Body areas satisfaction and body mass in adolescents: mediating effects of actual-ideal body weight discrepancies

The Effect of Sociocultural Attitudes on Developing Eating Disorders Among Young Females in Almadinah Almunawarah, Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND

Eating disorders (ED) are believed to be more susceptible in women due to varied factors involving dissatisfaction with their body and appearance. The exact cause of ED isn't known. But it may be triggered by biological, psychological, environmental, and social factors.

OBJECTIVES

The current literature aims to explore the body dissatisfaction of women from Almadinah Almunawarah and factors that may contribute to developing risk of ED and assess the discrepancies between desired and healthy BMI.

METHODS

The Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance Questionnaire-4 (SATAQ-4) questionnaire surveyed 384 females to explore family, peer, and media pressure, followed by the Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26) questionnaire to recognize those at risk of developing ED. The body dissatisfaction of the sample was measured by the difference between the healthy BMI and the desired BMI.

RESULTS

A total of 127 of the participants, who were reported to have a high probability of developing an ED, had the highest factor scored in the SATAQ-4 questionnaire being media exposure with a p-value less than 0.001. The study showed a difference in the ideal body and what is considered a healthy BMI. Results showed no correlation between BMI and developing ED.

DISCUSSION

Women of younger age groups are more vulnerable to being under the influence of sociocultural attitudes, thus they are more susceptible to developing risky eating behaviors. This can be affected by family, peers, and media factors.

CONCLUSION

The findings of this study show a high prevalence of risky eating behaviors, particularly among those who experience family and media pressure toward body shape and weight. Peer pressure was also identified as a significant risk factor. These findings emphasize the need for interventions that target sociocultural attitudes and provide support for vulnerable individuals.

Psychosocial Predictors of Body Weight Congruence in Adolescents Aged 15 and 17 Years in Poland: Findings from the Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC) Study

Background: Body weight congruence (BWC) has implications for adolescent health. The main goal of this study was to examine the distribution of BWC and its relationship with six psychosocial factors. Methods: A representative sample of N = 3508 adolescents aged 15 and 17 years (52.4% girls) derived from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study, conducted in 2017/2018 in Poland, was used. BWC groups were defined based on self-reported BMI and subjective assessment of weight: (1) correct perception; (2) overestimation, and (3). underestimation. Principal component analysis (PCA) extracted the following two factors: a socio-relational factor (SR) related to perceived social support and social self-efficacy, and a body attitudes and social media exposure factor (BAME). Using the total sample, multinomial logistic regression was applied to estimate their impact on the BWC, and gender-specific models were compared. Results: Half (48.6%) of the adolescents correctly estimated their body weight, 31.0% overestimated it (girls 43.9%, boys 17.1%), and 20.0% underestimated it (boys 37.2%, girls 9.0%). Overestimation of body weight concerns 48.0% of normal weight girls, 50.0% of underweight girls, and 21.3% and 32.1% of normal weight and underweight boys, respectively. The percentage of normal weight (34.4%), and overweight and obese (30.8%) boys who underestimated their body weight was three times higher than the respective percentages of girls that underestimated their weight (9.0% and 11.9%). The SR factor protected adolescents from both underestimation (only in girls) and overestimation in the total sample (OR 0.74, 95%CI 0.68–0.81) and both genders. BAME increased this risk of overestimation in both genders (OR = 1.83, 95%CI 1.67–2.0), and the risk of underestimation among boys. Conclusions: Prevention programmes should include a wide range of psychosocial factors to improve BWC among adolescents.

The Associations Between the Anorexic Readiness Syndrome, Familism, and Body Image Among Physically Active Girls

Introduction: Anorexic Readiness Syndrome (ARS) is a construct of prophylactic importance, useful in the selection of people showing a tendency to use restrictive diets and increased concentration on the body. The aim of the research was to verify the significance of the type of physical activity, body perception and familism for the development of ARS. Material and Method: The research was carried out in the first half of 2021on a sample of 163 girls. It consisted of: (1) physically inactive girls (n = 48), (2) physically active girls in disciplines other than aesthetic (n = 69), (3) girls engaged in aesthetic physical activity (n = 46). The study used: Anorexic Readiness Syndrome Questionnaire (ARS-12), Familism Scale (FS) and Body Image Avoidance Questionnaire (BIAQ). Results: The highest average ARS score was recorded in the group of girls engaged in aesthetic activity. A significant difference in the severity of ARS occurs between people who do not engage in activity and those who practice aesthetic activity. The severity of ARS rises as the difference between real and ideal body weight increases. People active in aesthetic disciplines who obtained a high score on the Respect scale (FS subscale) have a lower ARS score than those physically active in other disciplines who obtained low scores on the Respect scale. The higher the score on the Material success and achievement scale (FS), the greater the ARS intensity in all subgroups. What is much more important in shaping ARS is the perception of your body. The focus on eating and body weight and Clothing and appearance (BIAQ subscales) are relevant to the ARS and moderate the relationship between Material success (FS subscale) and anorexic readiness. Conclusions: People engaging in aesthetic physical activity are more likely to suffer from ARS. The family can certainly prevent a child from developing anorexic readiness by shaping a sense of community and family identity, a clear division of roles, limiting the importance of materialism and competition in raising children. The prevention of ARS and eating disorders should also focus on strengthening the realistic assessment of body parameters and their acceptance, as well as promoting strategies for healthy weight control.