Association between Body Image Dissatisfaction and Self-Rated Health, as Mediated by Physical Activity and Eating Habits: Structural Equation Modelling in ELSA-Brasil

Patricia De Oliveira da Silva, Joanna Miguez Nery Guimarães, Rosane Härter Griep, Enirtes Caetano Prates Melo, Sheila Maria Alvim Matos, Maria Del Carmem Molina, Sandhi Maria Barreto and Maria De Jesus Mendes da Fonseca
Additional contact information
Patricia De Oliveira da Silva: National School of Public Health, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rua Leopoldo Bulhões, 1480, Manguinhos, 21041-210 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
Joanna Miguez Nery Guimarães: National School of Public Health, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rua Leopoldo Bulhões, 1480, Manguinhos, 21041-210 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
Rosane Härter Griep: Laboratory of Health and Environment Education, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Manguinhos, 21040-360 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
Enirtes Caetano Prates Melo: National School of Public Health, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rua Leopoldo Bulhões, 1480, Manguinhos, 21041-210 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
Sheila Maria Alvim Matos: Institute of Collective Health, Universidade Federal da Bahia, 40110-040 Salvador, BA, Brazil
Maria Del Carmem Molina: Health Sciences Centre, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, 29043-900 Vitória, ES, Brazil
Sandhi Maria Barreto: Faculty of Medicine, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
Maria De Jesus Mendes da Fonseca: National School of Public Health, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rua Leopoldo Bulhões, 1480, Manguinhos, 21041-210 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 4, 1-14

Abstract: This study investigated whether the association between body image dissatisfaction and poor self-rated health is mediated by insufficient physical activity and unhealthy eating habits. The participants were 6727 men and 8037 women from the baseline (2008–2010) of the Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (Estudo Longitudinal de Saúde do Adulto, ELSA-Brasil). Structural equation modelling was used. Associations were found between body image dissatisfaction and poor self-rated health in both sexes. Insufficient physical activity was a mediator. However, unhealthy eating habits were found to exert a mediator effect only via insufficient physical activity. Body image dissatisfaction was found to associate, both directly and possibly indirectly, with poor self-rated health, mediated by insufficient physical activity and unhealthy eating habits. Accordingly, encouraging physical activity and healthy eating can contribute to reducing body image dissatisfaction and favour better self-rated health.

Keywords: self-rated health; body image dissatisfaction; physical activity; eating habits (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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