Body image dissatisfaction in preadolescent children

Influences of ethnicity and socioeconomic status on the body dissatisfaction and eating behaviour of Australian children and adolescents

“…However, there was no linear relationship between SES and body image, and no relationship between SES/ethnicity and eating problems. Previous studies (Collins, 1991;Lawrence & Thelen, 1995;Mendelson et al, 1996;Nishizawa et al, 2003;Wood et al, 1996) support the findings on age/gender differences in body image and eating behaviours among youth in the current study. This suggests that body dissatisfaction, weight concerns, attempts to lose or gain weight, and some unhealthy eating patterns may begin in preadolescence and increase after puberty, particularly among females (Abraham & O'Dea, 2001;O'Dea & Abraham, 1999;O'Dea & Caputi, 2001).…”

“…The well-documented research on gender and age differences in body image suggests that girls primarily report greater body image concerns and desire to be thinner than boys (Collins, 1991;Lawrence & Thelen, 1995;Mendelson, White, & Mendelson, 1996;Wood, Becker, & Thompson, 1996). In addition, body dissatisfaction becomes more pronounced with increasing age in girls (Gardner, Sorter, & Friedman, 1997;Rolland, Farnill, & Griffiths, 1997).…”

Body image in boys: A review of the literature

“…, and e) ideal opposite sex adult 1) Girls expressed a significantly greater desire to be thinner than boys (0.48 units vs. 0.11 units between actual and ideal on 7-point scale) 2) 42% of girls wanted to be thinner, 14% heavier 3) 30% of boys wanted to be thinner, 23% heavier Paxton et al (1991) 221 boys and 341 girls in and "ideal" shape than girls (49%) Thompson, Sargent, and Kemper (1996) 496 boys (337 White 2) Children's EAT 1) 33% of boys and 50% of girls had wanted to be thinner 2) 24% of boys and 40% of girls had attempted to lose weight Thompson, Corwin, and Sargent (1997) 817 children (51% female, 52% White, mean age = 9) 1) Figure drawings 2) Four items each from EDI and WEC regarding weight concern 1) Boys showed smaller difference between images for actual and ideal self than girls (0.11 vs. 0.49 units on a 7-point scale) 2) Black boys selected larger images for actual and ideal self than White boys resenting what they would ideally like to look like, and often the ideal image for a same-sexed and opposite-sexed child or adult. Although the test-retest reliability of figure drawings varied considerably with different populations and different study questions (Collins, 1991;Wood, Becker, & Thompson, 1996), the results of the studies were fairly consistent. First, although boys showed less body dissatisfaction than girls, most investigators found that a substantial number of boys of all ages were not satisfied with their body proportions.…”

Correlates of Body Dissatisfaction in Children

“…1,3,7,8,11,12 Some studies indicate that body dissatisfaction is associated with lower self-esteem, although the size of this effect varies across studies. 11,[13][14][15] Considering the many consequences of body dissatisfaction in children, such as depression 16,17 and eating pathologies, 3,18 it is important to understand the factors that are related to its manifestation in children. However, the literature on body dissatisfaction in children and preadolescents is sparse compared to that on adolescents.…”