents. We explored the relationships between both subscales of the Revised Restraint Scale (RRS), Diet Concern (DC) and Weight Fluctuation (WF) and adolescent life satisfaction as well as satisfaction with food-related life and family life. We also explored the moderating role of socioeconomic status (SES). A questionnaire was applied to a non-probabilistic sample of 470 adolescents (mean age 13.2 years, 52.3% female) in Chile, including the RRS, Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Satisfaction with Food-related Life (SWL-Food) scale and Satisfaction with Family Life (SWL-Family) scale. Using structural equation modeling, we found that adolescent life satisfaction was related to satisfaction with family life and food-related life in both genders. In male adolescents, a negative relationship was identified between WF and food-related life satisfaction. In contrast, a negative relationship was identified in female adolescents between DC and food-related life satisfaction. DC and WF were not directly related to life satisfaction or to satisfaction with family life in either gender. SES was found to moderate the relationship between food-related life satisfaction and life satisfaction and the relationship between WF and food-related life satisfaction in female adolescents. These findings suggest that reducing DC in female adolescents and reducing WF in male adolescents and female adolescents from higher SES may improve their food-related life satisfaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berta Schnettler
- Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias y Forestales, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
- Escuela de Economía, Universidad Católica de Santiago de Guayaquil, Guayaquil, Ecuador
- Centro de Excelencia en Psicología Económica y del Consumo, Núcleo Científico Tecnológico en Ciencias Sociales, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Edgardo Miranda-Zapata
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Ciencias Sociales Aplicadas, Núcleo Científico Tecnológico en Ciencias Sociales, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | | | - Germán Lobos
- Escuela de Economía, Universidad Católica de Santiago de Guayaquil, Guayaquil, Ecuador
- Programa de Investigación de Excelencia Interdisciplinaria en Envejecimiento Saludable, Facultad de Economía y Negocios, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
| | - Marianela Denegri
- Centro de Excelencia en Psicología Económica y del Consumo, Núcleo Científico Tecnológico en Ciencias Sociales, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
- Facultad de Educación, Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Clementina Hueche
- Centro de Excelencia en Psicología Económica y del Consumo, Núcleo Científico Tecnológico en Ciencias Sociales, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
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Sladek MR, Salk RH, Engeln R. Negative body talk measures for Asian, Latina(o), and White women and men: Measurement equivalence and associations with ethnic-racial identity. Body Image 2018; 25:66-77. [PMID: 29486394 DOI: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2018.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2017] [Revised: 02/13/2018] [Accepted: 02/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Negative body talk measures have been developed with predominantly White, female samples. We tested measurement invariance (equivalence) of two available negative body talk scales for Asian, Latina(o), and White college women and men in the U.S. In Study 1 (n = 1501 women; n = 1436 men), multiple group confirmatory factor analyses indicated scalar (strong) invariance across groups for the Negative Body Talk (Engeln-Maddox, Salk, & Miller, 2012) and Male Body Talk (Sladek, Engeln, & Miller, 2014) scales, suggesting these measures can be used to test mean group differences. Ethnic group comparisons adjusting for body mass index (BMI) showed similarities overall; few differences that emerged had small effect sizes. In Study 2 (n = 227 women; n = 141 men), greater ethnic-racial identity resolution was associated with less frequent negative body talk for Latina and Asian women but more frequent muscularity-focused negative body talk for Asian men, adjusting for BMI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael R Sladek
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, United States.
| | - Rachel H Salk
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, United States
| | - Renee Engeln
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, United States
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Demographic differences in and correlates of perceived body image discrepancy among urban adolescent girls: a cross-sectional study. BMC Pediatr 2017; 17:201. [PMID: 29207976 PMCID: PMC5717818 DOI: 10.1186/s12887-017-0952-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2017] [Accepted: 11/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Understanding factors related to girls’ body image discrepancy, which is the difference between self-perceived current or actual and ideal body size, is important for addressing body-related issues and preventing adverse sequelae. Two aims were to: 1) examine demographic differences in body image discrepancy; and 2) determine the association of body image discrepancy with weight status, percent body fat, physical activity, sedentary behavior, and cardiovascular (CV) fitness among young adolescent girls. Methods The cross-sectional study included a secondary analysis of baseline data from a group randomized controlled trial including 1519 5th–8th grade girls in 24 U.S. schools. Girls completed physical activity and sedentary behavior surveys. To indicate perceived current/actual and ideal body image, girls selected from nine body figures the one that represented how they look now and another showing how they want to look. Girls wore accelerometers measuring physical activity. Height, weight, and percent body fat were assessed. The Progressive Aerobic CV Endurance Run was used to estimate CV fitness. Independent t-test, one- and two-way ANOVA, correlational analyses, and hierarchical linear regressions were performed. Results The majority (67.5%; n = 1023) chose a smaller ideal than current/actual figure. White girls had higher body image discrepancy than Black girls (p = .035). Body image discrepancy increased with increasing weight status (F3,1506 = 171.32, p < .001). Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and vigorous physical activity were negatively correlated with body image discrepancy (r = −.10, p < .001; r = −.14, p < .001, respectively), but correlations were not significant after adjusting for race and body mass index (BMI), respectively. Body image discrepancy was moderately correlated with CV fitness (r = −.55, p < .001). After adjusting for demographics, percent body fat, but not CV fitness or MVPA, influenced body image discrepancy. Girls with higher percent body fat had higher body image discrepancy (p < .001). Conclusion This study provided important information to guide interventions for promoting a positive body image among girls. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT01503333, registration date: January 4, 2012.
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