The Relationship between Eating Attitudes, Body Image Appreciation and their Impact on Self-Esteem among Youth Community in Muar, Malaysia

Abstract

Introduction: Self-esteem is a major determinant of an individual's body image. Self-esteem issues can lead to inferior body images, which in turn increase the risk of disordered eating. This study will fill a gap in the relationship between eating attitudes, body image appreciation, and their impact on self-esteem among the Muar youth population. Objective: The study aimed to examine the relationship between eating attitudes and body image appreciation and self-esteem among the youth community in Muar. Methods: The study used a cross-sectional study design. A sample of 384 youths aged 18 to 35 years old was selected using a convenience sampling method. An online survey with bilingual questions in Malay and English was distributed for data collection. The study consisted of four sections: demographic data, the Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26), the Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2), and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). Results: The results indicated that the Muar youth community had good eating attitudes (14.27 ± 12.92), moderately good body self-appreciation (36.70 ± 8.40), and a moderate self-esteem score (17.32 ± 4.40). The regression results proved there was a significant relationship between eating attitudes and body self-appreciation towards self-esteem (p < 0.05), in which oral control and body appreciation were the predictors for self-esteem. Conclusion: The findings contributed to new knowledge regarding the pattern of eating attitudes and body image appreciation, as well as providing an understanding of self-esteem. The relationship showed that the reduction of oral control attitudes and the rise in body image appreciation would have an impact on improving self-esteem.