Changes In Body Satisfaction Research Articles

Influence of a Body Type Training Program on Body Image Dissatisfaction

Combined aerobic and resistance training (ATRT) programs are recommended to improve fitness; however, a novel training program focused on individual body type (BT) may provide additional benefits to body satisfaction. PURPOSE: To examine body image dissatisfaction (BID) responses after ~7 weeks of BT training or ATRT. METHODS: Participants (age 19±1y; BMI 23.2±3.5) provided self-report measures of BID (Body Area Satisfaction Scale (BASS), Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ), and Body Morph Assessment version 2.0 (BMA 2.0)) at baseline and after 15 exercise sessions, 2 d/wk. Participants were randomized to BT or ATRT intervention after classification to a Body Type (Cone®, Spoon®, Hourglass®, or Ruler®) according to circumference measures. BMA 2.0 assessed perceived current body size (CBS), selected ideal body size (IBS), selected acceptable body size (ABS), and BMA-BID (CBS-IBS). Given this was an efficacy trial, intent-to-treat (ITT; n=132) and per protocol (PP; BASS, BSQ n=77; BMA n=93; completed ≥ 10 of 15 supervised sessions) data analyses were utilized. RESULTS: Overall, body image scores decreased with a trend observed for the BMA-BID (baseline: 5.5 95%CI(4.5-6.5); follow-up: 4.8 (3.9-5.8); P=0.07) after exercise training indicating improvements in BID. Results were similar among ITT and PP analyses. Increases in BID were seen in the ATRT group with significantly lower BASS scores compared to BT group at follow-up (ATRT= 2.61 vs. 2.45; P < 0.05). Participants in the ATRT group saw themselves as smaller and set a smaller acceptable goals based on significant reductions in CBS and ABS relative to BT. Sum circumferences were different after both programs (BT = -6.2cm; 95% CI -1.9, -10.7cm; ATRT = -7.5cm; -3.3, -11.7cm); however, changes in body satisfaction were not related to changes in total body circumferences (P>0.05 for all). CONCLUSION: Baseline scores for BID suggest women in this study were generally unsatisfied with their overall body image (BASS < 3.0, BSQ > 80). In general, BT and ATRT produced similar responses; exercise reduced CBS—thereby reducing the difference between CBS and IBS—improving overall body satisfaction regardless of changes in body composition. Supported by the Robert and Patricia Hines Endowment in Kinesiology.

Mediation of the relationship of behavioural treatment type and changes in psychological predictors of healthy eating by body satisfaction changes in women with obesity

Psychological correlates of both short- and long-term weight loss are poorly understood. Changes in satisfaction with one's body might serve to motivate healthier eating by mediating treatments' effect on psychological factors previously suggested to be associated with weight loss. Women with obesity (age 48.6±7.1 years; BMI 35.4±3.3kg/m2) were randomly assigned to social cognitive theory-based weight-management treatments that were either group sessions emphasizing physical activity-derived self-regulation (experimental; n=53) or review of a written manual and phone support (comparison; n=54). Changes in weight, physical activity, body satisfaction, negative mood, and self-efficacy and self-regulation for controlled eating were assessed over 3, 6, 12, and 24 months. The experimental treatment was associated with significantly more favourable changes across variables. Over 6, 12, and 24 months, body satisfaction change mediated relationships between treatment type and changes in each of the psychological predictors of healthier eating (mood, self-efficacy, self-regulation). Reciprocal, mutually reinforcing, relationships between changes in body satisfaction and those psychological predictors were also found. Increased physical activity was associated with improved body satisfaction, even after controlling for weight changes. Findings increased understandings of the role of body satisfaction in improving psychological predictors of healthier eating over both the short- and longer-term. Results also suggested that body satisfaction could be improved through increased physical activity, irrespective of change in weight. Although results were limited to women with class 1 and 2 obesity, findings on interactions of psychological factors associated with eating changes have implications for the architecture of improved behavioural treatments.

Pilot Testing a Cognitive-Behavioral Protocol on Psychosocial Predictors of Exercise, Nutrition, Weight, and Body Satisfaction Changes in a College-Level Health-Related Fitness Course

Objective: Small-scale pilot testing of supplementing a required college health-related fitness course with a cognitive-behavioral exercise-support protocol (The Coach Approach). Participants: Three classes were randomly assigned to Usual processes (n = 32), Coach Approach–supplemented: Mid-size Groups (n = 32), and Coach Approach–supplemented: Small Groups (n = 34) conditions. Methods: Repeated-measures analyses of variance (ANOVAs) assessed overall and between-class changes in the behavioral/physiological factors of exercise, fruit/vegetable intake, and body mass index (BMI); and the psychosocial factors of self-regulation, exercise self-efficacy, mood, and body satisfaction. Dependent t tests evaluated within-class changes. Multiple regression analyses tested prediction of exercise by changes in self-regulation, self-efficacy, and mood. Results: Significant improvements in self-regulation and fruit/vegetable intake were found in all classes. The Coach Approach–supplemented classes demonstrated significant increases in exercise. Significant improvements in BMI, self-efficacy, and body satisfaction were found in only The Coach Approach–supplemented: Small Groups class. Psychosocial changes predicted increased exercise. Self-regulation was the strongest contributor. Conclusions: Overall, results were positive and warrant more comprehensive testing.

Thinspiration: Self-Improvement Versus Self-Evaluation Social Comparisons with Thin-Ideal Media Portrayals

Much research has demonstrated negative impacts of idealized-body imagery exposure on body satisfaction. Yet, paradoxically, media with such imagery attract mass audiences. Few studies showed women’s body satisfaction increased due to thin-ideal exposure. The kind of social comparison women engage in (self-evaluation vs. self-improvement) may explain these inconsistent findings and the paradoxical attraction to thin-ideal messages. Across 5 days, thin-ideal messages were presented to 51 women; self-evaluation and self-improvement social comparisons as well as body satisfaction were measured each day. A linear positive change in body satisfaction emerged. Greater self-improvement social comparisons increased this change, whereas greater self-evaluation social comparisons reduced it. Extent of both social comparison types changed during the prolonged exposure. A greater tendency to compare one’s body with others’ improved body satisfaction through self-improvement social comparisons and fostered weight-loss behaviors through self-evaluation social comparisons.

Association of a behaviorally based high school health education curriculum with increased exercise.

Increasing exercise in children and adolescents through academic classes is an understudied area. Potential benefits include associated improvements in health, psychosocial, and quality-of-life factors. A sample of 98 students (M(age) = 14.3) from high school health education classes received six, 40-min lessons incorporating cognitive-behavioral methods to increase exercise over 6 weeks. Significant within-group improvements in exercise, mood, and body satisfaction were found, with slightly larger effect sizes identified for the boys. Increase in exercise was significantly associated with reduced mood distress (β = -.17, p < .001). For the girls only, change in body satisfaction significantly mediated that relationship, and a reciprocal relationship between changes in mood and body satisfaction was also identified. Incorporation of lessons emphasizing goal setting and self-regulation within high school health education classes may foster increased exercise and associated improvements in mood and body satisfaction. For girls, the positive effects may reinforce one another.

Treatment-associated changes in body composition, health behaviors, and mood as predictors of change in body satisfaction in obese women: effects of age and race/ethnicity.

A lack of satisfaction with one's body is common among women with obesity, often prompting unhealthy "dieting." Beyond typically slow improvements in weight and body composition, behavioral factors might also affect change in body satisfaction. Age and race/ethnicity (African American vs. White) might moderate such change. Obese women (N = 246; M(age) = 43 years; M BMI = 39 kg/m(2)) initiating a 6-month cognitive-behaviorally based physical activity and nutrition treatment were assessed on possible predictors of body satisfaction change. At baseline, African American and younger women had significantly higher body satisfaction. The treatment was associated with significant within-group improvements in mood, health behaviors (physical activity and fruit/vegetable intake), and body composition (waist circumference). A multiple regression analysis indicated that mood, health behavior, and body composition changes explained a significant 27% of the variance in body satisfaction change. Of these predictors, changes in mood (β = -.36, p < .001) and health behaviors (β = .18, p = .01) made significant, unique contributions to the variance in change in body satisfaction that was accounted for, while only the measure of actual physiological change (body composition) did not. Neither age nor race/ethnicity was a significant moderator when each was entered separately into the multiple regression equation. Practical implications for leveraging manageable changes in behavioral factors for improving body satisfaction were discussed.

Illusory Changes in Body Size Modulate Body Satisfaction in a Way That Is Related to Non-Clinical Eating Disorder Psychopathology

Historically, body size overestimation has been linked to abnormal levels of body dissatisfaction found in eating disorders. However, recently this relationship has been called into question. Indeed, despite a link between how we perceive and how we feel about our body seeming intuitive, until now lack of an experimental method to manipulate body size has meant that a causal link, even in healthy participants, has remained elusive. Recent developments in body perception research demonstrate that the perceptual experience of the body can be readily manipulated using multisensory illusions. The current study exploits such illusions to modulate perceived body size in an attempt to influence body satisfaction. Participants were presented with stereoscopic video images of slimmer and wider mannequin bodies viewed through head-mounted displays from first person perspective. Illusory ownership was induced by synchronously stroking the seen mannequin body with the unseen real body. Pre and post-illusion affective and perceptual measures captured changes in perceived body size and body satisfaction. Illusory ownership of a slimmer body resulted in participants perceiving their actual body as slimmer and giving higher ratings of body satisfaction demonstrating a direct link between perceptual and affective body representations. Change in body satisfaction following illusory ownership of a wider body, however, was related to degree of (non-clinical) eating disorder psychopathology, which can be linked to fluctuating body representations found in clinical samples. The results suggest that body perception is linked to body satisfaction and may be of importance for eating disorder symptomology.

Y's Girl: Increasing body satisfaction among primary school girls

To date, effective body image interventions for preadolescent school girls are lacking. The present study sought to evaluate the effectiveness of Y's Girl, a published body image curriculum specifically tailored for preadolescent school girls. A sample of 60 Grade 6 girls with a mean age of 11.25 (range of 11–12) years were allocated either to an intervention or control group and completed baseline and posttest measures of body image, thin-ideal internalization, body comparison, self-esteem, peer factors, and disordered eating. Findings revealed that, compared to the control group, girls receiving the intervention reported improved body image, thin-ideal internalization, body comparisons, and self-esteem at posttest 1 week after the intervention ended. Furthermore, changes in body satisfaction were moderated by initial levels of risk-factors. These findings provide initial support for Y's Girl as an effective, affordable body image intervention for preadolescent girls which can be implemented by teachers.

Happy Being Me in the UK: A controlled evaluation of a school-based body image intervention with pre-adolescent children

This study evaluated an adapted version of ‘Happy Being Me’, a school-based body image intervention, with girls and boys aged 10–11 years. Forty-three children participated in a three-week intervention, and 45 children formed a control group. Both groups completed measures of body satisfaction, risk factors for negative body image, eating behaviors, self-esteem, and intervention topic knowledge, at baseline, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up. For girls, participation in the intervention resulted in significant improvements in body satisfaction, appearance-related conversations, appearance comparisons, eating behaviors and intervention topic knowledge at post-intervention, although only the change in body satisfaction was maintained. There was also a significant decrease in internalization of cultural appearance ideals from baseline to follow-up. For boys, participation in the intervention resulted in significant improvements in internalization and appearance comparisons at post-intervention; however, neither of these changes were sustained at follow-up. There were no improvements in the control group over time.

2287 – Size matters: investigating the link between affective and perceptual body representations using multisensory illusions

Introduction Negative feelings towards the body and body size misperception have long been associated with disordered eating behaviour. Over recent years the perceptual flexibility of the human body representation has been consistently demonstrated using multisensory perceptual illusions. Whether such perceptual changes can impact the emotional experience of our body, however, has yet to be explored. Objectives The current study exploits well-established perceptual body illusions to induce illusory ownership over slimmer and wider body shapes whilst measuring changes in body satisfaction. Aims To identify a direct causal link between perceptual and affective body representations. Methods Participants were presented with video images of both a slimmer and wider mannequin body viewed through head mounted displays from a first person perspective. Illusory ownership was induced by synchronously stroking the seen mannequin body with the unseen real body. Pre and post illusion affective and perceptual measures captured changes in perceive body size and body satisfaction as a result of the illusion. Results Illusory ownership of a slimmer body significantly increased feelings of body satisfaction as well as significantly decreasing perceived actual body width. Change in body satisfaction following illusory ownership of a wider body, however, was modulated by degree of sub clinical eating disorder pathology and did not induce a systematic change in perceived body width. Conclusions These findings suggest a link between perceived body size and body satisfaction, which may be modulated by eating disorder pathology. The results could have implications for future treatments of eating disorders.

Self-Weighing among Adolescents: Associations with Body Mass Index, Body Satisfaction, Weight Control Behaviors, and Binge Eating

Among adolescent girls, the health effects of frequent self-weighing are unclear. This study examines cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between frequency of self-weighing and body mass index (BMI), body satisfaction, weight control behaviors, and binge eating among a diverse population of adolescent girls. The study was conducted in the Minneapolis/St Paul, MN, metropolitan area between 2007 and 2009. The study population included 356 adolescent girls (mean age 15.7 years); 46.2% of the girls were overweight or obese and >75% were from a racial/ethnic minority group. Anthropometric and survey data were collected at baseline and at follow-up 9 months later. Hierarchical linear regression models were developed to test associations. Cross-sectionally, frequent self-weighing was associated with lower body satisfaction ( P=0.034) and higher rates of healthy ( P=0.002), unhealthy ( P=0.016), and extreme ( P=0.038) weight control behaviors. A quadratic association was found between frequency of self-weighing and binge eating, with girls who weighed themselves least and most frequently reporting the highest prevalences of binge eating ( P=0.014). No association was observed between frequency of self-weighing and girls' BMI ( P=0.111). Short-term longitudinal associations between baseline frequency of self-weighing and changes in body satisfaction, weight control behaviors, binge eating, or BMI were not observed. Findings suggest that among adolescent girls, frequent self-weighing is cross-sectionally associated with both healthy and potentially harmful unhealthy weight control behaviors, and does not contribute to weight loss over time. Adolescents should not be encouraged to engage in frequent self-weighing.

An Integrative Model of the Impact of Exposure to Idealized Female Images on Adolescent Girls’ Body Satisfaction1

This research examined a model describing the interrelationships between individual characteristics and the extent of change in body dissatisfaction following exposure to idealized female images. Three samples of middle adolescent girls (2 Australian, n = 118, and n = 63; 1 Italian, n = 88) completed self‐report assessments. Several days later, they viewed idealized female images, and body satisfaction was assessed immediately prior to and following exposure. Across all 3 samples, structural equation modeling supported a model in which body comparison tendency mediated the role of psychological functioning and internalization of the thin ideal on changes in body satisfaction following image exposure. Internalization of the thin ideal partially mediated the path between psychological functioning and body comparison tendency.

RELATIONS OF CHANGES IN PHYSICAL SELF-APRAISAL AND PERCEIVED ENERGY WITH WEIGHT CHANGE IN OBESE WOMEN BEGINNING A SUPPORTED EXERCISE AND NUTRITION INFORMATION PROGRAM

In preliminary investigation, relations of changes in the self-appraisal factors of body satisfaction and physical self-concept, and changes in the mood factors of fatigue and energy, were tested with weight changes over 20 weeks in obese women (N = 52) initiating a supported exercise and nutrition information treatment. Within-group t tests indicated that all psychological factors significantly improved, and weight was significantly reduced (M = −5.83 kg, SD = 6.98). Regression analyses indicated that a significant amount of the variance in weight change (R2 = .412) was accounted for through changes in body satisfaction and physical self-concept as predictor variables. Although linear bivariate correlations between fatigue and energy changes, and weight changes, were significant (Rs = .463 and −.360, respectively), when individually entered into regression equations along with changes in body satisfaction and physical self-concept neither significantly increased the explained variance in weight change. After replication, implications for theory and weight loss treatment were suggested.

Five-year change in body satisfaction among adolescents

Objective The present study uses longitudinal data to examine changes in body satisfaction among male and female adolescents from baseline to 5 years. Methods A diverse sample of 2516 adolescents completed surveys in 1999 and 2004, reporting satisfaction with 10 body parts or attributes, height/weight, and other characteristics. Multivariable general linear modeling was used to estimate change in body satisfaction from Time 1 to Time 2, by age group, race, and change in body mass index (BMI) category. Results Body satisfaction decreased over 5 years (mean satisfaction change=−0.79) in all groups except older adolescent females. Scores decreased significantly more among younger adolescents than older adolescents, among some racial/ethnic groups of males, and among those whose BMI increased. However, among males, change in body satisfaction depended on BMI category at baseline. Conclusions Different types of prevention programs addressing body image may be needed for males and females at different developmental stages and may need to address changes in BMI.

Individual differences determine body satisfaction changes in response to food intake

Individual differences determine body satisfaction changes in response to food intake

Predictors of vulnerability to reduced body image satisfaction and psychological wellbeing in response to exposure to idealized female media images in adolescent girls

Predictors of change in body satisfaction, depressed mood, anxiety and anger, were examined following exposure to idealized female advertising images in Grades 7 and 10 girls. Stable body dissatisfaction, physical appearance comparison tendency, internalization of thin ideal, self-esteem, depression, identity confusion and body mass index (BMI) were assessed. One week later, participants viewed magazine images, before and after which they completed assessments of state body satisfaction, state depression, state anxiety and state anger. Participants were randomly allocated to view either images of idealized females (experimental condition) or fashion accessories (control condition). For both grades, there was a significant decrease in state body satisfaction and a significant increase in state depression attributable to viewing the female images. In Grade 7 girls in the experimental condition, decrease in state body satisfaction was predicted by stable body dissatisfaction and BMI, while significant predictors of decreases in the measures of negative affect included internalization of the thin-ideal and appearance comparison. In Grade 10 girls, reduction in state body satisfaction and increase in state depression was predicted by internalization of the thin-ideal, appearance comparison and stable body dissatisfaction. These findings indicate the importance of individual differences in short-term reaction to viewing idealized media images.