Body mass index and self-reported body image in German adolescents

Abstract

Background Despite knowledge about eating disorder symptoms in children and adolescents in the general population, relatively little is known about self-reported and sex-specific eating-disorder-related psychopathology, as well as its specific correlates. Methods 880 German school-attending adolescents (15.4 ± 2.2 years) and 30 female patients with AN (16.2 ± 1.6 years) were studied. All participants completed the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 and a Body Image Questionnaire. Results There were more overweight males than females (15.2% vs 10.1%, p < 0.001), but more females with underweight than males (6.2% vs. 2.5%, p < .001). Negative body evaluations (p < .001) and dissatisfaction (p < .001) were significantly more frequent in females. Compared to underweight female patients with AN, underweight school-attending females had less negative body evaluations (p < .001) and lower scores on 5 of the 11 EDI-2 subscales (p < .001; p < .05). Conclusions Males were more overweight than females, females more underweight. Body image was more important to female than to male youth, yet without reaching pathological values when compared to female patients with AN. Complex emotional and cognitive challenges seem to be a representative factor for eating pathology rather than simply being underweight. These aspects may be relevant for the shift from a thinness-related focus in girls in the general population to the development of an eating disorder.

What Role Does Body Image in Relationship between Level of Health Literacy and Symptoms of Eating Disorders in Adolescents?

“…Moreover, self-efficacy has a positive impact on self-esteem [51] as one of the core factors of body image [34]. Thus, the current study extends those findings to demonstrate that behind relationships between body image and weight reduction behaviour [8,52], including symptoms for eating disorders [36,53], the health literacy may play a significant role in establishing adolescents' body image and subsequently symptoms for eating disorders. On the other hand, the nature of the HLSAC measurement tool used in this study is based on beliefs in one's own competences (i.e., self-efficacy) [45], and thus the self-perceived indicators may tend to group together [21].…”

Relationships among Physical Self-Concept, Physical Activity and Mediterranean Diet in Adolescents from the Province of Granada

“…To this end, Álvarez [75] emphasised the same conclusion, which is that body image influences both the physical and general self-concept, and for this reason, males show higher levels of self-concept as self-perceptions of the physical image in females tend to be harsher. Given the importance of this aspect, several authors emphasised the importance of promoting a healthy body image given the link identified among body dissatisfaction, high BMI and a negative physical self-concept, especially attractiveness [25,[80][81][82].…”

Adolescent male genitalia dissatisfaction

“…Adolescence is a critical period for body image development because of the various social, cultural, physical, and psychological changes occurring between the ages of 12 years and 18 years. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 …”

“…Adolescents’ perceptions of their body image rest on some psychosocial concepts: the social idea of the ideal body and everyday comparison among people. 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 …”