Weight-teasing: does body dissatisfaction mediate weight-control behaviors of Brazilian adolescent girls from low-income communities?

Abstract

The objective was to examine the mediation hypothesis of body dissatisfaction and analyze their association with weight-teasing and body satisfaction. A total of 253 girls who attended 10 schools from São Paulo, Brazil, participated in this study. Data collection was carried out through a validated and self-reported questionnaire. Study variables were weight-teasing (independent), body satisfaction (mediation), and weight control behavior (outcome). Effect mediation analyses showed a significance level of 5% (p < 0.05). Prevalence of family and peers weight-teasing were 38.5% and 40.6%, respectively. Body dissatisfaction was associated with unhealthy weight control behaviors when controlled by family and peer weight-teasing. Data indicate that family and peers teasing are important aspects that interfere in body satisfaction and weight control behaviors.

Body image disorders associated with lifestyle and body composition of female adolescents

“…For example, mindful and intuitive exercise are activities that involve listening the body while moving and incorporating the senses (44) . The true intention of the intuitive exercise is to make the PA practically more enjoyable rather than simply a means to lose or control weight, and it is likely to become a sustainable habit (45) .…”

Impact of Strategies for Preventing Obesity and Risk Factors for Eating Disorders among Adolescents: A Systematic Review

“…Population-based interventions designed to maintain a healthy weight status that focused on shared risk factors for obesity and eating disorders have been a focus of attention in the general adolescent literature over the past few years [ 4 , 10 , 73 , 74 ]. However, few studies have been designed to reduce the burden of these shared risk factors.…”

Unhealthy weight control behaviors, disordered eating, and body image dissatisfaction in adolescents from São Paulo, Brazil

“…16 The frequency of body dissatisfaction was higher than the rates found in previous Brazilian studies using silhouette scales with adolescents, 14,29,30 but similar to studies in Mexican, 31 Japanese, and Vietnamese 32 adolescents using the same method. Using a seven-point Likert scale (very dissatisfied to very satisfied) to assess body dissatisfaction, a recent Brazilian study 33 found a lower, but still high prevalence of weight dissatisfaction, highlighting that in Brazil there is great concern with achieving an ideal beauty standard. This high prevalence of body dissatisfaction can be explained by the highly sensitive criteria of the instrument, where only slight desire to change (one silhouette of difference) led to classification of individuals as dissatisfied, due to the amplitude of the scale (nine figures).…”

“…This association is consistent with the knowledge that body issues constitute one of the leading risk factors for developing eating disorders. In this regard, Philippi & Leme 33 found that adolescents who faced weight-teasing by family or peers tended to be more dissatisfied with their physical appearance, which resulted in UWCB. Haley et al 9 also found an association between UWCB and body dissatisfaction, highlighting that early diagnosis of UWCB may help prevent the development of eating disorders, particularly among adolescents that tend to perceive themselves as overweight.…”