Social Construction of Body Image in Overweight and Obese Adolescents: Preliminary Findings

Abstract

Obesity has been linked to poor body image. Generally, adolescents’ physical condition of obesity leads to an undesirable body shape, thereby making them feel dissatisfied with their body image. Very few studies have examined body image, as a social construct, in Malaysian context and the process by which such construction is perceived, experienced, and reacted to, through various interactions. Therefore, this study aims to explore the social construction of body image in overweight and obese adolescents. A qualitative study was employed and participants were recruited using criterion purposive sampling. In-depth interviews were conducted with seven Malaysian adolescents aged 13–17 years old. Thematic content analysis identified a range of body image perceptions. The body image of overweight and obese adolescents was socially constructed through social interactions. Most of the participants indicated a desire to improve their body image. These findings provide preliminary evidence which suggests that the identification of social construction of body image in relation to overweight and obesity is important for the development of obesity prevention programs in managing adolescents’ weight.