Body size ideals and dissatisfaction in Ghanaian adolescents: role of media, lifestyle and well-being

Michels, Nathalie; Amenyah, Sophia

doi:10.1016/j.puhe.2017.01.006

Cited by 17 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…We observed differences between rural and urban settings within the countries in terms of body size preferences. Furthermore, we noted that countries with the highest economic development, such as South Africa (83)(84)(85) , Ghana (94) and Egypt (28,59,63,82) , presented several studies showing a preference for thinness, particularly in young women.…”

Section: Summary Of Key Findingsmentioning

confidence: 87%

Body size preferences for women and adolescent girls living in Africa: a mixed-methods systematic review

Pradeilles

Holdsworth

Olaitan

et al. 2021

Public Health Nutr.

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Objective: To synthesise evidence on body size preferences for females living in Africa and the factors influencing these. Design: Mixed-methods systematic review including searches on Medline, CINHAL, ASSIA, Web of Science and PsycINFO (PROSPERO CRD42015020509). A sequential-explanatory approach was used to integrate quantitative and qualitative findings. Setting: Urban and rural Africa. Participants: Studies of both sexes providing data on body size preferences for adolescent girls and women aged ≥10 years. Results: 73 articles from 21 countries were included: 50 quantitative, 15 qualitative and eight mixed methods. Most studies reported a preference for normal or overweight body sizes. Some studies of adolescent girls/young women indicated a preference for underweight. Factors influencing preferences for large(r) body sizes included: socio-demographic (e.g. education, rural residency), health-related (e.g. current Body Mass Index, pubertal status), psycho-social (e.g. avoiding HIV stigma) and socio-cultural factors (e.g. spouse’s preference, social standing, cultural norms). Factors influencing preferences for slim(mer) body sizes included: socio-demographic (e.g. higher socioeconomic status, urban residency, younger age), health-related (e.g. health knowledge, being nulliparous), psycho-social (e.g. appearance, body size perception as overweight/obese), and socio-cultural factors (e.g. peer pressure, media). Conclusions: A preference for overweight (not obese) body sizes among some African females means that interventions need to account for the array of factors that maintain these preferences. The widespread preference for normal weight is positive in public health terms, but the valorisation of underweight in adolescent girls/young women may lead to an increase in body dissatisfaction. Emphasis needs to be placed on education to prevent all forms of malnutrition.

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Section: Summary Of Key Findingsmentioning

confidence: 87%

Body size preferences for women and adolescent girls living in Africa: a mixed-methods systematic review

Pradeilles

Holdsworth

Olaitan

et al. 2021

Public Health Nutr.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…However, current eating patterns are low in fruit, vegetables and milk, involve a high intake of snacks/sweets (cookies, salty snacks and candies) and soft drinks, and often involve skipping breakfast (49) . Paradoxically, the media promote a thin ideal body, especially for girls, and a muscular body for boys, which can affect an individual's relationship with his/her own body (50,51) . A study among adolescents found that each hour of screen time was associated with lower physical activity and higher BMI percentile, waist-to-height-ratio, body fat, waist circumference and poorer body image (11) .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Weight self-perception in adolescents: evidence from a population-based study

Martini

Assumpção

Barros

et al. 2021

Public Health Nutr.

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OBJECTIVE: Evaluate weight misperception among adolescents and determine associations between self-perceived weight and sociodemographic characteristics, BMI, screen time, self-rated food quantity and diet quality, weekly frequency of breakfast and the consumption of healthy and unhealthy foods. DESIGN: A cross-sectional, two-stage, probabilistic population-based study was conducted in Campinas, Brazil. Multinomial logistic regressions were run to estimate weight self-perception. SETTING: Data from the Campinas Health Survey (ISACamp) and Campinas Food Consumption Survey (ISACamp-Nutri). PARTICIPANTS: A total of 911 adolescents aged 10–19 years. RESULTS: Nearly half (47.7%) of the adolescents with overweight/obesity did not evaluate their weight properly. Weight self-perception as thin and excess weight were associated with the female gender, overweight/obesity, self-rated diet quality as poor/very poor, and eating snacks ≥3 times/week. Adolescents who did not consume breakfast daily were less likely to perceive themselves as thin. Adolescents who ate excessively were more likely and those who consumed cookies/crackers ≥3 times/week were less likely to perceive themselves as having excess weight. CONCLUSIONS: Greater weight misperception was found in overweight/obese adolescents. Gender, BMI, self-rated food quantity/diet quality, weekly frequency of breakfast and some unhealthy foods were associated with self-perceived weight. The present findings could contribute to health promotion strategies targeting adolescents.

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“…It is important to note that the discrepancy between current and ideal body sizes is not per se damaging in nature. A discrepancy between current and ideal body sizes may also motivate individuals to take control of their weight by eating more healthy or engaging in exercise or sports (Lantz et al, 2018;Michels & Amenyah, 2017).…”

Section: Weight-related Selvesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Weight-Related Selves and Their Relationship With Body Mass Index Among Young Individuals in Curaçao

Dijkstra

Brummen-Girigori

Barelds

2019

Journal of Black Psychology

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Based on the assumptions of self-discrepancy theory, the present study examined the degree of overweight, weight-related body images, and the relation between these images and body mass index (BMI) among two samples of young people from Curaçao (secondary school students, n = 176; undergraduate students, n = 205). In addition to BMI, participants reported their current, ideal, and most feared body sizes, the thinnest and largest body sizes still acceptable to them, and the body size they considered the healthiest by means of the Contour Drawing Rating Scale. We expected females to show a larger discrepancy between current and ideal body size than males (Hypothesis 1) and that this discrepancy (as an indicator of body dissatisfaction) would be related more strongly to BMI among females than among males (Hypothesis 2). Results yielded support for Hypothesis 1 among secondary school students only. Only in the undergraduate sample, BMI and body dissatisfaction were related, but equally so for males and females. Possible explanations are discussed as well as implications for weight management interventions.

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Body size ideals and dissatisfaction in Ghanaian adolescents: role of media, lifestyle and well-being

Cited by 17 publications

References 37 publications

Body size preferences for women and adolescent girls living in Africa: a mixed-methods systematic review

Body size preferences for women and adolescent girls living in Africa: a mixed-methods systematic review

Weight self-perception in adolescents: evidence from a population-based study

Weight-Related Selves and Their Relationship With Body Mass Index Among Young Individuals in Curaçao

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