Gender‐Specific Body Areas Satisfaction and Body Weight Status in Adolescents: Mediating Effects of Physical Activity, Fruit and Vegetable Intake, and Energy‐Dense Food Intake

Abstract

Background Body satisfaction is one of the key modifiable cognitive determinants of eating behaviours, physical activity, and body mass index (BMI). As the sociocultural models suggest, low body satisfaction may explain unhealthy eating and exercise behaviours. Importantly, body satisfaction levels and body areas that individuals focus on vary across genders. This study aims at investigating links between the global index of body areas satisfaction (BAS), gender‐specific BAS, fruit and vegetable (F&V) intake, energy‐dense foods intake, moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and BMI. Methods In all, 1,254 adolescents completed questionnaires and had their weight and height objectively measured with 2‐ and 13‐month follow‐ups. Indirect effects of three indices of BAS were tested in three models (male‐specific BAS amongst boys; female‐specific BAS amongst girls; the global BAS index in the total sample). Results Higher levels of all three BAS indices indirectly predicted lower BMI, with higher MVPA mediating this effect. In addition, higher energy‐dense foods intake mediated higher global BAS–higher BMI relationship in the total sample. Thus, the global index of BAS acts as double‐edged sword, predicting both higher MVPA and energy‐dense foods intake. Conclusion BAS may operate in a complex manner, predicting behaviours which may have opposite effects on BMI.

The Associations Between the Anorexic Readiness Syndrome, Familism, and Body Image Among Physically Active Girls

“…This result is consistent with a number of studies [cf. (61)(62)(63)(64)] which proved that the greater the discrepancy between the current and ideal/expected body weight by the participants, the lower their satisfaction with it. However, this relationship is probably related to gender, as girls and women are subject to socio-cultural pressures to achieve and maintain a slim figure to a greater extent than boys and men (65).…”

Relationship of Appetite, Body Image, and Energy Intake with Body Mass Index in Undergraduate Students in Surakarta

“…These feelings can lead to eating disorders. Dissatisfaction with the body makes a person undergo a strict diet to lose weight [19]. Research on adolescents also shows that adolescents with a positive image will have better-eating behavior [16].…”

Parental Depression Predicts Child Body Mass via Parental Support Provision, Child Support Receipt, and Child Physical Activity: Findings From Parent/Caregiver–Child Dyads

“…The measures were administered in Polish. The respective Polish language versions of the measures were applied in research conducted among children and adults (e.g., Koziara, 2016;Zarychta et al, 2018). Means, standard deviations, and reliability coefficients for all measures are presented in Table 1.…”