Longitudinal bidirectional relations between body dissatisfaction and depressive symptoms among Black adolescents: A cross-lagged panel analysis

Abstract

ObjectiveTo assess the variation in body dissatisfaction and depressive symptoms by weight status and the bi-directional relations between body dissatisfaction and depressive symptoms by weight status among Black adolescents. MethodsA sample of 153 Black adolescents aged 12-13 years, either overweight/obese (n = 57, 37%) or healthy weight (n = 96, 63%), were recruited and evaluated three times over two years (T1, T2 and T3). Measured weight and height were converted to age and sex-specific BMI z-score; body dissatisfaction was measured with silhouettes, and depressive symptoms were measured with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-I). Bidirectional relations were assessed with cross-lagged panel analyses, accounting for stability over time and contemporary correlations. ResultsBody dissatisfaction was higher among the overweight/obese group than the healthy weight group. No significant differences were found for depressive symptoms by weight status. Among the overweight/obese group, there were bidirectional relations: antecedent body dissatisfaction predicted subsequent depressive symptoms (T1-T2: β = 0.42, SE = 0.11, p<0.001; T2-T3: β = 0.36, SE = 0.09, p<0.001) and antecedent depressive symptoms predicted subsequent body dissatisfaction (T1-T2: β = 0.25, SE = 0.10, p = 0.012; T2-T3: β = 0.17, SE = 0.08, p = 0.045). Among the healthy weight group, there was no relation in either direction.

Is the Effect of Body Dissatisfaction on Depressive Symptoms Dependent on Weight Status? A Study with Early-to-Middle Adolescents

“…Adolescent girls tend to overestimate their bodies’ size, and boys tend to underestimate it [ 36 ]. Research on the relationship between body dissatisfaction and weight status consistently shows that overweight adolescents, especially obese, report more body dissatisfaction [ 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 ]. However, this relationship seems to be dependent on gender; for instance, underweight girls report the highest levels of body satisfaction [ 38 ], whereas underweight boys show body dissatisfaction [ 39 ].…”

“…Contrary to body dissatisfaction, weight status has not been consistently related to depressive symptoms. Some studies reported that overweight and obese individuals report higher levels of depression [ 45 , 46 ] and that underweight girls present high levels of depression [ 45 ], whereas others showed no differences in depression levels for different weight status [ 19 , 40 ].…”

“…However, a study involving Chinese adolescents showed that weight status had a moderator effect on the association between body dissatisfaction and depressive symptoms, such that the stronger association was verified for the underweight adolescents [ 48 ]. Besides, a more recent study [ 40 ] revealed that body dissatisfaction positively predicted depressive symptoms among overweight/obese adolescents and vice-versa; however, among the healthy weight group, there was no relation in either direction [ 40 ].…”

Sintomas depressivos em adolescentes com excesso de peso

“…Outro estudo realizado com adolescentes negros também encontrou prevalência de sintomas depressivos mais elevadas em mulheres (média de 6,00 vs. 2,31, p = 0,080), porém não houve diferenças na insatisfação corporal por sexo (Wang, 2020).…”

“…Um estudo encontrou evidências de que adolescentes negros são menos vulneráveis às pressões relacionadas ao ideal de magreza, em comparação com adolescentes brancos. Além disso, mais de três quartos das mães dos adolescentes negros de baixa renda avaliados nesse estudo estavam ou com sobrepeso ou obesas, podendo indicar que adolescentes negros de baixa renda então protegidos do ideal de magreza (Wang, 2020).…”