Why do adolescent girls watch their weight? An interview study examining sociocultural pressures to be thin

Wertheim, Eleanor H.; Paxton, Susan J.; Schutz, Helena K.; Muir, Sharry L.

doi:10.1016/s0022-3999(96)00368-6

Cited by 212 publications

(142 citation statements)

References 33 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

125

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…When having a similarity focus, consumers' self-esteem should assimilate to the standard's evaluation, because they view themselves as similar to the standard. A thin body is viewed by most women as an ideal that every woman should strive to achieve (Wertheim et al 1997). Therefore, a similarity focus should enhance self-esteem in the case of thin standards and should lower self-esteem in the case of heavy standards.…”

Section: H2amentioning

confidence: 99%

The Effects of Thin and Heavy Media Images on Overweight and Underweight Consumers: Social Comparison Processes and Behavioral Implications

Smeesters¹,

Mussweiler²,

Mandel³

2010

J Consum Res

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Section: H2amentioning

confidence: 99%

The Effects of Thin and Heavy Media Images on Overweight and Underweight Consumers: Social Comparison Processes and Behavioral Implications

Smeesters¹,

Mussweiler²,

Mandel³

2010

J Consum Res

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

“…Qualitative interviews with young women (Wertheim, Paxton, Schutz, & Muir, 1997), and our own clinical experience leading body acceptance groups with adolescent girls and women, suggest that intense pressures to be thin emanate from peers. This qualitative data revealed that one of the more insidious forms of social pressure to be thin occurs indirectly when a thin peer complains about how fat she feels and how she needs to lose weight.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This is because the implication is that the heavier observer is even more overweight and in even greater need of weight loss than the thinner peer who is obsessing about her weight. Another indication of the importance of peer pressure is that adolescent girls reported comparing themselves with immediate friends and other girls at school more frequently than they compare themselves with models, actresses, or family members (Wertheim et al, 1997). Therefore, we sought to manipulate such indirect peer pressure to be thin by having a slender and attractive undergraduate confederate either (1) complain about how fat she feels and enumerate the extensive steps she is taking to lose weight or (2) talk about a neutral topic.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adverse effects of social pressure to be thin on young women: An experimental investigation of the effects of “fat talk”

Stice

Maxfield

Wells

2003

Intl J Eating Disorders

218

140

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract:Objective: Experiments have found that pressure to be thin from the media promotes body dissatisfaction and negative affect, but the effects of social pressure to be thin have not been examined experimentally. Thus, this study tested whether social pressure to be thin fosters body dissatisfaction and negative affect. Method: Young women (N ¼ 120) were randomly assigned to a condition wherein an ultra-thin confederate complained about how fat she felt and voiced intentions to lose weight or a control condition wherein she discussed a neutral topic. Results: Exposure to social pressure to be thin resulted in increased body dissatisfaction but not negative affect. The effects were not moderated by initial thinideal internalization, body dissatisfaction, or social support. Discussion: Results support the assertion that peer pressure to be thin promotes body dissatisfaction but suggest that this factor may not contribute to negative affect.

show abstract

“…9,10 Sociocultural pressures to be thin via the media are strong, 11,12 and peer dieting attitudes and behaviors have also been shown to be very important to adolescents. 10 However, studies have shown that parents, particularly mothers, can have a substantial influence on their children's eating and dieting patterns.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Weight-related attitudes and behaviors ofadolescent boys and girls who are encouraged to diet by their mothers

et al. 2002

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

OBJECTIVE:To assess the relationships between mothers' reports of dieting and encouraging adolescents to diet and adolescents' reports of their own dieting practices and weight-related concerns. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study of parent interviews and adolescent surveys in an ethnically-diverse sample. SUBJECTS: A total of 810 adolescents (n ¼ 381 boys and n ¼ 429 girls) and their mothers. RESULTS: Mothers' dieting was associated with their adolescent girls' weight-related concerns and behaviors, but these associations were not significant after adjusting for girls' body mass index (BMI). In contrast, mothers' encouragement for sons to diet was associated with sons' binge eating, dieting and other weight-control behaviors, even after controlling for sons' BMI. Compared with mothers who did not encourage their child to diet, mothers who encouraged their child to diet were significantly heavier women and were more likely to view their child as overweight. Forty-three percent of boys and 46% of girls who were encouraged by their mothers to diet were classified as nonoverweight by federal guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: Boys who are encouraged by their mothers to diet may be at risk for health-compromising eating and dieting behaviors, particularly binge-eating, fasting, eating a little bit of food and skipping meals. Parents who are concerned about their children's weight should be educated to encourage healthy eating habits and physical activity to promote their children's health, including healthy weight control.

show abstract

Why do adolescent girls watch their weight? An interview study examining sociocultural pressures to be thin

Cited by 212 publications

References 33 publications

The Effects of Thin and Heavy Media Images on Overweight and Underweight Consumers: Social Comparison Processes and Behavioral Implications

The Effects of Thin and Heavy Media Images on Overweight and Underweight Consumers: Social Comparison Processes and Behavioral Implications

Adverse effects of social pressure to be thin on young women: An experimental investigation of the effects of “fat talk”

Weight-related attitudes and behaviors ofadolescent boys and girls who are encouraged to diet by their mothers

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About