Psychological Predictors of Unhealthy Eating Attitudes in Young Adults

Associations of 24-hour movement guidelines adherence with fruit and vegetable intake in university students

Background

Unhealthy eating habits, such as low vegetable and fruit intake, are associated with many health problems. 24-h movement behaviors have been reported to be positively associated with numerous health-related outcomes. Despite the importance of these two modifiable lifestyle behaviors in building healthy habits in university students, there is a paucity of relevant research in this population. Therefore, this study aims to examine the correlation between compliance with 24-h movement guideline (24-h MG) and intake of fruits and vegetables (IFV) in Chinese university students.

Methods

This study investigated the relationship between the compliance with 24-h MG and IFV in 1,793 Chinese university students using a convenience sampling method online. Physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) were assessed by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form, while sleep was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. The Chinese version of the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II was used to measure IFV. Generalized linear models were applied to examine the correlation between compliance with the 24-h MG and eating habits.

Results

The proportion of participants who routinely consumed vegetables and fruits was 24.6% and 43.1%, respectively, while the proportion of meeting the three 24-h MG and a combination of any two guidelines was 27.8% and 40.1%, respectively. Meeting all three guidelines was associated with a greater IFV intake compared to not meeting either guideline. Meeting all three guidelines (OR = 2.42 [1.63, 3.58]) and the combination of moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) and sleep (OR = 2.06 [1.37, 3.10]) were positively associated with the frequency of vegetable consumption (p < 0.05). As well, meeting all three guidelines (OR = 2.06 [1.37, 3.10]), the combination of MVPA and sleep (OR = 1.72 [1.04, 2.84]), and sleep only (OR = 1.88 [1.21, 2.92]) were positively associated with fruits consumption (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Almost a third of the university students met the three 24-h MG, and compliance with all three guidelines was associated with a higher frequency of IFV. Furthermore, meeting the sleep guideline alone or in conjunction with the PA, and meeting the entire 24-h MG was associated with greater consumption of fruits.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms and loss of control eating in emerging adults: Role of psychological resilience

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to fill a gap in the literature regarding the role of resilience in the relationship between symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and loss of control (LOC) eating in a nonclinical sample of emerging adults. Resilience was examined as a potential moderator and as a potential mediator of ADHD symptoms and engagement in LOC eating behaviors. Improved understanding of this relationship may inform clinical intervention and risk screening methodologies for disordered eating behaviors in college students.

METHODS

Participants were undergraduate students (N = 386) from a private university in the northeastern United States. Linear regression analysis examined whether greater ADHD symptoms related to greater LOC eating. Pathway analyses examined resilience as either a moderator or mediator of the relationship between ADHD symptoms and LOC eating.

RESULTS

A direct positive relationship was found between ADHD symptoms and LOC eating (p < .05). Resilience partially mediated this relationship, such that increased ADHD symptoms indirectly related to increased LOC eating through low resilience (p < .05).

CONCLUSION

Findings indicate that undergraduate students with greater ADHD symptoms engaged in more frequent LOC eating, and that low resilience was a partial mediator of this positive relationship.

The causal associations between interoception, self-regulation, non-purposeful eating behaviors, and weight status in college women: a longitudinal cross-lagged model analysis

AIMS

Excessive weight gain has led to increased obesity and mortality risk among college students. Issues with maintaining a healthy weight may be attributed to poor internal awareness and unhealthy eating behaviors. The study's purpose was to determine the longitudinal effects among interoception, self-regulation, nonpurposeful eating behaviors, and weight status (BMI) among college women.

METHODS

Data from 103 females were collected via Qualtrics over 3 timepoints (T1, T2, T3) during an academic semester. Repeated measures ANOVA and cross-lagged model analyses were used. Significant changes were found in interoceptive responsiveness, external, and uncontrolled eating throughout 3 timepoints.

RESULTS

Longitudinally, significant causal effects were found among the study measures. Among all models, higher interoceptive responsiveness (T1) predicted increased self-regulation (T2). Higher non-purposeful eating behaviors (T1) predicted reduced self-regulation (T2). Higher BMI (T1) predicted reduced non-purposeful eating behaviors (T2), however higher BMI (T2) predicted increased non-purposeful eating (T3) and reduced interoceptive responsiveness (T3). Significant causal effects were found within each non-purposeful eating behavior models.

CONCLUSION

Overall, the research study provided foundational evidence of the importance of self-regulatory skills to help prevent unhealthy eating behaviors and increased weight status in college women. Future interventions educating college women to become more internally aware and better self-regulate are needed.

Obesity in Latinx and White U.S. military veterans: Mental health, psychosocial burden, non-suicidal self-injury and suicidal behavior

Obesity disproportionately affects Latinx communities and is linked to an increased risk of mental health problems. Military veterans are more likely to develop mental health problems, but the role of Latinx ethnicity in moderating the association between obesity and these problems is unclear. To address this gap, this study examined psychiatric and psychosocial correlates of obesity in a nationally representative sample of Latinx and White U.S. military veterans. Data were analyzed from the 2019-2020 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study, which surveyed 3524 Latinx and White veterans. Analyses revealed that Latinx ethnicity moderated associations between obesity and several measures. Specifically, among veterans with obesity, Latinx veterans had higher rates of major depression, generalized anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorders, drug use disorders, non-suicidal self-injury, and higher levels of childhood trauma, loneliness, and hostility relative to White veterans. These findings underscore the importance of culturally sensitive prevention and treatment efforts to help mitigate symptoms of internalizing disorders, drug use disorder, loneliness, and hostility, and to cultivate psychosocial resources such as resilience and coping self-efficacy among Latinx veterans with obesity.

"I don't want them to judge me": Separating out the role of fear of negative evaluation, neuroticism, and low self-esteem in eating disorders

Fear of negative evaluation (FNE) is a transdiagnostic risk factor that has an important role in eating disorder (ED) onset and maintenance, as well as other psychopathologies. However, no research has explored whether FNE has associations with probable ED status when accounting for related vulnerabilities, and whether this relationship changes across gender and weight status. The current study sought out to explore how FNE explains probable ED status above and beyond heightened neuroticism and low self-esteem, with gender and BMI serving as potential moderators of this relationship. Participants were 910 university students (85 % females) aged 18-26 years (M_age = 19.90; SD_age = 2.06) living in Australia, who completed measures of psychological distress, personality, self-esteem, FNE, and ED status. Logistic regression analysis showed that FNE was associated with probable ED status. This relationship was stronger among individuals with underweight and healthy-weight, whilst an interaction with gender was not significant. These findings shed light on the unique role FNE has in probable ED status across gender, which appears to be more pronounced in those with a lower BMI. Therefore, FNE should be considered as a potential target in ED screening and early intervention alongside other important transdiagnostic risk factors.

A predictor of emotional eating in adolescents: Social anxiety

This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the effect of social anxiety on emotional eating in adolescents. The sample consisted of 1027 adolescents between aged 14-18 studying in the 9-12th grades of the high schools in the Central Anatolia Region in the 2018-2019 academic year. Ethics Committee and institutional permission was obtained in this study, data were collected by a questionnaire, the Social Anxiety Scale for Children-Revised (SASC-R), and The Emotional Eating Scale Adapted for Use in Children and Adolescents (EES-C). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test and simple linear regression analysis. Adolescents had a mean SASC-R and EES-C score of 43.49 ± 16.56 and 61.93 ± 18.68, respectively. It was found that there was a relationship between EES-C mean scores and SASC-R mean scores, and they explained 35.0 % of the scores they got from the EES-C scale (p < 0.05). In conclusion, adolescents had moderate emotional eating and social anxiety. The higher the social anxiety, the higher the emotional eating. School personnel, parents and healthcare professionals need education about social anxiety and eating disorders in adolescents in order to detect symptoms early and intervene to better support adolescents struggling with social anxiety.

Examination of eating and nutritional habits in health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

OBJECTIVES

Health care workers are in the high-risk group in terms of contracting infection because of their role in providing care to patients with COVID-19. We aim to examine the relationship between perceived stress, emotional eating, and nutritional habits in health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted through an online survey in Turkey between July 1, 2021 and August 15, 2021. Overall, 405 participants age 19 to 67 y completed an online survey incorporating the Emotional Eating Scale (Cronbach's α = 0.84), Perceived Stress Scale (Cronbach's α = 0.84), and Nutrition Change Process Scale (Cronbach's α = 0.90). We gathered data on weight, height, and changes in eating habits during the pandemic to analyze how the pandemic affected dietary and nutritional practices.

RESULTS

The majority of respondents were female (67.7%). Most respondents (58%) reported changing their eating and nutritional habits during the pandemic. Economic concern and concern about finding food and water due to COVID-19 were found to affect changes in eating and dietary habits (odds ratio [OR]: 2.55; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.69-3.84; P < 0.001 and OR: 2.1; 95% CI, 1.39-3.18; P < 0.001, respectively). Losing a loved one because of COVID-19 was determined as an independent risk factor for eating and dietary habits (OR: 29.5; 95% CI, 2.23-38.9; P = 0.010).

CONCLUSIONS

Perceived stress and emotional eating are related to changes in eating/dietary habits among health care workers during the pandemic. We recommend healthy food choices and increased physical activity to reduce emotional eating and mitigate stress.

The Role of Cognitive Distortions in Young Women’s Body Image Perception

The analysis of modern psychological research and the practice of psychological assistance indicates the relevance of the problem of body image, especially for girls and young women. Therewith, most of the available papers focus on the study of the body image of adolescent girls, which makes it necessary to clarify the predictors of body image in other age periods. The purpose of the study is to highlight the results of a theoretical and empirical study of the role of cognitive distortions in the perception of the body image of adolescent girls. The methodological basis of the research was T. Cash’s cognitive-behavioural concept of understanding body image, the interpretation of psychological mindedness by H. Conte, and A. Freeman’s theory of cognitive errors. The role of various factors in the perception of body image is considered: 1) cognitive distortions as one of the predictors of an irrational strategy of human behaviour and thinking; 2) interest in one’s own personality and understanding of one’s own experiences as a factor of full self-acceptance. A Multidimensional Body-Self Relations QuestionnaireAppearance Scales by T. Cash, Cognitive error questionnaire by A. Freeman and R. DeWolf, psychological mindedness scale by H. Conte, and the author’s questionnaire were used. The study confirmed the influence of social stereotypes on the perception of young women’s own body image. In particular, it is identified that a substantial number of respondents (78.3%) emphasise the existence of social standards and express a desire to lose weight or change the shape of their bodies. It was determined that 71% of respondents have a normal body weight, which does not require changes in terms of health. Correlation analysis showed weak to moderate associations between women’s psychological mindedness indicators and how they perceive their own bodies. A comparison of groups of women who expressed a desire to change their own bodies with women who did not have such a desire identified substantial differences between these groups in the severity of cognitive distortions, such as catastrophisation (p ≤ 0.01) and trust in criticism (p ≤ 0.05). The use of regression analysis confirmed the substantial impact of catastrophisation on how respondents perceive their own body image. There is also a moderate association between catastrophisation and the desire and willingness to discuss their own experiences, which should be considered when creating methods of psychological assistance for women with an irrational perception of their own body image

The effects of nurses' perceived stress and life satisfaction on their emotional eating behaviors

PURPOSE

To examine the effects of the nurses' perceived stress and life satisfaction on their emotional eating behaviors.

DESIGN AND METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted among a random sample of 297 nurses in a research hospital.

FINDINGS

There is a negative correlation between nurses' emotional eating and life satisfaction (β = -0.192, p < 0.001), and a positive correlation between emotional eating and perceived stress (β = 0.392, p < 0.001). Perceived stress, life satisfaction, and marital status constituted 24% of the factors affecting emotional eating behaviors.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Psychiatric nurses would benefit from developing effective training programs that support nurses in making healthy lifestyle choices.

Eating Behaviors, Depressive Symptoms and Lifestyle in University Students in Poland

Young adulthood is the period from the late teens through the twenties and is associated with life transitions that could contribute to the development of obesity. Targeting this group will be critical to reversing the obesity epidemic. The aim of the study was to investigate the eating behaviors and lifestyle of healthcare students in Poland. We enrolled 227 students in the study. Convenience sampling was employed. Diet (Food Frequency Questionnaire), physical activity (International Physical Activity Questionnaire), depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory), impulsivity (Barratt Impulsivity Scale), and eating behaviors (Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire) were assessed. One in three students exhibited depressive symptoms, one in four showed low levels of physical activity. More than 40% of the students did not consume vegetables at least once a day, and more than half did not consume fruit. Only approximately 50% of the students ate fish several times a month. There was an association between high scores of specific eating behaviors and body weight, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, and consumption of specific product groups (sweets, alcohol). The results of our study are expected to contribute to a better understanding of dietary habits and overweight/obesity in university students, and support the development of programs to promote healthy lifestyles in that population.

Socio-Psychological Factors Associated with Young Australian Adults' Consumption of Energy Dense and Nutrient Poor (EDNP) Foods

Young Australian adults' exhibit high consumption of Energy Dense and Nutrient Poor (EDNP) foods; however, there is limited research concerning the factors influencing their consumption. This study aimed to explore socio-psychological factors associated with young Australian adults' (18-30 years) consumption of EDNP foods with consideration of the Food Related Lifestyle Model (FRLM) as a potential framework. Through qualitative descriptive research methodology, 38 young adults were interviewed. Data were thematically analyzed. Participants were classified into three groups based on their living arrangements namely, parental, shared and independent households. Five themes emerged, (1) psychological factors (2) intrinsic qualities of EDNP foods, (3) social factors, (4) accessibility and affordability and (5) health related beliefs. The FRLM takes into consideration some of the factors reported in this study as influencers of EDNP food intakes. However, the FRLM omits important psychological factors (motivation, restraint, cravings, coping strategies and habits) identified by participants as influencers over their EDNP food intakes. The FRLM may need to be extended in its application to EDNP food intakes of young Australian adults. Social marketing campaigns highlighting health risks, addressing social and environmental factors are suggested. The social desirability of healthier alternatives in social gatherings of young adults could be increased.

A meta-analysis of the relationship between eating restraint, impaired cognitive control and cognitive bias to food in non-clinical samples

AIM

Food restriction is argued to be a precursor for unhealthy preoccupation with food, possibly leading to the development of an eating disorder. We updated previous meta-analyses that examined the relationship between eating restraint and deficits in either general or food-related attentional and inhibitory control. We hypothesized that inconsistencies in the literature around eating restraint, impaired cognitive control, impulsivity and cognitive biases for food could be attributed to the scale used to measure eating restraint.

METHOD

A (preregistered) subgroup meta-analysis examined whether patterns of impaired cognitive control and cognitive bias for food in predominantly healthy (non-clinical) samples differed as a function of the scale used to measure eating restraint. A series of exploratory meta-analyses were carried out for specific attentional bias tasks. In total 57 datasets were included.

RESULTS

The subgroup analysis did not provide evidence that the relationship between eating restraint and impaired or biased cognitions differed significantly as a function of restraint scale. Heterogeneity across studies was high. When examining specific attentional bias tasks there was no evidence that increased eating restraint was associated with increased attentional bias or distraction by food cues, regardless of which scale was used to measure eating restraint.

CONCLUSIONS

There is little experimental evidence for the common narrative that increased eating restraint is related to impaired cognitive control generally or increased cognitive bias for food, in non-clinical samples.

Sleep Duration and Quality in Relation to Fruit and Vegetable Intake of US Young Adults: a Secondary Analysis

BACKGROUND

Sleep is gaining recognition as a determinant of diet, yet this relationship remains understudied among young adults. We sought to examine how sleep duration and quality were related to fruit and vegetable (FV) intake within a diverse sample of young adults.

METHODS

Participants (n = 1444) ages 21-30 (69% women, 15% African American, 35% full or part time in college) consuming < 5 servings/day of FV (eligibility criteria) completed a baseline survey to enroll in a randomized online FV intervention. Sleep questions included duration, perceived sleep quality, time to fall asleep, and insomnia symptoms. Overall and gender-stratified linear regression models compared average daily FV intake and sleep characteristics, adjusting for confounders.

RESULTS

One-third (32%) of the participants reported < 7 h of sleep per night, and 36% noted insomnia symptoms ≥ 3 times per week. Women, a BMI > 30, African American race/ethnicity, less education, unemployment, higher depression, and stress were related to suboptimal sleep. Bivariate analyses showed that better sleep was associated with higher FV intake. After accounting for confounders, men with better sleep quality and shorter time to fall asleep had higher intakes of FV (1.12 serving/day difference in highest versus lowest quality [95% CI 0.48, 1.75] and a 0.52 serving/day higher intake difference for shortest versus longest fall asleep time [95% CI 0.90, 0.15], respectively).

CONCLUSION

Sleep was highly prevalent in a diverse sample of community-based young adults and may contribute to lower FV intake among men. These associations highlight young adulthood as an important period for promoting healthy sleep habits.

The examination of the relationship between nursing students' depression, anxiety and stress levels and restrictive, emotional, and external eating behaviors in COVID-19 social isolation process

PURPOSE

This study was conducted to examine the relationship between students' anxiety, depression, stress levels, and emotional, external, restrictive eating behaviors in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) process.

DESIGN AND METHODS

This study was conducted in included university involving 411 nursing students who completed the Personal Information Form, Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale, and the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire. Kruskal-Wallis Test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Spearman's correlation test were used to evaluate the data.

FINDINGS

In the correlation between Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale subscale scores, and the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire subscale scores, there was no significant relationship between only depression and restrictive eating.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

It was determined that the COVID-19 pandemic process affected the mental health of nursing students and their eating behaviors.

Psychological Risk Factors for the Development of Restrictive and Bulimic Eating Behaviors: A Polish and Vietnamese Comparison

The aim of this paper is to identify psychological factors which are culture specific or common predictors for restrictive and bulimic behaviors towards eating for young women raised in different cultures. The study included 661 young women from Poland (n = 233) and Vietnam (n = 428). Subjects filled-in the Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI-3) and the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire-Appearance Scales (MBSRQ-AS), and body measurements were collected to calculate anthropometric indices. Women form Vietnam were less satisfied with their appearance than were their Polish peers, but Vietnamese showed a lower level of preoccupation with being overweight and fear of obesity. Intercultural differences indicate that Vietnamese women show greater intensities for psychological variables, connected with restrictive and bulimic eating behaviors, verified in the research model: low self-esteem, personal alienation, interpersonal insecurity, interpersonal alienation, emotional dysregulation, interoceptive deficits, perfectionism and asceticism, and anxiety.

Disordered eating in the postpartum period: Role of psychological distress, body dissatisfaction, dysfunctional maternal beliefs and self-compassion

The present cross-sectional study tested the affect regulation model of disordered eating for women in the postpartum period, whereby disordered eating is used to cope with psychological distress. Two hundred and two women who had given birth in the last two years completed an online survey of self-report measures of study variables. Path analyses supported the primary hypothesis: negative affect mediated relationships between body dissatisfaction, dysfunctional maternal beliefs, negative components of self-compassion and disordered eating behaviours, particularly binge eating. Results suggest that negative affect plays a central role in postpartum disordered eating. Interventions to address maladaptive emotion regulation strategies, specifically targeting body image distress and self-critical maternal thoughts may improve eating behaviours for this population.

Bonding With Parents, Body Image, and Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance as Predictors of Eating Disorders Among Young Girls

A more holistic approach to treatment and prevention focuses on identifying the multiple risk and protective factors for eating disorders. However, there is a lack of research verifying the nature of the relationship between patterns of bonding with parents, sociocultural attitudes toward appearance, body image, and their role in developing or preventing eating disorders. The main aim of the study was to verify whether there is a specific set of risk or/vs. protective factors/measures for behaviors and dispositions related to the development of eating disorders. The study group consisted of 134 young Polish females (M = 14.92; SD = 1.349), with an average body mass index. The variables were measured using the Parental Bonding Instrument, the Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance Questionnaire-3, The Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire, and the Eating Disorder Inventory 3. Stepwise regression analysis was applied. Statistical analysis showed that bonding with parents (including maternal overprotection), body image (including overweight pre-occupation, fitness evaluation, health orientation, and self-classified weight), and sociocultural attitudes toward appearance (such as searching for information, pressures, and internalization) are predictors of eating disorder risks. On the other hand, maternal and paternal care (aspects of patterns of bonding with parents), positive fitness evaluation, positive appearance evaluation, and satisfaction with one's body were found to be the most significant protective factors. The results may improve prevention and intervention aimed at increasing protective factors.

What Dimensions of Risk Perception are Associated with Avoidance of Buying Processed Foods with Warning Labels?

Nutritional Warning Labels (NWLs) inform consumers about processed foods that exceed critical nutrient levels activating the risk perception in consumers. However, this information is limited. The objective was to identify the dimensions of risk perception and to study their associations with avoidance of buying processed foods with warning labels. A survey was applied to 807 decision-makers who choose what to eat at home. The four dimensions of risk perception (performance, financial, physical, and psychological) were identified through exploratory factor analysis. Through a multiple regression model, we determined the dimensions of risk perception and sociodemographic variables that affect the intention to avoid buying processed foods with NWLs. The results show that the performance risk, physical risk, and psychological risk positively affect the intention of avoiding processed foods with NWLs. In addition, the female gender considers NWLs to purchase foods. Nevertheless, the high frequency of consumption and belonging to a lower-income socioeconomic group are barriers to the use of NWLs. In conclusion, NWLs help people to choose processed food that does not impact negatively their food expectations, as well as their mental and physical health. However, health authorities must invest in nutrition education. Specifically, in groups who pay less attention to NWLs. Such groups include people with high daily consumption of processed foods, males, and low-income socioeconomic groups.

Psychometric properties of the Japanese version of the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire for Children

This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the 20-item Japanese version of the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire for Children (DEBQ-C). A population-based sample of 502 Japanese school children who were fifth- and sixth-graders in elementary schools and first- and second-graders in junior high schools was assessed. A sample was randomly split into two subsamples, one for exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and another for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Internal consistency estimates for subscales (restrained, emotional, and external) were evaluated using Cronbach's alpha. Measurement invariance was examined across each subgroup (genders: boys and girls, school categories: elementary school and junior high school, body mass index (BMI) categories: underweight, normal weight, and overweight) by using multi-group CFA. The Japanese version of the DEBQ-C demonstrates good results of item analysis. The three-factor structure of the original DEBQ-C was supported by both EFA and CFA. The reliability of each factor was also satisfied (restrained: α = 0.86, emotional: α = 0.90, external: α = 0.86). Results of multi-group confirmatory factor analysis supported its metric and scalar or partial scalar measurement invariance across all subgroups. In gender subgroup, girls scored higher on restrained eating. In school subgroup, junior high school children scored higher on emotional and external eating. In BMI subgroup, overweight children scored higher on restrained eating. These findings suggest that the Japanese version of the DEBQ-C is a psychometrically valid and reliable instrument for assessing eating behaviors across gender, school categories, and BMI categories in Japanese children.

Socio-Cultural Standards Promoted by the Mass Media as Predictors of Restrictive and Bulimic Behavior

Research lacks in verifying the nature of the relationship between mass media pressure, body image, and the risk of unhealthy eating behaviors. This study aimed to investigate whether the internalization of sociocultural norms, perceived pressure or searching for information about body image promoted by the mass media directly affect restrictive and bulimic behavior toward eating, through the mediating role of body image and physical appearance variables. The research hypotheses were that (1, 2) body image, the pressure and the internalization of sociocultural norms are significant predictors of unhealthy eating behavior among women and men; and (3) the variables related to body image play the role of the mediating variable between the impact of socio-cultural standards of body image promoted by the mass media and unhealthy eating behavior. The sample comprised 514 Polish men and women, aged 16 to 63 old (men M=24.35; SD=13.53; women M=24.77; SD=7.61), with average Body Mass Index (BMI). Assessment comprised the Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance Scale (SATAQ-3), Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI 3), The Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ-AS), and the author's survey questionnaire. The descriptive and comparative statistics, and a path analysis (structural equations modeling) were applied. The statistical analysis showed that the variables related to body image do not play the role of intermediary variables. The pressure of sociocultural standards of body image and physical appearance had the strongest and most direct effect on the development of restrictive eating behavior and appeared to negatively affect body image in women. The search of information on body image in the mass media had the strongest and most direct impact on the development of bulimic eating behavior among women. However, only the global internalization of sociocultural standards of body image and physical appearance had a significant and direct effect on the development of bulimic eating behavior in men. Moreover, the internalization of athletic body shape standards had the strongest and most positive impact on some aspects of body image in this group. No sociocultural variables showed a direct impact on restrictive behavior among studied men. BMI had a positive and direct impact on individual body part satisfaction. These results may help improve prevention of eating disorders and dysfunctional eating behavior.

Self-Assessment of the Body and Social Competences in the Group of Mothers and Their Adult Daughters

The main research objective of this study was seeking the predictive role of general self-esteem and the body image in social competences among women and their biological daughters. As it stands, there is a lack of research showing the mothers and their adult daughters at the same time in the context of measuring the same psychological variables, i.e., general self-esteem, self-assessment of the body and specific social competences in the scope of behaviour in intimate situations, situations requiring social exposure and assertiveness. The study group comprised 102 individuals; 51 pairs of mothers (40-64 years old, M = 51.33) and their biological daughters (19-25 years old, M = 22.49). The following instruments were used: The Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale, the Contour Drawing Rating Scale, the Body Esteem Scale, the Social Competence Scale, categorized interview (to measure BMI and collect data describing the criteria for selection to the research group). The significance of the differences and the stepwise regression analysis were performed. The results of the study demonstrated the following to be significant predictors of social competences in subjects: General self-esteem B = 0.615, discrepancy real-obligatory body image B = 0.275 among daughters, and physical condition B = 0.362 in mothers. The general self-esteem of daughters positively influences all verified types of their social competences (competences in intimate situations, in case of social exposure and ability to be assertive). However, it is the significant predictor only for mothers' competences in dealing with situations of social exposure. Discrepancy real-obligatory body image: Seems to be the predictor of daughters' social competences conditioning effectiveness in situations requiring assertiveness. The physical condition among mothers seems to be especially important for their assertiveness and effectiveness in intimate situations. The conflict between the real and the ideal body image is also an important aspect in predicting the assertiveness in the group of mothers. The study results can prove to be helpful in creating preventive and educational programs focused on self-esteem and social competencies in women, including the context of the relation between mothers and their daughters.