scholarly journals Body appreciation and appearance evaluation in individuals with obesity compared to individuals with normal-weight: findings from a representative German population sample

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natascha-Alexandra Weinberger ◽  
Claudia Luck-Sikorski
Keyword(s):  
Body Image ◽  
Population Sample ◽  
Normal Weight ◽  
Future Research ◽  
German Population ◽  
Body Appreciation ◽  
Level Of Evidence ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Positive Body Image ◽  
Evaluation Scores

Abstract Purpose Body image has been identified as an important factor in mental health in individuals with obesity. Previous studies have focused on negative body image and research of positive body image—particularly in obesity—is still in its infancy. The current study explored the positive body image facet body appreciation and the negative facet appearance evaluation in different BMI groups as well as men and women. Methods A total of 1003 participants of the general German public above the age of 18 years completed measures on body appreciation and appearance evaluation. Results Significantly lower body appreciation was observed in male participants with obesity compared to normal-weight participants. In women, the BMI groups did not differ significantly in body appreciation. BMI was negatively associated with appearance evaluation in both genders. While men and women did not differ in body appreciation, men reported lower appearance evaluation scores compared to women. Conclusion The present study is one of few that investigated positive body image in individuals with obesity compared to individuals with normal weight. The findings underscore the potential of body appreciation as a resource in treatment of body image concerns in individuals with obesity. Further implications for future research are discussed. Level of evidence III, case–control analytic study.

scholarly journals Body Image and Voluntary Gaze Behaviors towards Physique-Salient Images

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 2549
Author(s):  
April Karlinsky ◽  
Holly Howe ◽  
Melissa de Jonge ◽  
Alan Kingstone ◽  
Catherine M. Sabiston ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Image ◽  
Media Consumption ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Body Appreciation ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Physical Strength ◽  
Adult Men ◽  
Self Perceptions ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Image Variables

The purpose of this study was to explore body image correlates of voluntary consumption of physique-salient media. A secondary aim was to assess changes in affect following media consumption. Young adult men (n = 47; mean age = 20.2 years) and women (n = 87; mean age = 19.5 years) were discretely exposed to images of same-sex models with idealized- and average-physiques while completing an irrelevant computer task. Voluntary gaze at the images was covertly recorded via hidden cameras. Participants also completed measures of affect before and after the computer task. Measures of body-related envy, body appreciation, and self-perceptions of attractiveness, thinness, and physical strength were completed. Men and women did not differ in how often nor for how long they looked at the images overall, but body image variables were differentially associated with their voluntary gaze behaviors. For men, higher body-related envy and lower body appreciation were correlated with more looks at the average-physique model. Although women reported higher body-related envy than men, envy and body appreciation were not significant correlates of gaze behaviors for women. Both men and women experienced a general affective decrease over time, but only for men was the change in negative affect associated with their time spent looking at the ideal-physique image. Overall, these findings suggest that body-related envy and body appreciation influence how men choose to consume physique-salient media, and that media consumption may have negative consequences for post-exposure affect. Body image factors appear to be more strongly associated with behavior in men, perhaps because men are generally less often exposed to physique-salient media and, in particular, to average-physique images.

scholarly journals Body appreciation: A buffer against the impact of shame on depression

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S533-S533 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Marta-Simões ◽  
C. Ferreira ◽  
A.L. Mendes
Keyword(s):  
Body Image ◽  
Graphical Representation ◽  
Depressive Symptomatology ◽  
Community Sample ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
Body Appreciation ◽  
Moderator Effect ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Buffering Effect ◽  
The Impact

Shame is defined as a painful affect, associated with the perception that one's personal characteristics and/or behaviours are seen by others as unattractive. Since it signals the possibility of rejection, high levels of shame associate with high psychological suffering and several psychopathological conditions, namely depression. In contrast, body appreciation is considered a set of attitudes of acceptance and affection towards one's body image, even when one is displeased with certain body characteristics, being therefore a disposition to self-soothing and care. Taking into account the association of body appreciation with healthy mental functioning, this study aimed at exploring the buffering effect of body appreciation against shame's impact on the display of depression symptoms. This hypothesis was tested through path analysis in a community sample of adult men and women. Results revealed body appreciation as a significant moderator of the association between external shame and depressive symptomatology. The tested model explained 45% of the variance of depressive symptomatology. A graphical representation allowed understanding that this moderator effect is particularly expressive in those who experience medium to high levels of shame. In these cases, men and women who present higher body appreciation tend to display fewer depression symptoms. These results seem to emphasize the importance of establishing a positive relationship with one's own body image, which appears to be protective either for men's and women's mental health. Considering its buffering effect of shame's impact on depression, upcoming interventions in this area could benefit from the assessment and cultivation of positive body image.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Broad Conceptualization of Beauty

2019 ◽  
pp. 52-57
Author(s):  
Tracy L. Tylka
Keyword(s):  
Body Image ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
The Body ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Adult Women ◽  
Body Appreciation ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
Body Sizes ◽  
Clinical Considerations ◽  
Theory Research

A theme of broadly conceptualizing beauty has emerged in interviews of adolescent and adult women who espouse a positive body image. Broadly conceptualizing beauty is perceiving many looks, appearances, and body sizes/shapes as beautiful and drawing from inner characteristics (e.g., confidence) when determining an individual’s beauty. This chapter first discusses the relevance of broadly conceptualizing beauty to theory, research, and practice on girls’ and women’s positive embodiment. Next, this chapter presents the Broad Conceptualization of Beauty Scale (BCBS), which assesses women’s attitudes toward other women’s beauty. The BCBS has been shown to yield evidence of reliability and validity among community samples of women. It can also be combined with an item from the Body Appreciation Scale-2, which assesses self-beauty, to obtain a more comprehensive assessment of women’s tendency to broadly conceptualize beauty (i.e., within themselves and others). The chapter ends by discussing future research and clinical considerations for this construct.

Promoting Positive Body Image and Embodiment in Schools

2019 ◽  
pp. 346-359
Author(s):  
Zali Yager
Keyword(s):  
Body Image ◽  
Media Literacy ◽  
Program Effectiveness ◽  
The Body ◽  
Body Appreciation ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Positive Body Image ◽  
Self Compassion ◽  
Program Content

Body image programming has been implemented in schools to varying degrees of success, but to date, no programs specific to positive body image have been developed and evaluated. This chapter reviews programs that have been effective in improving body image to determine whether the elements of positive body image and embodiment have been present in program content. Some elements of positive body image, such as media literacy and critiquing stereotypes, were present in all five programs conducted with children (<12 years), and all eight programs conducted with adolescents (13–18 years). Additionally, agency (through activism and voice) and broadly conceptualizing beauty were often present in children’s programs, and resisting objectification and agency were often present in adolescent programs. Only one program included the Body Appreciation Scale as a measure of program effectiveness. Potential future directions for programs are discussed, including the incorporation of positive movement, mindfulness, and self-compassion.

“Don’t bring me down”

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (7) ◽  
pp. 936-955
Author(s):  
Kristin J. Homan ◽  
Samara Wild ◽  
Kristyn R. Dillon ◽  
Rachel Shimrock
Keyword(s):  
Body Image ◽  
Attachment Anxiety ◽  
Male Students ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Secure Attachment ◽  
Body Appreciation ◽  
General Measure ◽  
Anxious Attachment ◽  
Ample Evidence ◽  
Causal Direction

Ample evidence has shown that secure attachment is related to more positive body-related attitudes in women. However, existing studies are primarily correlational, leaving questions about causal direction unanswered. This article reports results of two experiments that tested the effects of a guided visualization priming procedure on body image. In Experiment 1, 87 female undergraduates completed a neutral prime at Time 1 and were randomly assigned to either a secure or anxious prime at Time 2. They completed a general measure of body image after each priming task. In Experiment 2, 49 female students and 51 male students completed a neutral prime, a secure prime, and an anxious prime, followed by a measure of body appreciation, at three different sessions 1 week apart. In both studies, women’s body image worsened in response to the anxious attachment prime but was unaffected by the secure attachment prime. For women, the effect of the anxious prime was conditional upon body mass index and dispositional attachment anxiety. The primes had no effect on men’s body image. Directions for future research, clinical implications, and limitations of the present studies are discussed.

Body image self-consciousness and sexting among heterosexual and non-exclusively heterosexual individuals

2020 ◽  
pp. 146144482090946
Author(s):  
Dominika Howard ◽  
Bianca Klettke ◽  
Elizabeth Clancy ◽  
Ian Fuelscher ◽  
Matthew Fuller-Tyszkiewicz
Keyword(s):  
Body Image ◽  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Binary Logistic Regression ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Sexual Agency ◽  
Regression Analyses ◽  
Sexual Relations ◽  
Men And Women

This study sought to explore whether body image self-consciousness during sexual relations predicts whether and for what reasons individuals send sexts. A series of ordinal and binary logistic regression analyses revealed that increased body image self-consciousness during sexual relations predicted consensual but unwanted instances of sexting for men and women, a lower frequency of sending sexts among heterosexual individuals, and a lesser likelihood of sending sexts in order to flirt. Body image self-consciousness, however, was not predictive of sending sexts in general or sending sexts in order to ‘feel sexy’. This research provides support for the negative relationship between body image self-consciousness and sexual agency across gender, and suggests that individuals affected by body image anxieties might be prone to technology-mediated abuse. Study limitations and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Body Appreciation and Health Care Avoidance: A Brief Report

2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mackenzie Cook ◽  
Virginia Ramseyer Winter ◽  
Elizabeth A O’Neill
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Body Image ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Care Use ◽  
Care Utilization ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Body Appreciation ◽  
Social Work Interventions ◽  
Work Education

Abstract Research suggests that body image is related to health behaviors and health care use, but possible mechanisms for this relationship remain unclear. The current study examined the presence of a relationship between body appreciation and avoiding the doctor to avoid being weighed, using a diverse sample of women (N = 499). Controlling for body size and determinants of health care utilization, logistic regression results suggested that women with higher body appreciation were less likely to avoid health care to avoid being weighed (odds ratio = 0.38, p &lt; .001). In addition, differences in avoiding the doctor to avoid being weighed were found for the covariates (that is, age, race, body mass index, and socioeconomic status). These results inform knowledge regarding barriers to health care use and the relationship between body image and health care use. The article concludes with a discussion of the implications for future research, social work interventions, and social work education to promote women’s health and well-being.

Compassion-Based Interventions to Facilitate Positive Body Image and Embodiment

2019 ◽  
pp. 265-276
Author(s):  
Allison C. Kelly ◽  
Kathryn E. Miller ◽  
Kiruthiha Vimalakanthan ◽  
Jessica R. Dupasquier ◽  
Sydney Waring
Keyword(s):  
Eating Disorders ◽  
Body Image ◽  
Empirical Research ◽  
Body Appreciation ◽  
Positive Body Image ◽  
Self Compassion ◽  
Compassion Focused Therapy ◽  
Mixed Gender ◽  
Overweight Or Obesity ◽  
Improve Health

A growing number of interventions for body image and eating disorders now seek to build individuals’ capacities for self-compassion and other-compassion. Compassion-focused therapy (CFT) helps self-critical individuals to relate to themselves and others from a more compassionate mindset and to grow more comfortable receiving compassion from others. Though more empirical research is needed, preliminary studies revealed that in women with eating disorders, body image preoccupation, or the presence of overweight or obesity, CFT-based interventions can reduce eating pathology, decrease shame, improve body image, increase capacities for self-compassion and other-compassion, and improve health. In addition, mindfulness meditations that focus on the cultivation of self-compassion and other-compassion have been found to improve body image-related experiences, including body appreciation. It will be important to extend the extant research by conducting larger scale studies of compassion-based interventions in mixed-gender samples with a greater focus on assessing positive body image outcomes.

Handbook of Positive Body Image and Embodiment

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niva Piran
Keyword(s):  
Body Image ◽  
Emotional Regulation ◽  
Social Power ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
The Body ◽  
Body Appreciation ◽  
Positive Body Image ◽  
Social Interventions ◽  
Dialectical Relationship ◽  
And Gender

Positive body image entails appreciating, loving, respecting, nurturing, protecting, and seeing beauty in the body regardless of its consistency with media appearance ideals. Embodiment reflects a connection between the mind and the body, which have a continual dialectical relationship with the world, and includes positive body connection, body agency and functionality, attuned self-care, positive experiences with body desires, and living in the body as a subjective rather than objectified site. This 38-chapter handbook reviews current knowledge of positive body image and embodiment, as well as future directions for work in these areas, which will be useful for mental health researchers, practitioners, advocates, and activists. Nine chapters review constructs that represent the positive ways we live in our bodies: experiences of embodiment, body appreciation, body functionality, body image flexibility, broad conceptualization of beauty, mindful attunement, intuitive eating, attunement with exercise, and attuned sexuality. Fifteen chapters speak to how we can cultivate positive body image and embodiment by expanding physical freedom (mindful movement, personal safety, connection to agency and desire); mental freedom (resisting objectification, stigma, media images, and gender-related molds); and social power (within families, peers, support systems, and online contexts). Last, 14 chapters address novel ways we can enhance positive body image and embodiment through individual and social interventions that focus on compassion, acceptance, emotional regulation, mindfulness, social justice, movement (yoga), cognitive dissonance, media literacy, and public health and policy initiatives.

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