Influence of the Mass Media and Body Dissatisfaction on the Risk in Adolescents of Developing Eating Disorders

Francisco Nataniel Macedo Uchôa, Natalia Macêdo Uchôa, Thiago Medeiros da Costa Daniele, Romário Pinheiro Lustosa, Nuno Domingos Garrido, Naira Figueiredo Deana, Ágata Cristina Marques Aranha and Nilton Alves
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Francisco Nataniel Macedo Uchôa: Department of Sports Sciences, Exercise and Health, Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro University, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal
Natalia Macêdo Uchôa: Department of Physiotherapy, University Center of Grande Fortaleza, Unigrande, Fortaleza 60525-571, Brazil
Thiago Medeiros da Costa Daniele: Department of Clinical Medicine, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Ceará 60430-275, Brazil
Romário Pinheiro Lustosa: Higer Institute of Biomedical Sciences, State University of Ceará, Fortalea, Ceará 60741-000, Brazil
Nuno Domingos Garrido: Department of Sports Sciences, Exercise and Health, Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro University, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal
Naira Figueiredo Deana: Center for Research in Epidemiology, Economics and Oral Public Health (CIEESPO), Faculty of Dentistry, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4780000, Chile
Ágata Cristina Marques Aranha: Department of Sports Sciences, Exercise and Health, Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro University, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal
Nilton Alves: Applied Morphology Research Center (CIMA), Faculty of Dentistry, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4780000, Chile

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 9, 1-14

Abstract: Media influence may lead adolescents to internalize patterns of physical beauty, resulting in dissatisfaction with their own bodies when they are unable to match up to these patterns. In the constant search for an ‘ideal body’, adolescents may begin to develop risk behaviors for the development of eating disorders (ED). The object of this study was to analyze the influence of the mass media on body dissatisfaction (BD) and on ED in adolescents, comparing genders. We also analyzed the influence of BD on the risk of developing unsuitable eating behaviors, with risk of ED, comparing genders. A cross-sectional study was carried out with 1011 adolescents: 527 girls and 484 boys. The BMI of each adolescent was determined, and the instruments EAT-26, Sociocultural Attitudes towards Appearance Questionnaire-3 (SATAQ-3), and body shape questionnaire (BSQ), were applied. For statistical analysis, we used Student’s t -test, the chi-square test, Pearson’s correlation test, the odds ratio, and hierarchical multiple linear regression. The influence of the mass media is associated with a greater probability of adolescents presenting BD. An increase in BD is associated with an increased risk of developing ED in adolescents of both genders but is greater in girls than in boys. Furthermore, the influence of the MM and BMI are predictors of BD in both genders; and BD is a predictor of ED risk in both girls and boys.

Keywords: body image; mass media; eating disorders; adolescents (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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