Thin Body Image Research Articles

FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH BODY IMAGE PERCEPTION AMONG LATE ADOLESCENT FEMALE STUDENTS IN A SOUTHERN COASTAL DISTRICT OF ANDHRA PRADESH - A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY.

Body image perception is the way a person feels about his/her body and it is ever-changing, and inuenced by various factors. Adolescent girls try to lose or gain weight to attain the "ideal body". Body image perception is still naive, and this research is taken up to understand these unexplored areas. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study was done among female students of degree college in Kakinada District during December 2022. Informed consent and ethical approval was taken. 100 Students were selected by simple random sampling and a semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data on various factors associated with body image dissatisfaction. Body mass index (BMI) of the participants was calculated. Results: The mean (Standard deviation) age of students was 18.6 ± 2.02. As per WHO BMI criteria for adolescents (18-19 yrs), 21% of girls were thin. Majority (71%) of students perceived their body image as normal. Approximately 35% of the students had wrong perceptions regarding their body image. Body image dissatisfaction was there among 36% of the girls. It was found that factors such as higher BMI, Internalization of thin body image ideals, media inuence, appearance related pressures from peers, family were all signicantly associated with body image dissatisfaction. Conclusions: This study establishes the fact that body image dissatisfaction affects adolescent girls to a great extent. Holistic strategies are needed for promoting the acceptance of the real body image.

Snacking Habits, Strict Diet, BMI, and Body Image of Adolescents in Three Sub-Districts in Depok and Bogor

Background: Body image is related to adolescent food preferences, which determine their nutritional status. Peri-urban areas might have different adolescents' snacking habits, strict diets, nutritional status, and body image. Objectives: This study aimed to analyze the association between adolescents' snacking habits, implementation of a strict diet, and nutritional status on their body image. Methods: This study used a mix-method, a combination of the quantitative and qualitative survey with a cross-sectional design. A total of 39 adolescents aged 15-18 who live in the peri-urban areas of Depok and Bogor were consecutively selected. The study was conducted in January 2022. Quantitative data include respondents' characteristics, body weight and height, snacking habits, and body image. Qualitative data collected were types of snacks, their reasons for buying snacks, and perceptions of ideal weight. Results: The nutritional status of the respondents was underweighted (5%), normal (92%), and overweight (3%), with snacking frequency 4-7 times/week (59%) with a weekly snacking expenditure of IDR 15,000 – 30,000 (49 %). As many as 23% of respondents performed a strict diet and perceived having a thin (21%) and fat (23%) body image. Adolescents with normal nutritional status were perceived as having fat (20.5%) and thin (15.4%) body image (p: 0,0215). There was also a relationship between diet (p: 0.0084) and weekly snacking expenditure (p: 0.0152) with body image, and there was no relationship between snacking frequency (p: 0.3123) and daily meal frequency (p-value=0.3972) with body image. Conclusions: A wrong perception of body image from actual nutritional status can affect snacking habits and the implementation of a strict diet among adolescents.

Implications of Socio-Cultural Pressure for a Thin Body Image on Avoidance of Social Interaction and on Corrective, Compensatory or Compulsive Shopping Behaviour.

This paper aims to discuss the implications of body talk and socio-cultural pressure for the internalisation of a thin body image in purchase decisions, shopping habits and other outcomes of body dissatisfaction, in particular the proneness to avoid human/social interaction in retail contexts and proneness to engage in corrective, compensatory or compulsive shopping behaviour. This paper conducted an online questionnaire that measured the following constructs: body mass index; Socio-cultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Scale-4 (SATAQ-4), Body Appreciation Scale (BAS-2), Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery Scale (ACSS), Compulsive Buying Follow-up Scale (CBFS), proneness to avoid social interaction in retail contexts, and the intention to purchase a list of products and services as a compensation for body dissatisfaction. A structural equations model supported the hypotheses proposing the influence of BAS-2 and SATAQ-4 (the internalisation of thin/athletic body and the social comparison induced by family, peers and media) upon the outcomes of social-interaction avoidance, ACSS and CBFS. Nevertheless, BAS-2 only influences social-interaction avoidance. This paper provides several recommendations to brand managers highlighting the social responsibility role of brand advertising in enhancing positive body appreciation, mitigating the psychological damage caused by socio-cultural pressure and preventing the stigmatisation bias against obese people.

The Social Impact of Advertising: How Commercial Weight Loss Program Advertising Promotes Thinness Ideology

Raised body mass index (BMI) is one of the significant risk factors for non-communicable diseases. Regardless of their BMI, more than half of Americans strongly desire to lose weight. As a result, commercial weight loss programs (WLP) have emerged and proliferated in the United States. This study examines WLP advertising as a vehicle for promoting the thinness ideology and how these advertisements impact women’s beliefs and attitudes about self-perceived ideal body image. This study defines thinness ideology as emphasizing being thin and self-perceived ideal body image as individuals’ desired body shapes formed by internalization through advertising messages. By employing four significant theories, this study focuses on how women form their self-perceived ideal body image and, as a result, change their beliefs and attitudes as measured by their changing levels of self-esteem and body (dis)satisfaction. The model is theoretically based on the elaboration likelihood model (ELM) and has been incorporated with social learning theory, social comparison theory, and satisfaction theory. The model also explains the linear transmission of weight loss program advertisements and changes in individuals’ perceptions, beliefs, and attitudes about ideal body image. According to the model, beliefs and attitudes change depending on individuals’ self-esteem and body dissatisfaction levels, often influenced by WLP advertisements promoting the thinness ideology. Keywords: Weight loss program advertising, Theoretical Mapping, Thinness Ideology, Elaboration likelihood model, Social learning theory, Social comparison theory, Satisfaction theory DOI: 10.7176/NMMC/102-03 Publication date: October 31 st 2022

Relationship between Risk Factors Related to Eating Disorders and Subjective Health and Oral Health.

This study examined the factors related to eating disorders (ED) and the relationship between ED and subjective health or subjective oral health in adolescents. The 46,146 adolescents (age 12–18 years) who participated in the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey were selected, including those who had attempted to lose weight within the past 30 days during the survey period. The variables included were eating behavior, BMI, body image subjective health, and subjective oral health. The weight-loss method was divided into two groups (regular exercise, RE, and eating disorder, ED). The data were analyzed using the Rao-Scott χ2 test and logistic regression analysis. The adolescents with an obese body image had a lower risk of ED (OR = 0.75, 95% CI 0.38–1.49) than adolescents with a very thin body image. Adolescents with ED had a higher risk of a poor subjective health assessment (OR = 2.32, 95% CI 1.85–2.91). On the other hand, they had a lower risk of a poor subjective oral health assessment (OR = 0.89, 95% CI 0.71–1.12). ED is closely associated with eating behavior, BMI, body image, oral health behavior, subjective health, and subjective oral health in Korean adolescents.

Association between Subjective Body Image, Body Mass Index and Psychological Symptoms in Chinese Adolescents: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Conflicting findings were reported about the associations between subjective body image (SBI), body mass index (BMI) and psychological symptoms in China and other countries in the world. In this study, we aim to explore the associations between SBI, BMI, and psychological symptoms based on a large-scale, national wide survey among Chinese adolescents. Methods: The 2014–2015 China Education Panel Survey (CEPS) database, with 8134 middle school students (4137 boys and 3997 girls), was analyzed to explore the association between SBI, BMI and psychological symptoms. SBI was assessed by one question about the perception of own body shape with options “very thin”, “slightly thin”, “average”, “weak heavy”, and “very heavy”. BMI was calculated by the self-reported body weight and height. Psychological symptoms were evaluated by 10 items involving both aspects of depression and anxiety. Results: The results indicated that both boys and girls who perceived weak or very heavy weight were positively associated with psychological symptoms (p < 0.05). For boys, perceiving very thin body image was also in higher risk of psychological symptoms (p < 0.05), after controlling social-demographic variables and BMI. Comparing with normal weight boys or girls, obese boys (β = −2.22, 95% CI −3.37~−1.07) and overweight girls (β = −1.03, 95% CI −2.01~−0.06) were in lower levels of psychological symptoms after controlling for SBI. Other factors associated with psychological symptoms were family economic status, academic performance, and self-rated health status. Conclusions: A deviation from an “average” SBI was positively associated with psychological symptoms, which should be scanned when evaluating the Chinese adolescents’ mental health. These findings provide epidemiological evidence for the association between SBI and psychological symptoms in non-western social contexts.

Internalization of body image as a potential mediator of the relationship between body acceptance by others and intuitive eating

Objective To investigate the role of internalization of body image ideals as a potential mediator between perceived body acceptance and intuitive eating among college students. Participants/Method 168 undergraduates completed the Body Acceptance By Others Scale (BAOS), Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance Questionnaire-3 (SATAQ-3; Internalization-Total and -General, -Athletic subscales), and Intuitive Eating Scale (IES). Results Internalization-Total mediated the relationship between BAOS and IES (b=.19, p<.001). Internalization-General was a significant mediator of the BAOS-IES relationship (b=.14, p=.006), while Internalization-Athletic was not (p=.993). Post-hoc analyses stratified by gender followed similar patterns, aside from a negative but nonsignificant relationship between Internalization-Athletic and IES in men (b=–.16, p=.650). Conclusions These data suggest that internalization of general (i.e., thin) body image ideals may be more destructive to body satisfaction and adaptive eating styles in college students than athletic-ideal internalization. More research is needed to examine the role of athletic-ideal internalization on body image and eating behaviors.

The association between social media addiction and eating disturbances is mediated by muscle dysmorphia-related symptoms: a cross-sectional study in a sample of young adults

PurposeAlthough the association between problematic use of the internet and eating disorders (EDs) in young adults has been previously established, its underlying mechanisms have not been completely clarified. It has been suggested that exposure to idealized very thin and toned body images (e.g., “thinspiration” and “fitspiration” trends) on social media might lead to increased feelings of body dissatisfaction which, in turn, can represent a trigger for EDs. We have tested this hypothesis in a sample (N = 721) of young adults (504 females, mean age: 24.13 ± 3.70 years; range 18–34).MethodsSelf-report measures investigating symptoms related to social media addiction (SMA), muscle dysmorphia (MD), and EDs were used. A mediational model analyzing the direct and indirect effects of SMA-related symptoms on ED-related symptoms through the mediating role of MD-related symptoms was performed controlling for confounding factors (e.g., socio-demographic variables, substances use, body mass index, psychopathological distress).ResultsThe model showed that the total effect of SMA-related symptoms on ED-related symptoms was significant (B = 0.213; p = 0.022) and that this association was mediated by MD-related symptoms (B = 0.083; p = 0.021).DiscussionOur findings support the possibility that MD-related symptoms play a relevant role in mediating the association between SMA severity and ED pathology.Level of evidenceLevel III, evidence obtained from well-designed cohort or case–control analytic studies.

Body image issues among school going adolescent girls in a rural area of Haryana: a cross sectional study

Background: Adolescent girls in today’s world are extremely conscious of perceptions of a perfect body. With the growing sense of thin ideal body image during adolescence, they try to lose body weight to attain the perfect body size. The emphasis on thinness and on an ideal female body shape and size is physically and psychologically detrimental to the health of many young women. This study was carried out with objective to find the prevalence of body image issue among adolescent girls in rural area.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in block Lakhanmajra, district Rohtak, Haryana. Adolescent girls in age group 13-19 years studying in class 8 to class 12 in 10 government and private senior secondary schools of Lakhanmajra block were included in the study. The total sample of 500 students was included in the study. A pre-designed pre-tested semi-structured interview schedule was used, and the responses were recorded by the investigator herself.Results: The findings of the present study show that 20.2% adolescent girls did not like their appearance when they look in the mirror and thus had body image dissatisfaction. 88.0% adolescent girls were satisfied with their weight and 12.0% were dissatisfied. 80.0% of the study subjects who were dissatisfied with their body weight had normal age specific BMI values. Only 20% of the adolescent girls who were not satisfied with their weight were underweight or overweight.Conclusions: More worries and less satisfaction about body image are found in girls. The relatives, the media, the peers and the community all have an impact on body shape satisfaction. But the greatest influence is that of the media and the community through standardising a thin ideal for female beauty.

An update on eating disorders

SUMMARYEating disorders are heterogeneous disorders characterised by a maladaptive drive to lose weight and, for the most part, by extreme fear of weight gain and overvaluation of thin body image. Calorie restriction, overexercise and purging behaviours put some sufferers at high risk of physical morbidity and mortality. Mental preoccupations interfere with social, professional and general quality of life. Patients’ defensive secrecy and compulsivity can make it hard to diagnose and treat such disorders despite the suffering they involve. Integrated medical and psychiatric intervention can save life and safely improve nutrition. Behavioural support – with family and carer involvement when appropriate – can counter the dysregulation that leads to vicious cycles of restriction–binge–purge, helping patients develop new skills to regulate emotion without weight losing. In the future, exciting developments in neuroimaging, neurosurgery and pharmacology may lead to ways to make the brain more responsive to therapy. Insights into risk factors may also improve preventive strategies in a climate of highly sophisticated international electronic communication.

Examination of the Relationship Between Attentional Biases and Body Dissatisfaction: An Eye-Tracking Study

While the presence of cognitive biases among body dissatisfied individuals is supported by the literature, the nuances of these biases have yet to be fully explored. The current study examined attentional processing of body-related stimuli as a function of body dissatisfaction using eye-tracking methodology and a modified spatial cueing paradigm to evaluate early and late stage processing patterns. Undergraduate women (N = 197) completed a decision-making task involving thin, fat, and control body images while eye gaze was recorded. Reaction time analysis did not reveal a relationship between body dissatisfaction and disengagement difficulty from thin or fat body images when compared to control body images. However, analysis of eye gaze patterns revealed a relationship between body dissatisfaction and difficulty shifting visual attention away from thin body images. The findings provide partial support for an attentional bias for thin body images in body dissatisfied individuals. Moreover, the results provide further evidence for eye-tracking methodology as a more sensitive measure of cognitive biases than reaction time. Further examination of the relationship between cognitive biases and body dissatisfaction remains an important area of study as both are risk factors for eating disorders and can inform treatment interventions.

Body image dissatisfaction in young Indian Men: Prevalence, psychosocial correlates, and the impact of sociocultural pressure

Background: Body image dissatisfaction (BID) is the negative perception of the weight and shape of one's body. It is a prominent risk factor for conditions ranging from eating disorders, body dysmorphic disorder, depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. BID evolves from a complex interaction between psychological (personality, self-esteem), physical (body mass index), and cultural factors (social expectations and media messages). Once restricted to adolescent Caucasian females, BID has been increasing among men in developing Asian cultures. This study aimed to address the scarcity of research on BID and its correlates among young Indian men. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional, quantitative, observational, questionnaire-based research design was chosen to address the objectives in a sample of male college students aged 18–25 years. The body shape questionnaire (BSQ-8c), sociocultural attitudes toward appearance questionnaire-4, Rosenberg's self-esteem scale and the mini-International personality item pool (MINI-IPIP) personality scale were used to measure BID, sociocultural pressures, self-esteem, and personality traits, respectively. Results: Of the 511 males, 34.44% (n = 176) had moderate to marked BID. Underweight men had greater BID than those who were obese. However, the differences in BSQ-8c scores across various BMI categories were not statistically significant (Kruskal–Wallis H = 6.07, df = 3, P = 0.108). BID significantly correlated with levels of neuroticism (rs = 0.093, P = 0.0360). Sociocultural pressure from the family, peers, and media significantly correlated with the internalization of thin and muscular body image ideals (all P

Body image in and out of the lab: Correspondence between lab-based attentional bias data and body shape dissatisfaction experiences in daily life

Accumulating lab-based studies have identified attentional biases in processing of negative appearance-related information among individuals with elevated trait body shape and weight dissatisfaction (BD). How these biases translate into experiences of BD in daily life remains unclear and, hence, was the focus of the present study. Thirty-eight women aged between 18–40 years completed a baseline survey and modified dot-probe task with both fat and thin appearance-related stimuli in a laboratory setting. Participants also downloaded a smartphone app that prompted them 10 times per day for 7 days to rate current body dissatisfaction. Results revealed that heightened BD in daily life tended to be transitory, and followed by a substantially lower rating of BD by the next survey (∼1−2 h later). For individuals with elevated trait BD and facilitated attention towards thin body images, this reduction in state BD was more gradual. Surprisingly, delayed disengagement towards thin body images was associated with greater reduction in state BD. Consistent with the hypothesis, moderating effects were not observed when initial state BD level was low. Susceptibility for immediate, short-term attentional biases towards appearance-related information may be a vulnerability factor for the prolonged persistence of negative body image experiences in daily life.

Interaction of hormonal and social environments in understanding body image concerns in adolescent girls

During adolescence, peer approval becomes increasingly important and may be perceived as contingent upon appearance in girls. Concurrently, girls experience hormonal changes, including an increase in progesterone. Progesterone has been implicated in affiliative behavior but inconsistently associated with body image concerns. The current study sought to examine whether progesterone may moderate the association between perceived social pressures to conform to the thin ideal and body image concerns. Secondary analyses were conducted in cross-sectional data from 813 girls in early puberty and beyond (ages 8–16) who completed assessments of the peer environment, body image concerns, and progesterone. Models for mediation and moderation were examined with BMI, age, and menarcheal status as covariates. Belief that popularity was linked to appearance and the experience of weight-related teasing were both positively associated with greater body image concerns, but neither was associated with progesterone once adjusting for covariates. Progesterone significantly interacted with perceived social pressures in predicting body image concerns. At higher progesterone levels, appearance-popularity beliefs and weight-related teasing were more strongly related to body image concerns than they were at lower progesterone levels. Findings support a moderating role for progesterone in the link between social pressures and body image concerns in girls. This study adds to a growing literature examining how girls’ hormonal environments may modulate responses to their social environments. Longitudinal and experimental work is needed to understand temporal relations and mechanisms behind these associations.

Association of socio-culture factors with disordered eating behavior: An empirical study on urban young girls of West Bengal, India

A shift towards the concept of thin body image is occurring among the urban girls, as an outcome of mass media exposure. A large section of the girls are involved in attaining thin body image which at times develops dissatisfaction over body weight. Body weight dissatisfaction gives rise to the development of body weight concern and disordered eating behavior. The present research aimed to find out the association of socio-cultural factors with disordered eating behavior among a group of urban girls.&#x0D; The study group included 400 girls aged between 14 and 21 years, residing in the city of Howrah, West Bengal, eastern state of India. Information on socio-demographic characteristics, body weight concern, media habits, and family-peer environments was collected using standard pretested questionnaires. A cross-culturally tested questionnaire developed by Srinivasan and colleagues in 1998, was used to measure disordered eating behavior. Bivariate analyses found significant associations between eating behavior and several socio-cultural factors. Multivariate analysis revealed that education level of fathers and birth order of the participants, body weight concern and peers’ influence were the significant predictors of disordered eating behavior of the study participants. Socio-cultural factors have significant associations with the disordered eating behavior of the study participants.

Time Course of Attentional Biases Toward Body Shapes in Women Who Are Overweight or Obese

Although attentional bias toward body-related stimuli has been implicated as a vulnerability factor for body image disturbances, the time course of attentional biases toward body shapes in women who are overweight or obese is not clear. Using a dot-probe task and a between-subjects design, we assessed attentional biases (including facilitated attention, delayed disengagement, and avoidance) toward fat and thin body images in women who were overweight or obese (body mass index, BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2; n = 25) and normal-weight controls (BMI < 25 kg/m2; n = 25). Three stimulus presentation times were used: 100 ms, 500 ms, and 2000 ms. Women who were overweight or obese reported a stronger relative preference for Thin over Neutral images. All participants showed attentional bias toward thin body images in the initial orientation (100 ms) and later avoidance (2000 ms) stage, whereas only the women who were overweight or obese showed a bias toward fat body-related images when displayed for 500 ms, indicating difficulty disengaging from fat body-related stimuli. Slower attentional disengagement from fat body stimuli might be a cognitive marker for body image disturbance in women who are overweight or obese.

Body Dissatisfaction Revisited: On the Importance of Implicit Beliefs about Actual and Ideal Body Image.

Body dissatisfaction (i.e., a negative attitude towards one’s own physical appearance) is assumed to originate from a perceived discrepancy between the actual physical appearance (i.e., actual body image) and the desired ideal state of the body (i.e., ideal body image). We assessed implicit beliefs about these two aspects of the body image independently using two Relational Responding Tasks (RRT) in a sample of participants who were either low or high in explicitly reported body dissatisfaction. As hypothesized, differences in body dissatisfaction exerted a differential influence on the two RRT scores. The implicit belief that one is thin was less pronounced in participants who were strongly dissatisfied with their body relative to participants who were more satisfied with their body. The implicit desire to be thin (i.e., thin ideal body image), in contrast, tended to be more pronounced in participants who exhibited a high degree of body dissatisfaction as compared to participants who exhibited a low degree of body dissatisfaction. Hierarchical regression analyses also revealed that the RRT scores were predictive of self-reported body dissatisfaction, even over and above the predictive validity of some (but not all) explicit predictors of body dissatisfaction that were included in the present study. More generally, these findings contribute to the empirical validation of the RRT as a measure of implicit beliefs in the context of body dissatisfaction.

Eating disorders: What has the society to do with it?

The prevention of eating disorders is a main concern of the Vienna Women's Health Programme, which was adopted by the Vienna City Council in 1998. Eating disorders are very serious mental health problems in adolescence. There is evidence that media exposure of the thin ideal body image leads to uncertainty, low self-esteem and dieting. To examine the current state of body (dis-)satisfaction and the risk of eating disorders among Viennese adolescents, we surveyed 1427 participants at the age of 12 to 17, using a self-assessment questionnaire that included the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI-2), the SCOFF-questionnaire and the Rosenberg self-esteem scale. Results support our hypothesis. The highest concern among adolescents is about their weight and body shape. 76% of the girls surveyed wanted a skinny body, 31% were afraid of gaining weight, and 32% have already been dieting - 13% took appetite suppressants, 5% used vomiting, 3% took laxatives. According to the SCOFF-questionnaire, 30% of the girls were at risk of having eating disorders. Trends were evaluated via regression analysis. In 2012 girls used less dieting and had lower scores in the EDI-2 subscales ‘body dissatisfaction’, ‘drive for thinness’ and ‘bulimia’ than in 2001. Boys had less conspicuous scores than girls in total, but have shown an alarming increase in body dissatisfaction. School prevention programmes are indicated to enhance media literacy and encourage self-esteem among adolescents. To be successful, an interdisciplinary approach has to be established. The City of Vienna has already launched several awareness campaigns to counter unhealthy body ideals.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Implicit beliefs about ideal body image predict body image dissatisfaction.

We examined whether implicit measures of actual and ideal body image can be used to predict body dissatisfaction in young female adults. Participants completed two Implicit Relational Assessment Procedures (IRAPs) to examine their implicit beliefs concerning actual (e.g., I am thin) and desired ideal body image (e.g., I want to be thin). Body dissatisfaction was examined via self-report questionnaires and rating scales. As expected, differences in body dissatisfaction exerted a differential influence on the two IRAP scores. Specifically, the implicit belief that one is thin was lower in participants who exhibited a high degree of body dissatisfaction than in participants who exhibited a low degree of body dissatisfaction. In contrast, the implicit desire to be thin (i.e., thin ideal body image) was stronger in participants who exhibited a high level of body dissatisfaction than in participants who were less dissatisfied with their body. Adding further weight to the idea that both IRAP measures captured different underlying constructs, we also observed that they correlated differently with body mass index, explicit body dissatisfaction, and explicit measures of actual and ideal body image. More generally, these findings underscore the advantage of using implicit measures that incorporate relational information relative to implicit measures that allow for an assessment of associative relations only.

The role of memory in the relationship between attention toward thin-ideal media and body dissatisfaction.

This study examined the causal relationship between attention and memory bias toward thin-body images, and the indirect effect of attending to thin-body images on women's body dissatisfaction via memory. In a 2 (restrained vs. unrestrained eaters)×2 (long vs. short exposure) quasi-experimental design, female participants (n=90) were shown images of thin models for either 7s or 150ms, and then completed a measure of body dissatisfaction and a recognition test to assess their memory for the images. Both restrained and unrestrained eaters in the long exposure condition had better recognition memory for images of thin models than did those in the short exposure condition. Better recognition memory for images of thin models was associated with lower body dissatisfaction. Finally, exposure duration to images of thin models had an indirect effect on body dissatisfaction through recognition memory. These findings suggest that memory for body-related information may be more critical in influencing women's body image than merely the exposure itself, and that targeting memory bias might enhance the effectiveness of cognitive bias modification programs.