[The impact of exposure to images of ideally thin models on body dissatisfaction in young French and Italian women]

Female blind baseball players against gender discrimination: the "red diamonds" experience

Background

Sport has the well-known power of improving body awareness, self-esteem, and social interaction, thus promoting quality of life and psychophysical wellbeing. Specifically referring to adapted disciplines, habitual practice often becomes an effective integration and self-efficacy booster. Among disabilities, visual impairment deeply alters body image perception, autonomy, and environmental/social interaction heavily reducing sport or leisure involvement opportunities. In particular, visually impaired women represent one of the most vulnerable categories to gender and disability discrimination. Moreover, even when congenitally sightless, they perceive social pressure of mainstream beauty ideals, mostly spread by media, comparable to their sighted peers. On these premises and the previously demonstrated psychophysical benefits of Italian blind baseball practice on this target population, the present study aimed to deepen the social and educative potentialities of such adapted sport applying a more sociological research approach.

Methods

The "red diamonds" event, namely, the first ever female blind baseball match, was the setting for the administration of our structured online survey. In detail, our survey comprised different evaluation tools such as the 18-item Psychological Well-Being Scale, the 12-item Short Form questionnaire, the Dresden Body Image questionnaire, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and sociological model designed questions. Quality of life, psychological wellbeing, self-esteem, body image, and perceived female sport psychological violence were investigated in the whole women sample (n = 33) voluntarily adhering to the game.

Results

Survey results revealed no statistically significant differences between visually impaired players (n = 13; mean age: 32.84 ± 12.05 years) and sighted on-field subjects (i.e., coaches, assistants, and referees; n = 20; mean age: 47.15 ± 12.31 years) in almost all the inquired variables, thus remarking the social and functional benefits of adapted sport through the "dual embodiment" and empowerment phenomenon.

Conclusions

Given that the event was inspired by and performed on the World Day against women violence, our study deepened not only the topic of disability discrimination but also the currently alarming gender-related one. In such a context, the present research might provide interesting cues for further investigations on disability and gender disparities in sports, hence spreading interest in this under-investigated field. In perspective, the "red diamonds" experience could also contribute to inspiring and progressively developing educative tools against any kind of discrimination by promoting integration and social growth through regular sports practice.

Prevalence and Correlates of Overweight, Obesity and Physical Activity in Italian Children and Adolescents from Lombardy, Italy

Investigating pediatric overweight and physical activity correlates is essential to design effective preventive programs. We used regional data (Lombardy, northern Italy) from the 2019 survey “OKKio alla Salute” (3093 children aged 8–9 years with measured anthropometric data), and from the 2018 wave of the “Health Behaviour in School-aged Children” survey (2916 adolescents aged 11–15 years with self-reported anthropometric data). In both the surveys, a cluster sampling methodology was used. Unconditional multiple logistic regression models were applied to estimate the odds ratios (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) of overweight, obesity and poor physical activity. The prevalence of overweight (including obesity) was 22.4% for children aged 8–9 years and 14.4% for adolescents aged 11–15 years. A higher prevalence of overweight was observed among males, children with greater birth weight and those with obese parents. Scant physical activity was higher among females and older adolescents. There was a direct relationship between obesity and increased psychological distress (OR = 2.44; 95% CI: 1.12–5.27) or being victims of bullying (OR = 2.25; 95% CI: 1.17–4.34). Increasing physical activity significantly decreased the frequency of mental health outcomes. Prevention campaigns should be promoted to safeguard childhood physical and psychological wellbeing.

Factors of body dissatisfaction among lebanese adolescents: the indirect effect of self-esteem between mental health and body dissatisfaction

Background

Body dissatisfaction (BD) rates are alarmingly high, especially among adolescents, thus. Having a better understanding of correlates associated with BD seems to be an important issue in this developmental context. Furthermore, as adolescence is an essential time in the development of self-perception and self-esteem the current study assesses factors associated with BD among Lebanese adolescents and evaluates the indirect effect of self-esteem between depression/anxiety/stress and BD.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional study among 555 Lebanese adolescents, ages 15–18, who completed an online survey incorporating BD, socioeconomic status, weight and height, physical activity index, Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale, Beirut Distress Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Global Physical Activity Questionnaire.

Results

The results of a stepwise linear regression, taking the body dissatisfaction score as the dependent variable, showed that higher BMI (B = 0.47), feeling pressured by media/TV to lose weight (Beta = 2.80), higher depression (Beta = 0.39), exercising to lose weight (Beta = 1.84) and following a diet to lose weight (Beta = 1.58) were significantly associated with more body dissatisfaction, whereas higher self-esteem (Beta=-0.11) and more psychological distress (Beta=-0.21) were significantly associated with less body dissatisfaction. Self-esteem played an indirect role in the associations between anxiety and body dissatisfaction and stress and body dissatisfaction.

Conclusions

BD is common among young Lebanese adolescents. Treating adolescents with low self-esteem and psychological issues is crucial in preventing anticipated BD and future eating disorders.

Secondary finger amputation after a work accident

INTRODUCTION

The main aim of the present study was to compare motives between patients requesting secondary finger amputation following or unrelated to a work accident. The secondary objective was to assess correlation between sick leave duration and motive for amputation following a work accident.

METHOD

A single-center retrospective study was conducted over an 11-year period in a hand clinic. Cases of secondary totalizing post-traumatic finger amputation at metacarpal base level were included. Exclusion criteria comprised non-traumatic amputation, age<16 years and thumb amputation. In all, 216 patients met the inclusion criteria. The main endpoints assessed motives in requests for secondary metacarpal base amputation: esthetic, functional or administrative. Secondary endpoints comprised accident-to-surgery interval, gender and age, amputated digit and dominant-side involvement.

RESULTS

Motive correlated significantly with gender (p<0.05). Administrative motives almost exclusively concerned males (21 males, 1 female) and predominantly concerned work accidents (19 vs. 3). Accident-to-surgery intervals were significantly longer in case of administrative motive (25.7 months, vs. 10.8 months for functional and 9 months for esthetic motives). Accident-to-surgery intervals were significantly longer in case of work accidents (15.2 vs. 9.5 months).

DISCUSSION

Age and gender influenced patients' attitudes in post-traumatic finger amputation. Work-accident status influenced attitudes in a quarter of cases; we consider it unlikely that this can be reduced to claims for compensation, but that it is rather a matter of undiagnosed pathological grief. These findings highlight the importance of early follow-up of victims of traumatic amputation and early screening for pathological grief.

Gender Differences in Healthy Lifestyle, Body Consciousness, and the Use of Social Networks among Medical Students

Background and Objectives: The goal of this survey was to identify the relationship between the level of satisfaction with body image, perceived health, and the usage of social media among freshmen medical university students. The influence of social media and peers was also related to body image. Materials and Methods: An online survey was distributed among freshmen healthcare students. The questionnaire collected sociodemographic, anthropometric data, and information about students’ perception about healthy lifestyle using open-ended questions, as well as their opinion about the importance of perfect body image and the level of satisfaction with their physical appearance. Questions focusing on the use of social media and the relationship with body image collected data on the use of social networks and how they affect students’ opinion about their own body image. Psychometric data were also gathered using the Body Consciousness Scale. For the statistical analysis, QSR NUD*IST (Non-numerical Unstructured Data Indexing Searching and Theorizing) Vivo 12 was used for qualitative data and IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Statistics for Windows, version 23 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) was used for descriptive and comparative results. Results: In total, 77 students aged 20.09 ± 2.47 years, of which the majority were women (75.30%), were included in the survey. The use of social network was about 4.81 ± 3.60 h/day. Facebook was the most used social networking site (94.80%), followed by Instagram (92.20%), Snapchat (16.90%), WhatsApp (15.60%), and TikTok (10.40%). The most common reason for using these sites was socialization. We found that 64.90% of healthcare students were normal weight. The main barriers for having a healthy lifestyle, as they were perceived by students, were the busy schedule and the lack of time needed to prepare healthy meals, lack of motivation, and lack of money. Women scored higher for the Private Body Consciousness and Public Body Consciousness scales. The main aspects related to a healthy lifestyle referred to physical activity, consumption of fruit and vegetables, water consumption, and a good quality of sleep. Gender differences were discussed as well. Conclusions: The results illustrated the complexity of the relationship between social media and body image and the need to prevent body image concerns, especially in young women.

Consumer warning versus systemic change: The effects of including disclaimer labels on images that have or have not been digitally modified on body image

Two strategies for protecting body image against the negative effects of exposure to idealized media images have been proposed: (1) using labels to alert viewers to digital retouching, (2) limiting digital retouching. This study investigated the effects digitally modified vs.unmodified images and the use of labels on those images (disclaimer/retouch-free] vs. unlabeled) on appearance satisfaction and mood. Trait upwards appearance comparison, media ideal internalization, media similarity, and body appreciation were explored as moderators. Participants (n = 614, women, 18-30 years) viewed the same ten images of female figures (both thin ideal and size/shape diverse images) across four conditions: (1) unmodified, unlabelled, (2) unmodified, labelled, (3) modified, labelled, and (4) modified, unlabelled images. Exposure to unmodified images was shown to be less harmful than exposure to modified images. Neither label type was associated with more positive outcomes compared to their counterpart unlabelled conditions. State appearance comparison was highest in the two labelled conditions. Trait upwards appearance comparison and media ideal internalization to some extent moderated effects on negative mood. Findings provide additional evidence that disclaimer labels on digitally modified images are not helpful for body image, while images that depart from the thin-ideal can contribute to promoting positive body image.

Trends in thinness prevalence among adolescents in ten European countries and the USA (1998-2006): a cross-sectional survey

OBJECTIVE

To describe the prevalence of 'graded thinness' in children aged 11, 13 and 15 years in eleven developed countries and to identify trends in the prevalence of 'thinness' (BMI < 17 kg/m2 at age 18 years) by age and gender.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study using data collected through self-reported questionnaires.

SETTING

Data were taken from the 1997/1998, 2001/2002 and 2005/2006 surveys of the Health Behaviours in School-aged Children (HBSC) Study.

SUBJECTS

Children and adolescents from ten European countries and the USA (n 158 000).

RESULTS

Prevalence of grades 1, 2 and 3 of thinness was higher among 11-year-old students compared with the 13- and 15-year-olds in all countries. A higher prevalence of thinness was observed in girls than in boys. Since 1998 the prevalence of thinness decreased steadily in Czech boys and girls, while it increased for French girls. In the total European sample of females, thinness decreased from 1998 to 2006 (χ 2 for trend, P < 0·01). Age-adjusted logistic regression analysis showed that Czech boys and girls, and Flemish and American girls were less likely to be thin in 2006 than in 1998; while a noteworthy increment, even if borderline significant, was observed for French girls with a 41% increase in the likelihood to be thin.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that thinness is an important overlooked phenomenon with wide variation in prevalence and trends across developed countries. It deserves further longitudinal studies in a multinational context that could increase the understanding of the factors associated with thinness and contribute to developing preventive and nutritional programmes targeted at controlling obesity and chronic diseases, while monitoring thinness.

Threat of the thin-ideal body image and body malleability beliefs: effects on body image self-discrepancies and behavioral intentions

This study examined the effect of the threat aroused by the perception of thin-ideal images combined with beliefs about the malleability of the body on perceived/objective, ideal/objective and ought/objective body image self-discrepancies. An experimental computer program enabled women (N=82) to artificially increase or decrease the shape of their own body (previously photographed) in response to questions about their "actual", "ideal" and "ought" body self-perceptions. As predicted, results showed that women had greater body self-discrepancies when confronted with threatening thin ideals, regardless of their body mass index. The size of this trend depended on the way they were made to think of their body (malleable vs. fixed). Findings also suggested a possible relationship between body self-representations and eating behaviors or intentions. The impact of thin-ideal threats and body malleability beliefs on body perception is discussed.

An exploration of the tripartite influence model of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating among Australian and French college women

The aim of the study was to compare levels of body dissatisfaction, disordered eating and risk factors, and to examine the tripartite influence model of body image and eating disturbance among French and Australian young adult females. Participants were 188 Australian (mean age=19.6 years, SD=1.0) and 190 French (mean age=20.7 years, SD=2.6) students. Media, peer and family influences, internalisation of media ideals, appearance comparison, body dissatisfaction, drive for thinness, bulimia and self-esteem were assessed. Australian participants reported perceiving more peer and media influence, and higher levels of appearance comparison, internalisation of media ideals and bulimic symptoms than French participants (p<.001). Path analyses revealed that the tripartite model was a good fit in both samples, with similarities and differences. Findings suggest the importance of identifying cultural specificities, and developing a global framework of body image and eating disturbance with a view to prevention.