Drawings or 3D models: Do illustration methods matter when assessing perceived body size and body dissatisfaction?

Abstract

Research has reported that both men and women experience body dissatisfaction. Among other instruments, a widely used method to assess perceived body size and body dissatisfaction are figure rating scales. Although a variety of illustration methods (e.g., three-dimensional, or 3D, models and line-drawing models) have been used to create these figure rating scales, to date, they have not been directly compared to one another. Thus, in the first study, which includes 511 participants at a mean age of 46 years old (range: 20–70), the present research work aims to assess how the line-drawing and 3D model scales, representing different body illustration methods, relate to each other. Furthermore, the first study assesses the validity of the indication of body dissatisfaction measured using these figure rating scales by comparing them to body checking or scrutinizing behavior and body appreciation levels. The project’s second study examines the two figure rating scales using objectively measured anthropometric data. In total, 239 participants at a mean age of 54 years (range: 18–94) were included. The results show that figure rating scales can be considered tools that measure perceptual body image due to their positive correlations with body checking behavior (for women) and their negative correlations with body appreciation. The 3D model and line-drawing scales show good to excellent inter-scale reliability, and both scales agree equally well with body mass index (BMI) measurements. Thus, the 3D model and line-drawing scales both seem well suited for assessing perceived body size and perceptual body dissatisfaction, suggesting that neither illustration method is superior to the other.

Associations between 3D surface scanner derived anthropometric measurements and body composition in a cross-sectional study

“…In this article, we use data from a study completed in 2019, which has previously been analysed in a different context [ 33 ]. This data set consists of 242 participants which were enrolled from an ongoing national nutrition study (Swiss Food Panel 2.0) through written invitations, mailing lists from scientific communication events, and media announcements to the general population in the Zurich area, Switzerland.…”

Development of a visual‐perceptual method to assess body image: A cross‐cultural validation in Canadian and Spanish women

“…These methods often imply visual body size estimation tasks, which allow quantifying body dissatisfaction, by calculating the discrepancy between self‐perceived and ideal body sizes, as well as body distortion, by calculating the discrepancy between real and self‐perceived body sizes (Corno et al., 2022; Ferrer‐García & Gutiérrez‐Maldonado, 2012). Paper‐based figure rating scales (e.g., the Stunkard Figure Rating Scale by Stunkard et al., 1983) have been the most used visual‐perceptual methods to assess body dissatisfaction (Doll et al., 2004; Sob et al., 2021). Although these measures have some advantages (e.g., they seem easy‐to‐administer and time‐saving), they have faced criticisms for appearing unrealistic and disproportionate, as well as for showing inconsistency in terms of size differences between figures (e.g., Gardner et al., 1998; Sob et al., 2021).…”

Body dissatisfaction, drug use, and associated factors among adolescents in three Brazilian cities

“…Some factors, such as physical inactivity, unprotected sex, overweight, eating disorders, alcohol consumption, smoking, and drug use may be related to body dissatisfaction in adolescence, which may lead to irreparable health outcomes in adulthood 2 - 3 . Adolescents who face changes in the perception of their body image are prone to the consumption of psychoactive substances as strategies to relief and protection against stress, anxiety and anguish 4 .…”