Analysis of the Role of Moderating Socio-Cultural Pressure for Weight Loss and Physical Changes in Obese and Normal Weight Adolescents

Abstract

Topicality. Obesity is a global epidemic. Obesity is on the rise in developing countries due to changes in lifestyle. The Aim of the Research.This study aimed to compare body image problems and social-physical anxiety in obese and normal-weight adolescents by examining the moderating role of cultural social pressure for weight loss and physical change. Method. In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 70 adolescents obese and 72 adolescent girls with normal weight were selected through one-stage cluster sampling from high school students in Mashhad. Data collection and measurement tools included: high-sensitivity portable digital scales, Multidimensional Self-Relationships Questionnaire, Physical Social Anxiety Questionnaire, and Cultural Social Pressure Questionnaire. The groups were matched for education, gender, and age. Data were analyzed using SPSS 22 software. The Results of the Research. Results of multivariate analysis of variance showed that there was a significant difference in body image and physical and social anxiety between obese adolescents and normal weight adolescents. The results also showed that high cultural social pressure for weight loss and physical change has a significant role in increasing physical social anxiety. But it does not have a moderating role in the extent of body image problems and physical social anxiety. Obesity and high cultural social pressure for weight loss and physical change are important factors in increasing body image problems and physical and social anxiety. But cultural social pressure does not mitigate the role of obesity in increasing or decreasing body image problems and physical social anxiety. Conclusions. Therefore, it can be concluded that body image problems in obese individuals are more influenced by their body mass and not by the socio-cultural pressure for weight loss and body change.