A Perspective on Female Obesity and Body Image in Middle Eastern Countries

Testing Western Media Icons Influence on Arab Women’s Body Size and Shape Ideals: An Experimental Approach

Social Sciences ◽

10.3390/socsci7090142 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 7 (9) ◽

pp. 142

Author(s):

Salma Khaled ◽

Bethany Shockley ◽

Yara Qutteina ◽

Linda Kimmel ◽

Kien Trung

Keyword(s):

Body Image ◽

Body Size ◽

Online Survey ◽

Middle Eastern ◽

Body Image Dissatisfaction ◽

Thin Body ◽

Size And Shape ◽

Body Ideal ◽

Media Globalization ◽

Western Media

Western media globalization is implicated in the spread of the thin body ideal to traditional societies. Qatar—a small conservative Middle-Eastern country—has recently witnessed rapid Westernization, but the influence of Western media icons on women’s body image dissatisfaction has rarely been studied here. A 2 (celebrity or model) × 3 (thin, average, or heavy) plus a control condition between-subject experiment tested the primary hypothesis that exposure to images of thin Western models or celebrities promotes a thinner body ideal compared to neutral images. A sample of young women (n = 1145) was randomly assigned to experimental images as part of an online survey. After exposure to images, participants rated their current and desired body size and shape, reported celebrity liking, and evaluated their favorite celebrity’s body. We found little support for the desire of thinness. Viewing thin- and average-sized celebrities was significantly associated with desiring a heavier and a thinner look (respectively) among those favoring thin celebrities. Images of thin models induced the desire for a curvaceous body figure with hips especially among those favoring celebrities with hips. The findings highlight important nuances in the influence of Western media icons on body image among women in a non-Western culture.

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A Perspective on Female Obesity and Body Image in Middle Eastern Countries

Handbook of Healthcare in the Arab World ◽

10.1007/978-3-319-74365-3_38-1 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-26

Author(s):

Rabab B Alkutbe

Keyword(s):

Body Image ◽

Middle Eastern

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Middle Eastern women, media artists and ‘self-body image’

Technoetic Arts ◽

10.1386/tear.15.1.61_1 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

pp. 61-74

Author(s):

Omnia Salah

Keyword(s):

Body Image ◽

Middle Eastern ◽

Middle Eastern Women

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Validierung einer deutschsprachigen Version des Body Image Avoidance Questionnaire BIAQ

Diagnostica ◽

10.1026/0012-1924.53.4.218 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 53 (4) ◽

pp. 218-225 ◽

Cited By ~ 40

Author(s):

Tanja Legenbauer ◽

Silja Vocks ◽

Sabine Schütt-Strömel

Keyword(s):

Body Image ◽

Deutschsprachige Version ◽

Body Image Avoidance

Zusammenfassung. Ziel dieser Studie ist die Validierung der deutschsprachigen Übersetzung des Body Image Avoidance Questionnaire (BIAQ). Der 19-Item-Fragebogen ist ein Instrument zur Selbstbeurteilung von Verhaltensweisen, die häufig bei Körperbildstörungen auftreten und mit Sorgen hinsichtlich der physischen Erscheinung einhergehen können. Er erfasst insbesondere körperbezogenes Vermeidungs- und Kontrollverhalten. Die deutschsprachige Version des BIAQ wurde an einer Stichprobe von n = 296 Studentinnen (KG) und n = 64 Frauen mit einer Essstörung (EG) überprüft. Die explorative Faktorenanalyse ergab im Gegensatz zur Originalversion die drei Faktoren “Kleidung“, “Soziale Aktivitäten“ und “Essensbezogenes Kontrollverhalten“. Reliabilität und Trennschärfe sind als gut zu beschreiben. Die Skalen stehen in einem inhaltlichen Zusammenhang mit konvergenten Fragebögen zum Körperbild und zur Essstörungssymptomatik. Die Subskalen des BIAQ trennen zuverlässig zwischen EG und KG. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die deutschsprachige Übersetzung und Modifikation des BIAQ ein reliables und valides Instrument zur Beurteilung von körperbildbezogenem Vermeidungsverhalten ist.

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The Draw-A-Person Test and Body Image

Rorschachiana Journal of the International Society for the Rorschach ◽

10.1027/1192-5604/a000042 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 35 (1) ◽

pp. 3-22 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Jonathan E. Handelzalts ◽

Yael Ben-Artzy-Cohen

Keyword(s):

Body Mass Index ◽

Body Image ◽

Body Mass ◽

Significant Relationship ◽

Diet Group ◽

Female Students ◽

Self Report ◽

Body Image Scale ◽

Healthy Female

The Draw-A-Person (DAP) test has been the center of a long-lasting debate regarding its validity. This study investigated the DAP indices of height, width (size), and inclusion/omission of details and their relation to body image as measured by a self-report scale (Gray’s body image scale) and manifested by the diet behaviors and body mass index of 55 healthy female students. Although the drawings of the diet group were smaller, there was no significant relationship between figure size and diet behaviors. However, body image as measured by a self-report scale did result in significant differences between groups. Moreover, there was a significant correlation between the size of the figure drawn and body image as measured by a self-report scale (larger figures correlated with better body image). No significant results were found for the omission/inclusion indices of the DAP. These results are discussed in light of previous findings regarding the DAP.

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