Internalization of the Thin-Ideal and Eating Pathology in Kuwaiti Adult Women.

Lulwa Zainal,Serena D Stevens,Jennifer Ann Harriger,Sylvia Herbozo

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.559711

Abstract

Rapid socioeconomic growth, Western acculturation, and thin-ideal internalization are theorized to be linked to dieting, weight concerns, and disordered eating in Arab countries. The purpose of this study was to examine eating pathology and the internalization of Western messages regarding the importance of thinness in a community sample of Kuwaiti women. Participants (N = 83) aged 18–35 years with BMIs between 17.58 and 24.88 (M = 21.30; SD = 1.83) completed measures of thin-ideal internalization and eating pathology. Results demonstrated that approximately 28% of the sample was at risk for eating pathology. Thin-ideal internalization was also found to significantly predict eating pathology. Study findings extend prior research on eating pathology in Arabic nations. This study is the first to examine the internalization of the thin-ideal in a community sample of Kuwait adult women and lends further support to the importance of continued research in this population.

Highlights

IntroductionEating disorders were once considered a Western phenomenon, more recent research has reported dieting, weight concerns, and disordered eating in Arab countries (e.g., Musaiger et al, 2013; Alkazemi et al, 2018)
The majority of published studies examining disordered eating in Arab countries have focused on adolescents (Musaiger et al, 2013) or college students (Thomas et al, 2010, 2018; Alkazemi et al, 2018), which limits the generalizability of the findings; there is a need for more research on risk factors of eating pathology among female adults in Arab countries
Thin-ideal internalization significantly predicted eating pathology, such that for every one SD increase in thinideal internalization, eating pathology increased by 0.378 SDs (β = 0.378, t = 3.45, p < 0.001)

Summary

Introduction

Eating disorders were once considered a Western phenomenon, more recent research has reported dieting, weight concerns, and disordered eating in Arab countries (e.g., Musaiger et al, 2013; Alkazemi et al, 2018). The majority of published studies examining disordered eating in Arab countries have focused on adolescents (Musaiger et al, 2013) or college students (Thomas et al, 2010, 2018; Alkazemi et al, 2018), which limits the generalizability of the findings; there is a need for more research on risk factors of eating pathology among female adults in Arab countries. Musaiger et al (2013) examined adolescent females from seven Arab countries and reported that the overall rates of disordered eating behaviors in their sample were similar to those reported in Western countries They found that females from Kuwait reported higher levels of disordered eating than those from the other six countries studied (Algeria, Jordan, Libya, Palestine, Syria, and Sharjah). While this study provides initial evidence regarding risk for eating pathology in an adolescent Arab population, it is important to extend the findings to adult females as well

Objectives

Results

Conclusion