Body dissatisfaction mediates the association between body mass index and risky weight control behaviors among White and Native American adolescent girls

Abstract

The developmental path leading to eating disorders among adolescent girls often proceeds from increasing body size, to increasing body dissatisfaction, to increasing ED risk. To determine whether body dissatisfaction (BD) mediates the association between body size and risky weight control behaviors, we examined data from White (n = 709) and Native American (n = 253) girls, who differ substantially in terms of average body mass and reported weight control behaviors. Measures of BD included weight, shape, and appearance concerns. Measures of ED-risk included dieting, exercising to control weight, binge eating, and vomiting. Results showed body dissatisfaction was a highly significant mediator of the relationship between BMI and ED risk for both ethnic groups; although BD did not mediate the association between BMI and binge eating for either group. BD is apparently an important mediator of the association between body size and some, but not all, risky weight control behaviors.

Relationships of Kindergarten Children’s BMI amongst Parental Body Dissatisfaction and Dietary Restraint: A Case Study in Hong Kong

“…Moreover, as expected, parents with a higher BMI would have a higher level of body dissatisfaction as stated in Table 8, which was consistent with previous researches showing the positive association between BMI and body dissatisfaction [7,13,15]. Similar phenomena were also observed in PDR.…”

“…The association of body mass index and body dissatisfaction had been consistently demonstrated in researches [12][13][14], in which recent studies had also shown that the increase in BMI can significantly predict the increase in body dissatisfaction in the same period of time [7,13,15].…”

The relationship between body mass index and body image in Brazilian adults.

“…Van Den Berg et al (2007) showed that males and females are dissatisfied with their bodies, but quite differently affected by the variables which mediate body dissatisfaction. Similarly, Lynch et al (2008) found that body dissatisfaction is present in both males and females, and it is a highly significant mediator of the relationship between BMI, body size, risky weight control behaviors, and vulnerability to eating disorders.…”

“…Body image perception was assessed in both eating disordered (Matos et al, 2002;Vander Wal & Thomas, 2004;Legenbauer, Rühl & Vocks, 2008) and body dysmorphic disordered populations. Nowadays, research on body image has mostly focused on body image dissatisfaction among the normal population (Fingeret, Gleaves & Pearson, 2004;McCabe, Ricciardelli, Sitaram & Mikhail, 2006;Van Den Berg et al, 2007;Neighbors & Sobal, 2007) in order to identify discrepancies in body image perception (Cachelin, Monreal & Juarez, 2006;Steenhuis, Bos & Mayer, 2006), which have been considered for the prevention and the treatment of a variety of other disorders (Matos et al, 2002), especially the ones involving behavioral changes (Lynch, Heil, Wagner & Havens, 2008) and/or the promotion of well-being and quality of life (Damasceno, Lima, Vianna, Vianna & Novaes, 2005).…”

The relationship between eating behaviours, body image and BMI status among adolescence age 13 to 17 years in Meru, Klang, Malaysia

“…Lynch et al, (2007) found that regardless of ethnicity or gender, BMI was positively correlated with body concerns and weight control behaviors. Lynch et al, (2008) found that body dissatisfaction was a highly significant mediator of the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and eating disorder risk although, body dissatisfaction did not mediate the association between BMI and binge eating but it is apparently an important mediator of the association between body size and some risky weight control behaviors. Lofrano-Prado et al, (2011) revealed that BMI and fat mass increase the risk of developing eating disorder and body image dissatisfaction.…”