Changes In Body Satisfaction Research Articles

Appearance comparison on Instagram: The impact of fitspiration and transformation imagery on young women's body satisfaction

Fitspiration, or imagery of thin muscular individuals that displays their physiques while posing or exercising, is a popular type of content on Instagram which ostensibly exists to encourage individuals to engage in a healthy lifestyle. A subtype of fitspiration imagery, “transformation” imagery, depicts physical changes following a “lifestyle change” involving diet and exercise. Despite its intentions, fitspiration imagery largely promotes one idealized body type (the fit ideal) and can be accompanied by messages encouraging restrained eating. Viewing fitspiration imagery has been associated with body dissatisfaction and appearance comparison in women, but the impact of transformation imagery specifically on women's body image has not yet been studied, nor has the impact of the broader fitspiration category and the transformation subtype on women's body image been compared. The current study aimed to clarify the relations between fitspiration and transformation imagery, appearance comparison, and body satisfaction using an experimental design. Female participants (N = 161) completed a measure of body satisfaction and then were randomly assigned to view one of three types of images: fit ideal only, body transformation, or travel (control). Participants then completed measures of appearance comparison and body satisfaction. Viewing fit ideal only and body transformation imagery was associated with lower body satisfaction and higher appearance comparison. The relation between image type and changes in body satisfaction was mediated by appearance comparison. Findings suggest that individuals may benefit from limiting exposure to fit ideal and body transformation imagery, particularly if they are vulnerable to engaging in appearance comparison.

Effects of Women's Body Satisfaction, Emotional Eating, and Race on Short-, Mid-, and Long-term Weight Loss

ObjectiveTo improve understanding of psychosocial factors, their changes, and racial differences with implications for behavioral obesity treatments. MethodsWomen with obesity of White (n = 64) and Black (n = 33) racial groups participated in cognitive-behavioral community-based obesity treatment and were assessed on body satisfaction, emotional eating, and weight changes over 3, 6, 12, and 24 months via mixed-model repeated-measures analysis of variance and stepwise multiple regression analyses. ResultsBaseline body satisfaction scores were significantly higher (P < 0.001) in Black participants. White participants had significantly higher (P = 0.04) emotional eating scores. Significant overall improvements (P < 0.001) in body satisfaction, emotional eating, and weight were found, with weight reduction significantly greater (P = 0.05) among the White women. Weight reductions were significantly predicted by changes in body satisfaction and emotional eating (R2 = 0.12–0.20, P < 0.01). When racial group was entered into the analyses, the explained variance in weight change over 6 and 12 months significantly increased (P < 0.05). Conclusions and ImplicationsFindings suggest addressing body satisfaction, emotional eating, and racial differences by adjusting obesity treatment targets could improve outcomes. Research-to-practice needs include a control group and further identification/elucidation of other psychosocial and economic factors that might affect outcomes.

Changes in body satisfaction during and after a 5-month handcycle training period and associations with physical capacity and body composition in individuals with a physical impairment

Purpose To investigate: (1) changes in body satisfaction during five months of handcycle training and one year after the training period; (2) whether longitudinal changes are dependent on sex, waist circumference and severity of the physical impairment; (3) associations between changes in physical capacity or body composition, and body satisfaction. Materials and methods Individuals (N = 143) with health conditions such as spinal cord injury filled out the Adult Body Satisfaction Questionnaire: at the start of the training (T1), directly after the training period (T2); and four months (T3) and one year after the training period (T4). At T1 and T2, physical capacity was determined with an upper-body graded exercise test, and waist circumference was measured. Handcycling classification was used as a proxy for the severity of impairment. Results Multilevel regression analyses showed that body satisfaction significantly increased during the training period and significantly decreased back to pre-training levels at follow-up. Individuals with more severe impairments showed a larger decrease at T4. Improvements in physical capacity and waist circumference were significantly associated with improvements in body satisfaction. Conclusions Body satisfaction significantly increased during the training period, but significantly decreased during follow-up. Additional efforts might be necessary to keep individuals engaged in long-term exercise.

Effects of Body Satisfaction and Emotional Eating on Obesity Treatment-Related Changes in Weight and Waist Circumference Over 2 Years: A Serial Multiple Mediation Analysis

Maintenance of lost weight beyond 6 months in adults with obesity remains problematic. To reliably impact obesity over the long term, an improved understanding of treatment-associated changes in psychosocial factors is required. Women are especially susceptible to body image concerns and emotional eating; however, associations among those variables within weight-management processes have been limited to either cross-sectional or short-term analyses. Women with obesity (Mage = 47.4 years, SD = 8.6) who participated in either a year-long YMCA-based cognitive-behavioral treatment emphasizing self-regulation of exercise and eating (n = 54), or a similar treatment that also included brief phone follow-ups of learned self-regulatory skills monthly during a second treatment year (n = 74), were assessed on weight and waist circumference changes over 6 and 24 months and changes in body satisfaction and emotional eating over 12 months. Improvements on all measures were significant with no time × group interaction. In aggregated analyses, there were significant direct relationships between changes in weight over 6 and 24 months, between changes in body satisfaction and emotional eating, and between those psychosocial changes and weight changes. Within serial multiple mediation models incorporating lagged variable analyses, only the path from changes in weight from baseline–Month 6→body satisfaction from baseline–Month 12→weight from baseline–Month 24 was significant. Results were similar when waist circumference was entered in place of weight. Findings suggest body satisfaction requires an increased focus within behavioral treatments for women with obesity to maximize their maintenance or extension of early reductions in weight and waist circumference.

Emotional Eating: Psychosocial Bases, Accordingly Directed Treatment Design, and Longitudinal Effects in Women with Obesity.

Emotional eating (eating triggered by adverse mood) might be an important psychosocial variable to address to improve overwhelmingly deficient obesity treatment outcomes in women. However, emotional eating has rarely been focused upon in a systematic, evidence-based manner. Within Part 1 of this field-based study completed within community health-promotion centers the United States, a treatment protocol was developed targeting negative mood, body satisfaction, and self-efficacy to resist negative emotion-related eating (SE-NegEm), which were the significant psychosocial predictors of emotional eating found at baseline in the women participants with obesity. A comparison condition consisted of matched treatment time, but focused upon typical processes of providing education in healthy eating and exercise. Cluster sampling allocated participants to either the treatment group (n = 100) or comparison group (n = 86). In Part 2, overall improvements in mood, body satisfaction, SE-NegEm, and emotional eating were found to be significant, and significantly more pronounced in the treatment group. In parallel multiple mediation analyses incorporating aggregated data, changes from baseline-Month 3 and baseline-Month 6 in negative mood, body satisfaction, and SE-NegEm significantly mediated relationships between group and changes in emotional eating from baseline-Month 6 and baseline-Month 12, respectively. Changes in body satisfaction and SE-NegEm were significant independent mediators for 6-month change, with negative mood change additionally significant for 12-month change. Reduced emotional eating significantly predicted lost weight, which was greater in the treatment group (-5.8% vs. -0.9%). The present process of tailoring and testing treatment content based on earlier-identified predictors of emotional eating was supported.

Effect of exposure to thinness ideals in social networks on self-esteem and anxiety

Social networks use is related to the occurrence of eating disorders (ED). In this study, we experimentally evaluated the effect of exposure to social networks and stereotypical images of the thinness ideal on ED symptomatology and analyzed the mediator role of anxiety in this process. A sample of 321 young adults of both sexes (166 females) were randomly assigned to two experimental conditions: high and low exposure to the thin ideal. Our results indicate a decrease in self-esteem in the group exposed to the thin images and an increase in anxiety. We found the effect of the images on self-esteem is completely mediated by the increase in anxiety. No changes in body satisfaction or drive for thinness were found. Our study shows how brief exposure to images and profiles representative of the thin ideal seems to influence participants' self-esteem. These results show the need to raise awareness of the possible consequences of social media, as well as to promote a healthy use of social networks.

Does Appearance Matter during Pregnancy? A Cross-Sectional Study of Body Satisfaction from Pre-Pregnancy to Late Gestation

Few studies have explored the associations between body satisfaction and physical activity and weight gain during pregnancy, and none have been conducted in Scandinavia. Hence, the aim of the present study was to evaluate changes in body satisfaction from pre-pregnancy to late pregnancy and investigate whether this differed according to parity. We also wanted to explore the association between body satisfaction and physical activity and weight gain among pregnant women in Norway. This cross-sectional survey used an electronic questionnaire to assess physical activity level, weight gain and women's satisfaction with body weight and size. In total, 150 pregnant women answered the questionnaire. Related-samples Wilcoxon signed rank tests, Mann-Whitney U tests and chi-square tests were used to answer our research questions. The proportion of women who were dissatisfied with their body weight and shape increased from pre-pregnancy to late gestation (body weight p = 0.030 and body shape p = 0.040). Body dissatisfaction before and during pregnancy was linked to weight gain above recommendations. Characterising oneself as physically active prior to pregnancy was associated with satisfaction with body shape pre-pregnancy. Given that mothers strongly influence how a child will judge their body later in life, the results of this study underline the importance of addressing these issues during pregnancy.

The Consequences of Social Media Use Across the Transition Into Adolescence: Body Image and Physical Activity

Children and adolescents spend considerable time online. The current study investigated moderators of short-term longitudinal associations from social media use to changes in body satisfaction and physical activity. Participants (144 girls, 152 boys) were third–sixth grade students (ages 8–13) attending public schools in Florida (USA). Self-reports of social media use, body satisfaction, physical activity, and susceptibility to peer influence were completed twice, approximately 13.5 weeks apart. The results indicated that higher initial social media use was associated with greater subsequent decreases in body satisfaction and physical activity, but only for children high on susceptibility to peer influence. The findings suggest that peer conformity amplifies the risks of social media use. The fact that meaningful change can be identified across a relatively short period of time is noteworthy and demonstrates the need for careful monitoring of those who participate in social media at an early age.

Interoceptive sensibility and body satisfaction in pregnant and non-pregnant women with and without children

Pregnancy is a time of great physical and psychological change. As well as prominent changes in the external appearance of the body, such as the baby bump, there are also substantial changes taking place within the body. Our awareness of, and attention towards, internal bodily signals (interoception) is thought to have a direct impact on how we feel about our bodies. Therefore, understanding how our experience of these interoceptive signals might change during pregnancy may have important implications for maternal wellbeing. This study examined body satisfaction and interoceptive sensibility (subjective experience of interoception) in pregnant and non-pregnant women with and without children. Feelings towards pregnancy-specific changes in body satisfaction and interoceptive sensibility were also examined in women in their first pregnancy (primigravida) and subsequent pregnancies (multigravida). It was found that pregnancy did not directly impact levels of body satisfaction, instead pregnant and non-pregnant women with children reported less satisfaction with their bodies compared to those without children. Primigravida women were more satisfied with the appearance of pregnancy specific bodily changes compared to multigravida women. Interestingly, these differences in body satisfaction in those with children (pregnant and non-pregnant) were mediated by the extent to which women trusted their bodies (measure of interoceptive sensibility). All other pregnancy related changes in interoceptive sensibility and body satisfaction were either non-significant or had small effect sizes. These results may suggest body trust as an important factor to support during the transition to parenthood in order to improve body satisfaction in mothers.

O8-5 Sociodemographic factors associated with discrepancy between body satisfaction change and weight change among school-aged adolescents following a behavioral intervention

BackgroundInterventions promoting healthy behaviors such as physical activity are effective to prevent overweight and obesity among adolescents. Following such interventions, body satisfaction change could be discrepant with weight change (e.g. less body satisfaction while having lost weight), and decrease sustainability of behaviors in the long-term. This study aimed to describe the discrepancy between body satisfaction change and weight change among adolescents following a 2-year school-based intervention, and to identify associated sociodemographic factors.MethodsAdolescents from the 2-year school-based ‘Promotion de l'Alimentation et de l'Activité Physique’ study conducted in northeastern France from 2006 to 2009 were included. Body satisfaction change was assessed using a self-administered questionnaire at the end of the study. Weight change was measured by the difference of body mass index z-score at end and start of the study. Discrepancy between body satisfaction change and weight change was described with cross-tabulations and weighted Cohen's kappa. Sociodemographic factors associated with discrepancy were determined by multivariate logistic regression models.ResultsAmong the 3279 adolescents included (mean ± standard deviation age= 15.2±0.6 years), the proportion of discrepancy between body satisfaction change and weight change was 74.8% (pessimism= 41.6%; optimism= 33.2%). The weighted Cohen's kappa indicated high discrepancy (?= 0.09; 95% confidence interval [0.07; 0.11]). The likelihood of discrepancy, especially pessimism was higher in boys than in girls (odds ratio= 1.44, 95% confidence interval [1.19; 1.74], p= .0002), and higher in adolescents with high socioeconomic status than in those with low socioeconomic status (odds ratio= 1.82; 95% confidence interval [1.20; 2.74], p= .004)ConclusionsDiscrepancy between body satisfaction change and weight change was high among school-aged adolescents with increased likelihood for boys and adolescents with high socioeconomic status. Body satisfaction change should be considered in overweight and obesity prevention interventions alongside body weight change, and could be used as an indicator of long-term behavior maintenance.

Relation of Changes in Body Satisfaction with Propensities for Emotional Eating Within a Community-delivered Obesity Treatment for Women: Theory-based Mediators

Because of social pressures for thinness in women, body image/body satisfaction is often problematic. Although associations between body satisfaction, emotional eating, and changes in both have been proposed, they are not well-understood and might have implications for weight loss treatments. Women participants of a community-based obesity treatment (Mage = 41.4 years) with either high (n = 65) or normal (n = 79) propensities for emotional eating at baseline were measured on body satisfaction, eating-related self-regulation, dimensions of negative mood and emotional eating, exercise and eating behaviors, and weight at baseline and Months 3 and 6. The high emotional eating group had significantly higher scores on the negative mood and emotional eating measures, and significantly lower body satisfaction. However, that group demonstrated significantly greater improvements on those measures, and on the intake of fruits/vegetables and sweets, than the normal emotional eating group. Body satisfaction change was significantly predicted by exercise, weight, and eating measure changes, unaffected by group. Changes in body satisfaction significantly predicted changes in emotional eating. However, when changes in self-regulation and the mood measures were entered as sequential mediators, the overall mediation models were significant but not those relationships. Findings will inform obesity treatment targets and improve potentials for reductions in the health risks of participants.

Coaction of Obesity Treatment-Associated Changes in Physical Activity and Emotional Eating: Mediation by Body Satisfaction.

Research on coaction suggests improvements in physical activity and emotional eating will occur in a reciprocal manner. To determine if changes in body satisfaction mediate relations between physical activity and emotional eating changes and if age affects degree of change in those variables. Groups of early adult (n = 43) and middle-age (n = 52) women participants of a community-based obesity treatment were assessed on behavioral and psychological variables over 3 and 6 months. Improvements in physical activity, anxiety-related emotional eating, body satisfaction, anxiety, and exercise self-efficacy were significant overall. Early adults demonstrated greater reductions in emotional eating. Physical activity increase over 3 months significantly predicted 6-month reduction in emotional eating but not vice versa. Body satisfaction change significantly mediated the physical activity-emotional eating relationships. Changes in anxiety and exercise self-efficacy moderated activity → emotional eating and body satisfaction → physical activity relationships, respectively. Findings can inform both theory and behavioral obesity interventions.

Sociodemographic and psychological characteristics associated with discrepancy between body satisfaction and weight change among adolescents

This study aimed to describe the discrepancy between body satisfaction change and weight change among adolescents following a 2-year school-based intervention, to identify associated sociodemographic factors, and to explore possible associations with perceived health indicators. We used data from a northeastern France representative adolescents sample (14–18 years old) who participated in the PRALIMAP (PRomotion de l'ALIMentation et de l'Activité Physique) study (2006–2009). Weight change was measured by the change in body mass index z-score from the start to the end of the study. Body satisfaction and self-perceived health (anxiety, depression, eating disorder and quality of life) changes were assessed using self-administered questionnaires. Discrepancy between body satisfaction change and weight change was described with cross-tabulations, and subdivided into optimism/pessimism (i.e. positive/negative body satisfaction change compared to weight change). Sociodemographic factors associated with discrepancy were determined by multivariate logistic regression models. Adjusted linear regression models described 2-year change in weight and self-perceived health according to discrepancy. Among the 3279 adolescents included (aged 15.1 ± 0.6 years), the proportion of discrepancy was 74.8% (pessimism = 41.6%; optimism = 33.2%). Discrepancy, especially pessimism, was higher in boys than in girls (OR = 1.44 [1.19; 1.74], p = .0002), and in socially advantaged adolescents (OR = 1.82 [1.20; 2.74], p = .004) than in disadvantage ones. Body satisfaction change was rather in line with anxiety, depression and quality of life changes than weight change. Body satisfaction change should be considered in overweight and obesity prevention interventions alongside body weight change, and could be used as indicator of long-term behavior maintenance.Clinical trials registry and number:ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01688453).

Clinical Implications of the Association of Race With Body Satisfaction and Perceived Control Over Eating in Women Initiating a Behavioral Obesity Treatment.

An improved understanding of the implications of race on body satisfaction might optimize the weight loss process and quality of life in women with obesity. Women with obesity (mean [standard deviation] age, 33.0 [13.8] years) of black (n = 32) and white (n = 38) racial groups volunteered for a cognitive-behavioral weight management program. Body satisfaction scores at baseline and month 3 were significantly higher in the black group; however, the significant within-group improvements in that variable and on weight, physical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption, sweets intake, perceived ability to control eating, and emotional eating did not significantly differ by racial group. Neither weight nor age significantly added to the strength of the association between race and body satisfaction. Perceived ability to control eating mediated the associations between race and body satisfaction as well as change in weight and change in body satisfaction. In post hoc analyses, inverse associations between body satisfaction and emotional eating were detected regardless of race. The findings of this study increased understanding of body satisfaction in women with obesity and have implications for addressing psychosocial factors within weight loss treatments across racial and at-risk groups.

Thin Media Images Decrease Women's Body Satisfaction: Comparisons Between Veiled Muslim Women, Christian Women and Atheist Women Regarding Trait and State Body Image.

Research in diverse populations has often found that thin media images negatively affect women’s state body image, with many women reporting lower body satisfaction after exposure to pictures of thin models than before exposure. However, there is evidence that theistic affirmations might buffer against the negative effect of media on body image. Furthermore, religiosity and the Islamic body covering are discussed as protective factors against a negative trait body image. However, there is no experimental research on veiled Muslim women’s state body image. Therefore, the current study experimentally investigated whether the body satisfaction of veiled Muslim women (n = 66) decreased after exposure to thin media images compared to pictures of furniture as a control condition. Christian women (n = 90) and atheist women (n = 74) were included as control groups, and participants were randomly assigned to the two conditions. Prior to the experimental session, participants’ trait body image was assessed using an online questionnaire comprising questions about body satisfaction, thin-ideal internalization, pressure to be thin, and physical appearance comparisons. It was found that veiled Muslim women had a more positive trait body image than did Christian women and atheist women. Accordingly, veiled Muslim women reported lower levels of thin-ideal internalization, pressure to be thin, and physical appearance comparisons than did Christian women and atheist women. The experimental findings showed that body satisfaction decreased in the experimental condition and not in the control condition, but no significant differences in pre-post changes emerged between the three groups. As the pre-post changes in body satisfaction did not differ between the three groups, veiling might not buffer against the negative effect of thin media images on state body image. Nevertheless, given the more positive trait body image of veiled Muslim women compared to Christian and atheist women, veiling might positively influence body image in the longer term. However, as additional analyses including unveiled Muslim women did not reveal differences between veiled and unveiled Muslim women, future studies should test the assumption that affiliation to Islam might be more decisive for a positive trait body image than veiling.

Kindness begins with yourself: The role of self-compassion in adolescent body satisfaction and eating pathology.

A wealth of evidence indicates that self-compassion is linked with positive psychological outcomes; however, little is known about the process through which self-compassion exerts its effect. The primary purpose of this research was to investigate the direct and indirect impact of self-compassion on body satisfaction and eating pathology in adolescents. Two hundred and thirty-eight students were recruited from three local high schools (Mage = 16.49, 43.7% boys). All participants completed the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS), Hopkins Symptom Checklist (SCL-5), Body Areas Satisfaction Scale (BASS), and Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire - Adolescent Version (EDE-Q) at baseline. The SCL-5, BASS, and EDE-Q were completed 4 months later. Self-compassion was positively associated with body satisfaction and negatively associated with psychological distress and eating pathology in boys and girls at both time points. Longitudinal conditional process analyses revealed that self-compassion predicted changes in body satisfaction and eating pathology through changes in psychological distress for girls only. Notably, self-compassion was higher in boys than in girls. Results underscore how self-compassion may be an important factor to target in fostering a positive body image and preventing disordered eating in adolescents.

The effect of basic psychological needs and exposure to idealised Facebook images on university students’ body satisfaction

Exposure to ideal body types in the media has been consistently linked to reduced body satisfaction. Images posted on social networking sites may also impact body satisfaction by portraying idealised standards of physical attractiveness promoted by peers. This study draws on self-determination theory to examine whether satisfaction of basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) protects against the negative effect of viewing Facebook images depicting an ideal body type on body satisfaction. Female (n = 141) and male (n = 48) university students were randomly assigned to view either a body-ideal image or a travel image presented on a mock Facebook profile. Viewing body-ideal imagery resulted in significantly lower body satisfaction compared to viewing travel imagery (d = -0.37). Satisfaction of the needs for autonomy and competence predicted higher baseline body satisfaction; however, none of the psychological needs protected against the negative effect of viewing body-ideal imagery on body satisfaction. Limitations included brief exposure to a single Facebook image and use of a convenience sample. Future research may benefit from measuring body image-specific rather than general psychological need satisfaction to predict state changes in body satisfaction.

Implicit and explicit changes in body satisfaction evoked by body size illusions: Implications for eating disorder vulnerability in women.

Dissatisfaction with one’s body is a widespread issue in modern society and has been linked to vulnerability for developing eating disorders. Recent studies have demonstrated a direct relationship between body perception and body satisfaction by manipulating perceived body size using multisensory body illusions. However, how these body size illusions influence implicit affective experience has not previously been examined. The current experiment used an established full-body ownership illusion paradigm to induce feelings of illusory obesity in male and female participants. The effects of illusory obesity on explicit and implicit body satisfaction were measured in naïve participants across two separate experiments. In terms of explicit measures, owning an obese body decreased body satisfaction, and owning a slimmer body increased body satisfaction in females but not in males. However, implicit feelings regarding the body were only influenced by the synchrony of the touch and not the size of the body in the illusion. These results suggest that implicit and explicit affective experiences of the body may be mediated by different factors. In addition, these findings may have clinical implications because both implicit and explicit changes in affective experience of the body were related to behaviours and thoughts associated with disordered eating in a non-clinical sample.

Body Satisfaction During Pregnancy: The Role of Health-Related Habit Strength.

Objectives Body satisfaction during pregnancy is an important determinant of maternal and fetal health outcomes. It is therefore critical to investigate factors related to changes in body satisfaction and to elucidate how body satisfaction changes over time in pregnant women. The purpose of this study was to examine the relation between two novel factors (i.e., healthy eating habit strength and physical activity habit strength) and body satisfaction during pregnancy. Methods Participants (n = 67 pregnant North American women) completed online questionnaires at the beginning of their second trimester (Time 1) and at the end of pregnancy. Maternal characteristics, relationship satisfaction, self-esteem, and psychological distress were assessed at Time 1 and habit strength, body satisfaction, and weight were assessed at both time points. Results Strength of healthy eating and physical activity habits remained stable over timeand body satisfaction decreased over time. Healthy eating habit strength at Time 1 predicted increases in body satisfaction from the second trimester to the end of pregnancy, even when controlling for gestational weight gain. Conclusions This study suggests that health-related habit strength in women of reproductive age may offer protection against low levels of body satisfaction during pregnancy.

Does “body talk” improve body satisfaction among same-sex couples?

Research suggests the important role of romantic partners in shaping how individuals feel about their bodies (e.g., Markey & Markey, 2013, 2014), but the processes that result in changes in body satisfaction within relationships have rarely been examined. To investigate how partners may potentially affect body image, 72 lesbian couples and 72 gay male couples (total N=288) completed body image assessments on their own and with the help of their partners. Multilevel modeling revealed that both men and women reported an improvement in body satisfaction after talking with their partners while completing the body image assessment together. Improvement in body satisfaction appeared to result from participants’ reconsideration of their body ideals, not their appraisal of their current bodies. Implications of these findings for improving body image in the context of relationships are discussed.