Chinese and American college students' body-image: perceived body shape and body affect

Body image perception, eating disorder behavior, self-esteem and quality of life: a cross-sectional study among female medical students

BACKGROUND

Eating disorders are strongly associated with body image concerns. Eating disorders tend to significantly impact the current and future health and quality of life of affected persons, their caregivers, and society. As body image is based on a social construct of ideal body image, it is essential to evaluate it in its cultural context.

METHODS

The current study explored the relationship among body image perception, perceived stress, eating disorder behaviour and quality of life among female medical students (n = 777). Measurements included Body Shape Questionnaire, Body Image Quality of Life Inventory, Eating Attitudes Test-26 and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Multivariate analysis was conducted.

RESULTS

There was a significant correlation between eating disorder behaviour and perceived body shape, body image, quality of life and self-esteem among our study participants. We also found eating disorder status was significantly associated with BMI, perceived body shape, quality of life and self-esteem.

CONCLUSIONS

This is of clinical implication to female medical students and healthcare professionals to engage early in primary and secondary prevention of eating pathologies. Increasing awareness of these facts among female students can help identify at-risk students and help them seek timely medical help.

An examination of eating and thinness expectancies as predictors of eating disturbances in females: evidence for cultural differences between European American and Chinese college students

PURPOSE

This study sought to examine the utility of eating expectancy, thinness expectancy, and the interactive role of both, in predicting eating disturbances (viz., bulimic symptoms and drive for thinness) in European American and Chinese female college students.

METHODS

A sample of 237 European American and 221 Chinese female college students completed measures of eating and thinness expectancies and eating disturbances.

RESULTS

Results of hierarchical regression analyses revealed that thinness expectancy significantly predicted increases in both drive for thinness and bulimic symptoms (with these increases being greater for European Americans), whereas eating expectancy predicted increases in bulimic symptoms only. In addition, for European Americans, a significant interaction for bulimic symptoms was found, revealing a synergistic increase in bulimic symptoms for those with both a high thinness expectancy and a high eating expectancy. For Chinese, a significant interaction for drive for thinness was found, demonstrating that for those with a high thinness expectancy, a higher eating expectancy was actually associated with a lower drive for thinness.

CONCLUSION

The present findings point to the value of examining for the co-presence of both expectancies in predicting eating disturbances while also highlighting cultural variations in the study of eating pathology.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Descriptive cross-sectional study, level V.

Relationship between body image and weight status in east Asian countries: comparison between South Korea and Taiwan

BACKGROUND

There are many studies examining the relationship between body image and weight status that compare Western and Asian countries. One limitation of these past studies was assuming that all Asian countries are a homogeneous group. To fill the gap in the literature, this study examined the relationship between body image and weight status between participants from two Asian countries.

METHODS

This study utilized data from the 2010 module of the East Asian Social Survey from South Korea (n = 1576) and Taiwan (n = 2199), which contained questions related to body image. Body image was originally measured using a five-point Likert-type question, which was collapsed into three categories for the analysis. Weight status was derived from body mass index scores, which were calculated using self-reported weight and height. A set of multinomial logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the relationship between body image and weight status, stratified by country.

RESULTS

A significant relationship between body image and weight status after controlling for relevant covariates was reaffirmed in this study in the South Korean and Taiwanese. Results indicated that the relationship between body image and weight status of the Taiwanese sample was similar to the relationship in the South Korean sample. However, the results from a further analysis showed that the strength of the relationship across the two Asian countries appeared to be different.

CONCLUSIONS

The weight over-perception was more evident in South Korea than in Taiwan. Females were more vulnerable to societal pressures for thinness and the misperception of the ideal body than males. Interventions to improve distorted body image perception were needed in both countries.

The Impact of Eating and Exercise Frequency on Weight Gain - A Cross-Sectional Study on Medical Undergraduate Students

INTRODUCTION

Diverse factors influence an individual's ability to successfully achieve and maintain energy balance consistent with a healthy body weight. Eating frequency is one among the varied feature that thought to have a direct impact on the body weight gain.

AIM

The present cross-sectional study has been carried out with the intention of awareness of food habit that specifically emphasize the frequency of eating and its effect on weight gain of an individual.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This cross-sectional study involved 265 medical undergraduate students. Faculty validated close ended questionnaire was distributed to the students and the responses given by them were then analysed. Statistical evaluation of data with Spearman correlation coefficient (r) was done.

RESULTS

Among the total 265 participants, 177 (66.8%) were noted to have normal Body Mass Index (BMI 18.5-24.9). Out of them, 113 (64%) found to have eating frequency 3-4 meals/day, 44 (25%) with 1-2 meals/day, 18 (10%) with 5-6 meals/day and 2 (1%) with more than 6 meals/day. Low positive correlation (r=0.09) between mean frequency of eating and the number of subjects with normal BMI was observed.

CONCLUSION

An increase in the eating frequency can also be correlated with an increased prevalence of normal BMI individuals provided adequate physical exercise.

Body-Esteem in Swedish 10-Year-Old Children

This study examined body-esteem in 10-yr.-old children. The study group comprised 960 schoolchildren, 515 girls and 445 boys ( M age = 10.4, SD = 0.5). Analysis showed that girls who were overweight had more negative body-esteem on all dimensions (weight, appearance, and attribution). The overweight boys had more negative perceptions on only two dimensions (weight and appearance). Twice as many girls perceived themselves as too fat (20%) as too skinny (10%). Of the girls who perceived themselves as fat, only 31% were overweight; similarly only 33% of the boys who perceived themselves as fat were overweight. The children's perception of their weight seemed as important as their actual weight and was associated with their body-esteem in the same way. Although few children had dieted (7% of the girls and 5% of the boys), the ones who had dieted had more negative body-esteem than children who had not dieted.

Overweight Perception: Associations with Weight Control Goals, Attempts, and Practices among Chinese Female College Students

BACKGROUND

Concurrent with the dramatic cultural and economic shifts occurring as mainland China becomes increasingly "Westernized," the weight perceptions, ideal body weight, and weight management goals and practices of Chinese females have also undergone significant changes.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate relationships between overweight status, weight perception patterns, and weight management goals and practices in Chinese female college students.

DESIGN/PARTICIPANTS/SETTING

A cross-sectional analysis was conducted with data from 902 female subjects aged 18 to 25 years participating in the China Seven Cities Study, a health promotion and smoking prevention study conducted in mainland China in 2003.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES/STATISTICAL ANALYSES

Logistic regression models were used to explore associations between overweight status, weight perception, specific weight management goals and practices, and current levels of vigorous-intensity physical activity and food consumption.

RESULTS

Based on World Health Organization standards for Asian adults, 16.7% of college females were overweight or obese, although 50.8% considered themselves to be "too heavy." Among participants perceiving themselves as overweight (n=458), 69.2% (n=371) were inaccurate and did not meet criteria for overweight or obese. The percentage of participants attempting weight loss was 48.2%, and 33.1% wanted to maintain their current weight. Attempts to lose or maintain weight were related to actual and perceived weight status, but not to increased vigorous-intensity physical activity or fruit and vegetable intake, nor to decreased consumption of sweets, soda, Western fast foods, and fried foods. Only 21.5% of participants desiring weight loss or maintenance reported using a combination of vigorous-intensity physical activity and a reduced-fat and -calorie diet, whereas 20.2% tried extreme methods such as fasting, using diet pills, vomiting, or smoking.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings underscore the need to promote healthy weight management practices among Chinese female college students, with an emphasis on diet and physical activity strategies that encourage balance rather than extremes.

Children's weight status, body esteem, and self-concept after maternal gastric bypass surgery

BACKGROUND

There is little research on the effects of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery on the patients' offspring's weight and psychosocial well-being. The present study investigates how children are affected in terms of weight status, body esteem, and self-concept after maternal RYGB.

METHODS

Sixty-nine women and their families were recruited from RYGB waiting lists at 5 Swedish hospitals. Data was collected during home visits 3 months before and 12 months after RYGB. Anthropometrical measures were taken, and the children completed the Body Esteem Scale (BES) and the Beck Self-Concept Inventory (BYI-S).

RESULTS

Prevalence or relative risk in weight status between the time points were explored using Poisson regression models (General Estimating Equations). We found stronger statistical evidence for a decreased risk of overweight (RR = .85, 57.0% versus 48.6%, P = .048), than for obesity (RR = .87, 18.2% versus 15.9%, P = .447). The boys' body esteem increased slightly, whilst the girls' did not. There were no significant differences in mean BYI-S scores.

CONCLUSIONS

The reasons behind the statistically significant decrease in overweight but not obesity risk in children after maternal RYGB may be caused by insufficient statistical power to detect changes in obesity risk alone. Body esteem seems to be slightly positively affected in boys 9 months after maternal RYGB. Longer follow-up times and larger samples would be useful in future research.

Which body features are associated with female adolescents' body dissatisfaction? A cross-cultural study in Australia, China and Malaysia

This study investigated how dissatisfaction with various aspects of the body is associated with overall body dissatisfaction among female adolescents in Western and Asian cultures. Data used in the study were obtained from 58 Malaysian Malays, 95 Malaysian Chinese, 242 Chinese from China, and 81 non-Asian Australians aged 12-19 years (M=15.72, SD=1.72) who were recruited from high schools. Participants completed a questionnaire assessing dissatisfaction with their body overall, and dissatisfaction with varying aspects of their body. Malaysian Chinese were the most dissatisfied with their bodies. After controlling for body mass index (BMI), age and dissatisfaction with weight/shape, upper, middle and lower body, and muscles, dissatisfaction with the face was positively correlated with overall body dissatisfaction among Malaysian Malays and Australians. These findings demonstrate the importance of using assessment measures that address all possible areas of body focus as well as being tailored to the relevant culture.

Body dysmorphic disorder, social anxiety and depressive symptoms in Chinese medical students

AIM

This cross-sectional study explored the prevalence of body image dissatisfaction, body dysmorphic disorder, social anxiety and depressive symptoms in first-year medical students in China.

METHODS

A self-report survey design was employed, using the Body Shape Questionnaire, Swansea Muscularity Attitudes Questionnaire, Social Interaction Anxiety Scale, Dysmorphic Concern Questionnaire, Self-Rating Depression Scale and the Body Dysmorphic Disorder Questionnaire. A total of 487 first-year medical students participated.

RESULTS

About one-third of participants (32.5%) indicated that they were very concerned about some aspect of their appearance unrelated to weight, with six female participants (1.3%) screening positive for body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). Those who displayed concern with their appearance (including those who did not screen positive for BDD) had higher levels of depressive and social anxiety symptoms than those who had no appearance concerns.

The attractive female body weight and female body dissatisfaction in 26 countries across 10 world regions: results of the international body project I

This study reports results from the first International Body Project (IBP-I), which surveyed 7,434 individuals in 10 major world regions about body weight ideals and body dissatisfaction. Participants completed the female Contour Drawing Figure Rating Scale (CDFRS) and self-reported their exposure to Western and local media. Results indicated there were significant cross-regional differences in the ideal female figure and body dissatisfaction, but effect sizes were small across high-socioeconomic-status (SES) sites. Within cultures, heavier bodies were preferred in low-SES sites compared to high-SES sites in Malaysia and South Africa (ds = 1.94-2.49) but not in Austria. Participant age, body mass index (BMI), and Western media exposure predicted body weight ideals. BMI and Western media exposure predicted body dissatisfaction among women. Our results show that body dissatisfaction and desire for thinness is commonplace in high-SES settings across world regions, highlighting the need for international attention to this problem.

Body dissatisfaction across cultures: findings and research problems

This review had two aims. The first aim was to describe the existing literature regarding body dissatisfaction across cultures. Previous studies were organized and presented according to three general patterns found in the existing literature, patterns that were to some extent based on the differing degrees of affluence and type of lifestyles in the cultures examined. The review's second aim was to illuminate some of the specific problems that studies of body dissatisfaction across cultures deal with and to provide suggestions for improvement. The suggestions concern how future research may achieve a more inclusive and detailed picture of body dissatisfaction across cultures, for instance by using diversified measurements, providing detailed information about the cultural groups that are examined, investigating how different risk factors may influence the level of body dissatisfaction in different cultures and widening the research geographically.

Measuring health-related quality of life in adolescence

Until now, adolescents' health-related quality of life (HRQL) has primarily been examined together with children or adults. Specific aspects of adolescents' HRQL have often been neglected. However, this period in life has its own specific characteristics that must be considered in order to understand more about adolescents' HRQL. This review addresses the following issues: Which domains of HRQL are particularly important to adolescents? How are these important features of adolescent functioning related to overall HRQL?

CONCLUSION

When examining adolescents' HRQL it is essential to acknowledge the specific aspects of adolescents' HRQL, rather than regard these individuals as either children or adults and to cover important topics that are especially salient during this period in life, such as: physical maturation and body image; peer relationships; intimacy and sexuality; and autonomy.

The association between global self-esteem, physical self-concept and actual vs ideal body size rating in Chinese primary school children

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether the discrepancy between actual and ideal body size rating is related to Chinese children's global self-esteem and global physical self-concept.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study of school children who completed questionnaires related to global self-esteem, global physical self-concept, and actual vs ideal body size.

SUBJECTS

A total of 386 Chinese children (44% girls and 56% boys) aged 7-13 y from a primary school in Hong Kong, China.

MEASUREMENTS

Global self-esteem and physical self-concept were measured using the physical self-descriptive questionnaire. Actual vs ideal body size discrepancy was established using the silhouette matching task.

RESULTS

No significant relationship was found between global self-esteem and actual-ideal body size discrepancy of children. Global physical self-concept had a moderate negative correlation (r=-0.12) with the body size discrepancy score and the discrepancy score explained very limited variance (R(2)=0.015; F(1, 296)=4.51; P<0.05) in global physical self-concept. Three body size discrepancy groups (none, positive, and negative) were examined to see if there were any significant differences in global self-esteem, global physical self-concept, and specific dimensions of physical self-concept. A significant overall difference was found between groups for global physical self-concept (F=3.73, P<0.05) and the physical self-concept subscales of physical activity (F=3.25, P<0.05), body fat (F=61.26, P<0.001), and strength (F=5.26, P<0.01). Boys scored significantly higher than girls on global physical self-concept-especially in the sport competence, strength, and endurance subscales.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed that the actual-ideal body size discrepancy rating of Chinese children was not predictive of global physical self-concept and global self-esteem. These findings are contrary to those reported in Western children, which may mean that culture plays a role in the formation of body attitude.

Body weight, body image, and eating behaviours: relationships with ethnicity and acculturation in a community sample of young Australian women

A study was conducted to investigate associations between ethnicity and acculturation status and risk factors for eating disorders among young adult women. A community sample of 14,779 women aged 18-23 completed a comprehensive mail-out survey, which incorporated questions on country of birth, length of time spent in Australia, body weight, weight dissatisfaction, dieting, binge eating, and compensatory disordered eating behaviours. Results showed that risk factors for eating disorders were present across a range of ethnic groups. Further, a strong acculturation effect was observed, such that the longer the time spent in Australia, the more women reported weight-related values and behaviours similar to those of Australian-born women. Results challenge claims that risk factors for disordered eating are restricted to Caucasian females in Western societies. Implications for understanding ethnic and sociocultural influences on body weight, dieting, and disordered eating are considered.

Characteristics and behaviors associated with body image in male domestic violence offenders

Investigated correlates of body image satisfaction and perceived weight class (underweight, average weight, overweight) in a sample of male domestic violence offenders. Men who identified themselves as either underweight or overweight reported poorer body image satisfaction than those who perceived themselves to be of average weight. Poor body image satisfaction was found to be related to increased risk for both physical and verbal aggression, the tendency to have been a bully and/or a victim of bullying in childhood, and increased alcohol use. Although masculinity was expected to be an important intervening construct, partially explaining the relationship of body image to the major predictor variables, it was not correlated with any of the variables in this study. Finally, perceived weight class was not found to be significantly related to any of the predictor variables.

LATER ADOLESCENTS' REACTIONS TO THREE TYPES OF CHILDHOOD TEASING: RELATIONS WITH SELF-ESTEEM AND BODY IMAGE

The purposes of this study were: 1) to examine how predictive three types of childhood teasing (competency, weight, and appearance) were of later self-esteem; and 2) to examine how predictive these same three variables were of later body image. Additionally, the pattern of relations for each gender was be explored. Each of these questions will be explored for males and females separately. The participants in this study were 89 female and 75 male undergraduates from two midwestern universities, with a mean age of 20. Results showed that more frequent teasing in childhood was significantly predictive of lower self-esteem and poorer body image among females and males. However, the findings varied by teasing types. Certain types of teasing were found to be related to self-esteem and body image while other types of teasing were not. Different patterns emerged for each gender. Implications of these findings and applications for professionals are discussed.

Chinese and American college students' motives for participation in physical activities

To examine the differences in the current strengths of primary motives for participation in physical activities and exercises 289 Chinese students in China and 180 American students in the United States were administered the Motives for Activity Participation Questionnaire. Two-way analysis of variance indicated that American subjects spent significantly more time participating in physical activity and exercise than did Chinese subjects; men were significantly more likely than women to engage in physical activity and exercise. With respect to the motives for participation, multivariate analysis of variance showed an over-all significant difference on three factors of Weight/Body Management, Mental Health, and Social Interaction among the Chinese and American subjects. Subsequently, stepwise multiple regression analysis indicated that social interaction was the primary motive for American men and Chinese women. In contrast, management of body weight was the primary motive for American women.