Associations between Body Appreciation and Disordered Eating in a Large Sample of Adolescents.

Migle Baceviciene,Rasa Jankauskiene

doi:10.3390/nu12030752

Abstract

Body appreciation is one of the main facets of a positive body image. The present study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Lithuanian version of the Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2-LT) and test the associations between body appreciation and disordered eating in a large sample of adolescents of both genders. Method: The sample consisted of 1412 adolescents (40.2% were boys). The ages ranged from 15 to 18 years (92.4% were 17), with a mean age of 16.9 (SD = 0.5) for girls and 17.0 (SD = 0.4) for boys. Participants completed the BAS-2-LT alongside the measures of body dissatisfaction, disordered eating, body mass index, self-esteem, body functionality, and participation in sports. Linear regressions were used to test the associations between study variables and disordered eating. Results: BAS-2-LT replicated the original one-dimensional structure in girls and boys. Invariance across genders was established. The instrument showed good internal consistency and temporal stability. Body appreciation was negatively correlated with higher levels of body mass index, body dissatisfaction, and disordered eating. Positive associations were observed between body appreciation, self-esteem, body functionality, and sports participation. Higher levels of body appreciation decreased the risk of disordered eating behaviors in both genders. Conclusions: The results of the present study support the psychometric properties of BAS-2-LT. Body appreciation is associated with lower disordered eating in adolescent girls and boys. These findings present empirical support for the development of interventions programs that promote positive body images and aim to prevent disordered eating in adolescent boys and girls.

Highlights

Body image research has traditionally been focused on the exploration of negative body image and its predictors [1]
Participants completed the BAS-2-LT alongside the measures of body dissatisfaction, disordered eating, body mass index, self-esteem, body functionality, and participation in sports
We aimed to explore the associations of body appreciation with disordered eating in adolescent girls and boys, expecting that body appreciation would be associated with significantly lower levels of disordered eating in both genders when controlling for other study variables

Summary

Introduction

Body image research has traditionally been focused on the exploration of negative body image and its predictors [1]. Research has demonstrated that positive rather than negative body image has more consequences for various life domains [3]. For decades, research tended to conceptualize positive body image as one endpoint along a body image continuum, with positive body image anchored at the opposite endpoint to negative body image [4]. In the last two decades, the study of positive body image has demonstrated that it is a construct that is distinct from negative body image and is multifaceted, holistic, protective, and adjustable via interventions [5]. The central facet of the positive body image is body appreciation, which is defined as accepting, holding favorable opinions toward, respecting the body, resisting the pressure to internalize stereotyped beauty standards

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