Body Image Dissatisfaction: Gender Differences in Eating Attitudes, Self-Esteem, and Reasons for Exercise (original) (raw)
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Gender Differences in the Relationship between Body Image and Self-Esteem
Introduction: Although body image is a crucial part of the human development structure, there are few psychological publications regarding this subject. For a better perception of the body image, there must be a very clear notion about the way the individual feels about himself. Body image dissatisfaction is present in boys and girls, leading to self-esteem decrease. Self-perception and body image become critical for a proper development in youth, making the period very important. Objectives: This study is investigating the way in which dissatisfaction is linked to body weight and shape differentiates preadolescents’ self-esteem. The aim is to investigate the way in which social self-esteem in preadolescents has certain differences between genders in preadolescents and certain characteristics such as body mass perception, real body mass image and desired body mass image. Methods: 60 girls and 60 boys with ages between 11 and 14 years old, all of them with the same educational level,...
Gender differences in body image dissatisfaction: The role of physical education and sport
Journal of Human Sport and Exercise
Body image is a multidimensional construct encompassing how we perceive, think, feel, and act toward our bodies and lies on a continuum from healthy body perceptions to unhealthy body perceptions. Previous researches suggest that adolescent girls experience higher levels of body dissatisfaction than do their male counterparts. Therefore, the aim of this research was to investigate on gender differences concerning the perceived body dissatisfaction and uneasiness by adolescents and the role played by the physical education in the process of positive development of the mental representation of the corporeity. 100 students (14-15 years) participated voluntarily in the study and were assigned to trained group (n = 50; 25M, 25F) regularly practicing sports outside the school hours, or untrained group (n = 50; 25M, 25F) did not practice any extracurricular physical activity in the period before the study. After anthropometric measurements (BMI), two standardized psychological tests to assess the degree of personal satisfaction towards their body were administered (i.e., Body uneasiness test (BUT) and contour drawing rating scale (CDRS)). BUT and CDRS scores were significantly lower for total trained group and trained females (p < 0.05). Also, total trained group and males and females trained showed a significant lower BMI (p < 0.05), whereas no significant difference was observed between the untrained and trained males for BUT and CDRS. Findings showed a better bodysize perception and a smaller body uneasiness by trained adolescents. Moreover, girls showed anyway a greater dissatisfaction and uneasiness with the external appearance compared to their male counterpart.
2014
Abstract: Regular physical activity leads to physical and mental health benefits. Previous studies have shown physical activity to be associated with body image and gender. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to explore the associations of body image with physical activity of adolescents and whether gender modifies this association. We obtained data on body image and physical activity as part of the Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children study in 2010 from Slovakia (n = 8042, age 11–15 years, 49 % boys, response rate: 79.5%). Adolescents answered questions about their body image and the frequency of their physical activity. Sufficient physical activity was more likely in adolescents perceiving themselves as fat (OR = 0.63, 95%CI 0.54–0.73) and in boys (OR = 2.15, 95%CI 1.92–2.42). A poor body image OPEN ACCESS Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2014, 11 11168
BMC Psychiatry, 2012
Background: In the transition from early to mid-adolescence, gender differences in pubertal development become significant. Body dissatisfaction is often associated with body mass, low self-esteem and abnormal eating habits. The majority of studies investigating body dissatisfaction and its associations have been conducted on female populations. However, some evidence suggests that males also suffer from these problems and that gender differences might already be observed in adolescence. Aims: To examine body dissatisfaction and its relationship with body mass, as well as self-esteem and eating habits, in girls and boys in transition from early to mid-adolescence. Methods: School nurses recorded the heights and weights of 659 girls and 711 boys with a mean age of 14.5 years. The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and the Body Dissatisfaction subscale of the Eating Disorder Inventory were used as self-appraisal scales. Eating data were self-reported. Results: The girls were less satisfied with their bodies than boys were with theirs (mean score (SD): 30.6 (SD 12.2) vs. 18.9 (SD 9.5); p < 0.001). The girls expressed most satisfaction with their bodies when they were underweight, more dissatisfaction when they were of normal weight and most dissatisfaction when they had excess body weight. The boys also expressed most satisfaction when they were underweight and most dissatisfaction when they had excess body weight. The boys reported higher levels of self-esteem than did the girls (mean (SD): 31.3 (4.8) vs. 28.0 (5.9); p < 0.001). The adolescents self-reporting abnormal eating habits were less satisfied with their bodies than those describing normal eating habits (mean (SD): 33.0 (12.9) vs. 21.2 (10.2); p < 0.001). Conclusions: Body mass, self-esteem and eating habits revealed a significant relationship with body dissatisfaction in the transitional phase from early to mid-adolescence in girls and boys, but significant gender differences were also found.
The Skinny on Body Dissatisfaction: A Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Girls and Boys
Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 2006
The present study tested whether theoretically derived risk factors predicted increases in body dissatisfaction and whether gender moderated these relations with data from a longitudinal study of 428 adolescent girls and boys because few prospective studies have examined these aims, despite evidence that body dissatisfaction increases risk for various psychiatric disturbances. Body dissatisfaction showed significant increases for girls and significant decreases for boys during early adolescence. For both genders parental support deficits, negative affectivity, and self-reported dietary restraint, but not Ideal body internalization, body mass index, and eating pathology, showed significant relations to future increases in body dissatisfaction; peer support deficits showed a marginal relation to this outcome. Gender did not moderate these relations, despite adequate power to detect interactive effects.
Body esteem, eating attitudes, and gender-role orientation in three age groups of children
Current Psychology, 1996
The purpose of this study was to assess body esteem, eating attitudes, and gender-role orientation in three age groups (first, third, and fifth graders). The first graders were interviewed individually; the third and fifth graders completed a questionnaire in a group setting in which the questions were read aloud to set a pace and help those who may have had difficulty reading. All children completed the Children's Sex Stereotypes Measure, the children's version of the Eating Attitudes Test, and the Body Esteem Scale. It was hypothesized that children as young as six or seven do understand the connection between eating and body weight, that a proportion of children do experience eating and weight concerns, and that feminine children are most likely to experience such concerns. The results demonstrated that children, as early as first grade, were indeed engaging in eating disordered behaviors and expressing dieting and weight concerns. The children appeared to understand the connection between eating and weight, and body esteem was found to be significantly lower in the fifth than the third graders. However, feminine children were not more likely to exhibit eating disordered behaviors.
Perceptions of body image among Malaysian male and female adolescents
Singapore medical …, 2010
Introduction: Body image concerns are common among adolescents as they undergo rapid physical growth and body shape changes. Having a distorted body image is a risk factor for the development of disordered eating behaviours and eating disorders. This study was undertaken to investigate body image concerns among Malaysian male and female adolescents aged 11-15 years. Methods: A total of 2,050 adolescents (1,043 males and 1,007 females) with a mean age of 13.1 +/− 0.8 years from secondary schools in Kedah and Pulau Pinang were included in the study. Questionnaires were used to collect socioeconomic data and body image indicators. Results : The majority (87 percent) of the adolescents were concerned with their body shape. While the majority of underweight, normal weight and overweight male and female subjects perceived their body weight status correctly according to their body mass index (BMI), a noteworthy proportion in each category misjudged their body weight. About 35.4 percent of the males and 20.5 percent of the females in the underweight category perceived themselves as having a normal weight, while 29.4 percent and 26.7 percent of the overweight males and females respectively also perceived that they had a normal weight. A higher proportion of the females (20 percent) than males (9 percent) with a normal BMI perceived themselves as fat. Most of the male (78-83 percent) and female subjects (69-74 percent) in all the BMI categories desired to be taller than their current height. An appreciable proportion of both the males (41.9 percent) and females (38.2 percent) preferred to remain thin, or even to be thinner (23.7 percent of males and 5.9 percent of females). Females had a significantly higher mean body dissatisfaction score than males, indicating their preference for a slimmer body shape. More males (49.1 percent) preferred a larger body size while more females (58.3 percent) idealised a smaller body size. Compared to normal weight and underweight subjects, overweight males and females expressed lower confidence and acceptance levels, as well as expressed greater preoccupation with and anxiety over their body weight and shape. Conclusion: As having a distorted body image may lead to negative effects such as unhealthy eating habits and disordered eating behaviours, it is recommended that appropriate educational efforts on body image be incorporated into school health activities for adolescents.
Sex Differences in Body Satisfaction and Eating Behaviors
shown an increased interest among psychologists. Gender differences in body satisfaction and eating disorders is being broadly discussed. This study is conducted to evaluate differences between males and females in respect of their degree of body image satisfaction, bias and prejudice against fatness, thoughts and beliefs about overweight people and being overweight and their influences on eating attitudes. Methods: Twentyfive female and 29 male participants were applied to this study.
Perception of body image and tendencies of eating behaviour among adolescents
Health and Primary Care
Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate attitude to body image and compare sex and body mass index differences in body perception among schoolchildren of 7-10 grades in Lithuania. Method: Data was obtained from 3248 adolescents (mean age = 14.83 (SD = 1.28), 49.5% male) who fully completed self-report questionnaires. Participants were grouped and subsequently analyzed according to their body mass index and sex. Results: Tendencies among males and females were analyzed. Overall 39.6% of the female and 11.8% of male adolescents wanted a thinner body. More females than males replied that they have tried dieting, wished to become thinner, were afraid of becoming fat or even of gaining a small amount of weight and felt not able to control their eating. However, more males answered exercising to control weight, consuming large amounts of food at once and inducing vomiting after meal. Discussion: Findings suggest the importance of addressing aspects of negative body image, associated with different BMI categories, gender differences and disordered eating behavior in clinical settings and public health policies.