The association between cyberchondria and eating disorder risk among adolescents: The mediating role of body image.

Strength training offers substantial physical and psychological health benefits for women, yet gym environments often remain exclusionary, gendered spaces that reinforce harmful appearance ideals and undermine body image. This study explored women's experiences of gym-based exercise using photo-elicitation methodology. Seventeen women (aged ≥18 years) were recruited from a prior survey study, with 47% aged 30-39 and 65% residing in the UK. Over a period of 1-2 weeks, participants captured or selected images representing their gym experiences, which were then used to guide semi-structured interviews conducted online. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, generating four themes: (1) 'It's Bigger Than Me': Strength Training for Lifelong Health; (2) 'Be Afraid and Do It Anyway': Empowerment from Strength Training; (3) 'I Am Proud of My Body but … Will It Ever Be Good Enough?': The Inescapability of Diet Culture; and (4) 'I Think I Look Good': Positive Body Image Dichotomy. Although participants engaged in strength training for health, longevity, and empowerment, many continued to experience negative body image thoughts and practices, including comparison with others and discomfort in gym attire. Participants further described a continual negotiation between rejecting appearance ideals and navigating the sociocultural pressures embedded within and beyond gym spaces. Findings highlight the need for more inclusive and supportive gym cultures and challenging fitness industry norms that perpetuate body dissatisfaction. By using photo-elicitation to examine women's everyday gym experiences, this study conceptualises body image as a dynamic and negotiated process and offers applied insights for creating more inclusive and psychologically supportive gym environments.

In Anorexia Nervosa (AN) distorted body image beliefs range from overvalued ideas to delusions, significantly influencing illness trajectory. However, these phenomena remain underexplored, particularly in other Feeding and Eating Disorders (FED). This systematic review and meta-analysis investigates the prevalence and clinical significance of delusional-like beliefs related to body image and eating concerns in FED. Following PRISMA guidelines, PubMed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library were searched for quantitative studies (1960-January 2025) investigating delusional-like beliefs in FED. Random-intercept logistic regression and network meta-analysis were conducted. Study quality was evaluated using the dedicated tool from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. The review was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42024553915). Sixteen studies met inclusion criteria from 4122 initial records (1711 participants), mostly involving individuals with AN. Most samples originated from Western countries, introducing location bias. Delusionality was assessed using tools such as the Brown Assessment of Beliefs Scale and Nepean Belief Scale. Meta-analytical estimates indicated overvalued ideas in 32.5% and delusional-like beliefs in 23.6% of AN patients, with no significant heterogeneity. Greater belief rigidity correlated with poorer insight and possibly more severe eating-disorder psychopathology. Network meta-analyses showed significantly lower delusionality in AN patients compared to Body Dysmorphic Disorder, with no significant differences from other controls. Study quality was low, limiting robustness. Delusional-like beliefs are present in a substantial subset of individuals with AN, which underscores their clinical significance, potential transdiagnostic relevance, and implications for tailored therapeutic strategies. Further research is needed on other FED and longitudinal outcomes.

Breast cancer profoundly impacts physical and psychological well-being, yet the role of self-conscious emotions in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and body image remains underexplored. This study examined the relationships between SCEs (HRQoL) and mediators (self-compassion, body image inflexibility (BII)) among 302 Iranian women with breast cancer (2023-2024). This cross-sectional design employed structural equation modeling with the Body and Appearance Self-Conscious Emotions Scale (BASES), Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B), Body Image Psychological Inflexibility Scale (BIPIS), and Self-Compassion Scale-Short Form (SC-SF). The data were analyzed via partial least squares with SPSS 27 and SmartPLS 4. Self-compassion mediated BASES's effects on BII and HRQoL, but BII did not mediate BASES-HRQoL. Notably, self-compassion showed significant negative mediation effects. The findings highlight self-compassion's complex role, unexpectedly inversely influencing (HRQoL) and BII. The study underscores the need for nuanced psychological interventions addressing self-compassion's dual influence to optimize well-being in breast cancer care.

Anorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder typified by low body weight, restrictive eating behaviours, and body image distortion. It is associated with significant risk of medical complications, with one of the highest mortality rates of any mental illness. While the majority of patients receive treatment on a voluntary basis, a small proportion of severely ill patients refuse treatment and are treated involuntarily. The legal mechanisms used for involuntary treatment vary between jurisdictions, including mental health law, capacity-based law, guardianship, and use of inherent jurisdiction, the power of a superior court to rule on matters not included in statute. In Ireland, involuntary treatment of anorexia nervosa occurs within a legislative lacuna, not regulated by either the Mental Health Act 2001, or the Assisted Decision Making (Capacity) Act, 2015. Instead, treatment occurs under the Inherent Jurisdiction of the High Court, resulting in reliance on judicial discretion for decision-making. In this article, we explore the gaps in Ireland's current legal framework as applicable to care and treatment of anorexia nervosa, with reference to case law in England and Wales as a comparison. This includes an examination of the potential impact of the proposed changes to legislation as set out in the Mental Health Bill, 2024. We argue that these gaps mean that legislation governing the involuntary treatment of anorexia nervosa is urgently needed to safeguard the rights of this potentially vulnerable patient cohort, and ensure justice, transparency and consistency in legal approach.

Women's gymnastics demands early entry, specialisation, and substantial time commitment. Exclusive emphasis on athletic performance and demanding training regimes can hinder the establishment of a balanced life during childhood and may lead to difficulties following retirement, including identity loss, lack of direction and sense of purpose, and social alienation. Although previous research has extensively explored issues related to female gymnasts' athletic identity, body image, and eating behaviours following retirement, aspects such as sleep, education, and support post-retirement have been overlooked. This oversight is particularly significant given the early retirement age in gymnastics and the role of sleep in physiological development. Therefore, thirteen female ex-gymnasts were recruited and participated in one-on-one semi-structured interviews to better understand the challenges they face in relation to their sleep and mental health. Four key themes were identified using reflexive thematic analysis: (i) abuse of the coach-athlete relationship (coach originated pressures culminate into poor wellbeing); (ii) drastic lifestyle, social, and physical change after retirement (transition out of sport impacting identity, sleep, and mental health); (iii) inadequate education and support (insufficient resources and support, and misinformation/lack of education surrounding mental health and sleep); and (iv) potential for change (improvement is viable with indication of imminent change). Findings indicate why mental health and sleep issues occur among female ex-gymnasts, suggest reasons why they are reluctant to seek help, and inform how they can be better supported. Retirement transitions may be eased through social exploration, gradual disengagement, and continued physical activity, supported by strong coach-athlete relationships and consistent, evidence-based education on sleep and mental health.

Understanding the key domains of adolescent social media experience: a parallel Delphi study with young people and key adults

The objective of this study was to evaluate the Diabetes Eating Problems Survey-Revised (DEPS-R) against the Eating Disorder Diagnostic Interview (EDDI). Specific aims were to (1) assess the ability of the DEPS-R to identify Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-5 (DSM-5) eating disorders, including sensitivity and specificity of the current DEPS-R cutoff ≥20 and (2) report the correlation of each item to the presence of any eating disorder. Baseline data from 293 women (14-35 years) with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and body image concerns enrolled in a multinational randomized controlled trial were examined. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, univariate logistic regression and two-sample t-test were performed. The ROC analysis demonstrated good accuracy of the DEPS-R with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.82 (95% CI 0.79-0.94). The cutoff of ≥20 yielded a sensitivity of 87.5% (95% CI 83.6%-91.3%) and a specificity of 60.4% (95% CI 54.8%-66.0%). Univariate logistic regression identified 12 items as significantly correlated with the presence of any eating disorder. The highest odds ratios (OR) were observed for items 9 (OR = 3.64), 8 (OR = 2.85), 13 (OR = 2.36), 14 (OR = 2.23), 15 (OR = 1.99) and 5 (OR = 1.99). This is the first study to investigate the ability of the DEPS-R to identify DSM-5 eating disorder diagnosis established via a diagnostic interview using a ROC-analysis. DEPS-R cutoff ≥20 correctly identified most cases with eating disorders but showed moderate specificity, considered acceptable as an initial screening tool for disordered eating. In clinical care, specific DEPS-R items may be emphasized to explore the presence of disordered eating behaviours and eating disorders.

Exercise adherence plays a crucial role in both physical health and psychological development among adolescents. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory, this study examined whether body image dissatisfaction and exercise motivation serve as sequential mediators in the association between psychological need frustration and exercise adherence among obese adolescents. The goal was to uncover key psychological mechanisms linking maladaptive experiences to exercise behaviors. We conducted a questionnaire-based survey with a randomly selected sample of 487 obese adolescents in China. Participants completed a set of standardized psychological scales. The proposed chain mediation model was tested using SPSS Statistics 26 and the PROCESS macro (version 4.0, Model 6). Psychological need frustration was significantly and negatively associated with exercise adherence. Both body image dissatisfaction and exercise motivation significantly mediated this relationship in sequence. The chain mediation effect accounted for an additional 7.784% of the total effect, indicating partial mediation. The findings highlight the important roles of psychological need frustration, body image dissatisfaction, and exercise motivation in understanding exercise adherence among obese adolescents. The results clarify how body image dissatisfaction and exercise motivation jointly mediate this relationship, offering empirical support for the application of Self-Determination Theory in high-risk adolescent populations. This study also provides theoretical and practical implications for school-based physical education, family support, and individual-level interventions.

Quality of Life After Radical Cystectomy: Meta-analysis of Neobladder and Ileal Conduit Outcomes Across Multiple Assessment Tools.

Effectiveness of the hippotherapy simulator in children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: Overweight and obesity remain major public health challenges in Puerto Rico, affecting over 70% of adults and contributing to cardiovascular, metabolic, and mental health disorders. This study explores the psychosocial and behavioral factors influencing obesity within low-income Puerto Rican communities, emphasizing both biological sex differences and socially defined sex-role influences, along with their respective mental health dimensions. Method: Using a qualitative approach, Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR), ten focus groups were conducted with 71 participants (37 women and 34 men) from two municipalities in southern Puerto Rico. Discussions were analyzed thematically with the Socioecological and Health Belief Models to identify key determinants. Results: The data collected revealed that women expressed greater emotional vulnerability, frequently citing anxiety, depression, body image concerns, and stress-related eating as contributors to obesity. Men, meanwhile, reported frustration with diet adherence, economic limitations, and healthcare inaccessibility. Across participants, economic hardship, cultural norms, and limited health education emerged as major obstacles. Conclusions: Findings underscore the need for holistic, sex-informed and socially responsive interventions that integrate mental health support with nutritional and physical health strategies. Addressing self-esteem, emotional regulation, and stress management alongside behavioral modification can promote sustainable, culturally tailored obesity prevention in Puerto Rico.

There are significant racial disparities in glycemic control and device uptake among Non-Hispanic Black (NHB) children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D). Research on the barriers and benefits of insulin pump use in this population remains limited. This study explores patients' and parents' perspectives on insulin pumps. A survey was administered to adolescents ages 12-21 years or parents of patients <12 years old with T1D, and demographics and diabetes history were collected. Surveys from 41 patients with 30 (73.2%) completed by adolescents and 11 (26.8%) by parents were collected. The majority (92.6%) of participants identified as Black; 31.7% were insulin pump users, 43.9% were non-users, and 24.4% were former users. Barriers reported included body image (56.1%), pump failure (34.2%) and concerns about practicality of use (31.7%). Parents more frequently reported financial and educational barriers (36.4% vs. 10%, p = 0.047, 27.3% vs. 3.3%, p = 0.022). Benefits reported included convenience (78.1%) and improved glycemic control (61%). Participants with positive attitudes toward insulin pumps were more likely to report 0 barriers, while former pump users were less likely to report 0 barriers. Understanding the patient-perceived barriers and benefits of pumps in minority children with T1D may support targeted strategies to increase device uptake. Understanding the barriers to insulin pump use, as perceived by Black children and adolescents with Type 1 diabetes and their families, is critically important for improving device adoption and glycemic control. This study contributes valuable insights to the literature by centering the patients and family perspective. Our findings have the potential to significantly enhance diabetes outcomes in this population by equipping pediatric endocrinologists with actionable information to address these barriers.

Melanoma can impair patients' physical, psychological, interpersonal, and economic balance. The effects of surgical interventions and the development of skin metastases might detrimentally impact on their body image, an embodied mental representation that shapes one's identity and interpersonal relationships. This systematic review investigates the perception of body image in melanoma patients and the relationship between body image and other psychosocial variables. The literature search identified nine eligible articles, which underwent data extraction and qualitative analysis. The results are organized into five categories: body image concerns; body image and social functioning; body image and cancer-related variables; body image and sociodemographic variables; body image and correlation with other psychosocial outcomes. Despite the small number of eligible articles and the heterogeneity of emerging results, our review suggests that body image concerns are connected to other psychosocial problems such as quality of life and emotional distress and might be influenced by several tumor-related and demographic variables. Guided by progressive understanding of the specific facets of melanoma patients' suffering, multidisciplinary teams should design targeted psychological interventions to address patients' needs and improve their experience of the disease.

Body image in the age of GLP-1s: Emerging questions for research and practice.

This systematic review investigates the effectiveness of online self-compassion-based interventions and their impact on the outcomes of cancer patients. A comprehensive search was carried out in the Web of Science Core Collection, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Ovid, and SpringerLink databases without any year limitation until January 01, 2026. Cochrane and PRISMA guidelines were used for systematic review and reporting. RoB2 and Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines were utilized to assess the risk of bias. Eight studies included in the systematic review were conducted between 2017 and 2025 in Australia, the USA, the Netherlands, China, and Türkiye. The self-compassion interventions applied in the studies included mindful self-compassion, self-compassion-focused writing, compassion mind training, and kindness interventions. Online self-compassion-based interventions have been found to increase patients' levels of self-compassion, mindfulness, body image appreciation, well-being, self-acceptance, posttraumatic growth, and positive affect while reduce their levels of self-criticism, social isolation, anxiety, stress, and depression, body image distress. Studies have shown the positive effects of self-compassion-based interventions on patient outcomes. A sensitivity analysis that included only randomized controlled trials demonstrated robustness in all outcomes except anxiety; however, some research results were obtained from a single randomized controlled trial. Since some study results were derived solely from quasi-experimental studies, they were not included in the analysis. Therefore, more randomized controlled research is required to integrate these interventions into clinical patient care. Online self-compassion interventions can contribute to the planning of holistic nursing interventions for patient outcomes.

Pregnancy loss may affect body image and sexual health, yet little is known about these changes. This study explored how people who lost a child during pregnancy, at birth, or neonatally perceived these aspects. Participants from the Danish “Life after the Loss” cohort (bereaved between gestational week 14 and one month after birth) completed a survey on body image and sexual health, including rating scales on perceived body image, the Body Image Quality of Life Inventory, and questions on sexual health. Among 219 participants, women who gave birth at the loss reported average but changed body image after the loss and a slightly negative impact on quality of life. Partners reported good and mostly unchanged body image after the loss without quality of life effects. Over the past year, most women reported reduced sexual desire and felt their needs were met; partners reported unchanged desire and unmet needs.

This study aims to explore the psychological impact experienced by adolescents due to exposure to beauty standards displayed on the TikTok application. Using a qualitative approach with a phenomenological design, this study involved five adolescents aged 16 - 18 years at MAN 4 East Aceh as research subjects. Data collection was carried out through observation, in-depth interviews, and content analysis. Data were analyzed using descriptive - interpretive which included data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawn. The findings of the study show three main psychological impacts, namely decreased self-esteem, negative body image, and social anxiety. However, some subjects also reported a motivation to do better despite experiencing psychological impacts. In addition, this study identifies coping strategies used by adolescents to deal with these psychological challenges, including selective content consumption, seeking social support, developing self-acceptance, and utilizing beauty standards as positive motivation. The novelty of this research lies in a phenomenological approach that explores the subjective experiences of adolescent girls in the context of religious Acehnese culture. The implications of the study show the need for psychological intervention programs and digital literacy education to help adolescents use social media more healthily.

Introduction: A higher prevalence of menstrual dysfunction (MD) is reported in active women compared to the general population. This is particularly true for those in activities with an aesthetic element, such as dance. This physiological dysfunction, often indicative of maladaptive eating and exercise behaviors, results in detrimental effects on health and performance. The purpose of this study was to examine MD among collegiate dancers and report whether differences exist in body mass index (BMI), training exposure, eating behaviors, body image, and injury related to the presence of MD. Methods: A self-administered online questionnaire was used to inquire about menstrual status, training exposure, concerns with body shape, eating behaviors and injury. Results: The sample included 232 female collegiate dancers, with 50.4% reporting some form of MD. Between dancers who reported MD and those who did not (NMD), significant differences (P < .05) were found in concerns with body shape (MD 54 ± 20.2 vs NMD 46.4 ± 17.6), eating behaviors (MD 15.3 ± 12 vs NMD 9.1 ± 8.8), perceived energy availability (P < .05, V = 0.167), total injuries (MD 2 ± 1.5 vs NMD 1.6 ± 1.5), and severity of injuries (MD 7 ± 10.7 vs NMD 2.8 ± 5.4). No significant differences were found between the groups regarding BMI, years of dancing, training exposure, professional eating disorder diagnosis, injury type, or injury recurrence. Conclusions: Because of the negative effects of the underlying physiological dysfunction represented by MD, the authors argue that education and support are essential to promote the health and performance of female collegiate dancers.

Introduction: Muscle Dysmorphic (MD) is characterizedby an obsession with exercise aimed at increasing muscle mass, which may involve restrictive diets and the use of supplements (Torres-Mota et al., 2021). It has been defined as a body image disorder, with predisposing, triggering, and maintaining factors identified, such as personality traits, body dissatisfaction, and behaviors aimed at increasingmuscle mass, respectively (Rabito-Alcón y Rodríguez-Molina, 2016). Objective: Analyze the prevalence of Muscle Dysmorphia in adolescent males and its relationship with Eating Disorders. Methodology: A cross-sectional and correlational study was conducted with 460 adolescents, with an average age of 16 years (SD = 1). Two validated instruments for the Mexican population were used: the Eating Attitudes Test-26 and the Muscle Appearance Satisfaction Scale. Results: A significant relationship was found (r = .354**) between Muscle Dysmorphic Disorder and Eating Disorders (ED). It was identified that 52% of adolescents have no or low risk, 41% have a moderate risk, and 7% have a high risk. The level of MD predicts the risk of ED in men by 12.5%. Conclusion: Most adolescents exhibit low to moderate risk levels for MDD, while seven out of every hundred adolescents present a high risk. Additionally, a direct, positive, and significant correlation was found between MDD and ED, indicating that as MDD scores increase, ED scores also rise, and conversely.