Raising the bar on the body beautiful: An analysis of the body image concerns of homosexual men

Abstract Background and aims Persistent pain is a pervasive condition that is often associated with a distorted body image. Most research into pain and body image investigated neural or physiological correlates (e.g. phantom limb pain), and much less is known about the psychological experience of body image changes in response to pain such as appearance concerns. The aim was to examine body image concerns in people with persistent pain, in particular appearance concerns and related coping behaviours and appearance-related emotions such as anger and shame. Methods Design was cross-sectional and data was collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with people suffering from persistent musculoskeletal pain (n=7; six females; age=19–56), and analysed with inductive thematic analysis (TA). Results Two main themes were identified: “Relationship to the painful body” and “Dissatisfaction with the body”, each containing three subthemes, along with the side-theme “Appearance concerns affected by pain and mood”. All participants reported appearance concerns, predominantly about their weight and related coping behaviours such as avoidance of mirrors, exercising or dieting and pain-induced mood changes that were associated with a negative body image. Conclusions People with persistent pain report appearance concerns, often related to pain-induced negative mood changes, and reduced functioning. It remains unclear to what extent attitudes towards the body change over time in accordance with pain. A wider concept of body image is required, including the perception of reduced functioning, related appraisals (e.g. “I look weak and old”) and appearance investment.

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An Investigation into Body Image Concerns in the Head and Neck Cancer Population Receiving Radiation or Chemoradiation Using the Body Image Scale: A Pilot Study

Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences ◽

10.1016/j.jmir.2016.10.002 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 48 (2) ◽

pp. 159-165 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Leah Branch ◽

Carina Feuz ◽

Maurene McQuestion

Keyword(s):

Body Image ◽

Head And Neck Cancer ◽

Pilot Study ◽

Head And Neck ◽

Neck Cancer ◽

The Body ◽

Body Image Scale ◽

Body Image Concerns

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Appearance-Related Partner Preferences and Body Image in a German Sample of Homosexual and Heterosexual Women and Men

Archives of Sexual Behavior ◽

10.1007/s10508-021-02087-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Martin Cordes ◽

Silja Vocks ◽

Andrea S. Hartmann

Keyword(s):

Body Image ◽

Sexual Orientation ◽

Romantic Partners ◽

Eating Pathology ◽

The Body ◽

Heterosexual Men ◽

Homosexual Men ◽

Drive For Thinness ◽

Partner Preferences ◽

Heterosexual Women

AbstractThere is evidence that gender as well as sexual orientation can affect body image. In particular, heterosexual women and homosexual men seem to be more vulnerable to a negative body image compared to homosexual women and heterosexual men. One reason for this may be derived from the fact that heterosexual women and homosexual men try to attract male romantic partners: As men place more importance on physical attractiveness than do women, the pressure to fulfill the sociocultural beauty ideal is thus increased. The present online study investigated differences in appearance-related partner preferences and their associations with measures of body image and eating pathology in homosexual and heterosexual women and men. The non-representative sample consisted of 893 participants (n = 201 lesbian women, n = 192 gay men, n = 349 heterosexual women, and n = 151 heterosexual men), who completed silhouette measures assessing their perception and expectations regarding body fat and muscularity of their own body and the body of a potential romantic partner, as well as questionnaires on drive for thinness, drive for muscularity, and eating pathology. Overall, few differences in appearance-related partner preferences emerged between the four groups. However, compared to heterosexual women, homosexual men appeared to prefer higher muscularity in potential romantic partners, which was also associated with increased drive for thinness and muscularity and increased eating pathology. The present findings indicate that, irrespective of sexual orientation, women and men tend to share similar standards regarding their own and a potential partner’s physical appearance, potentially suggesting an increased hegemony of heteronormative beauty ideals in women and men in general.

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Body Image Concern and Eating Disorder Symptoms Among Elite Icelandic Athletes

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph16152728 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (15) ◽

pp. 2728 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Hafrún Kristjánsdóttir ◽

Petra Sigurðardóttir ◽

Sigurlaug Jónsdóttir ◽

Guðlaug Þorsteinsdóttir ◽

Jose Saavedra

Keyword(s):

Eating Disorders ◽

Body Image ◽

Eating Disorder ◽

Body Image Dissatisfaction ◽

Eating Attitudes ◽

The Body ◽

Real Problem ◽

Eating Disorder Examination ◽

Body Image Concern ◽

Body Image Concerns

The aim of this study was to analyse body image concerns and symptoms of eating disorders in elite Icelandic athletes according to their sex, and sport practiced. The participants were 755 athletes (24.8 ± 3.5 years in age) who compete at the highest possible level in Iceland. Representing 20 different sports, they were divided into five sports groups. Three questionnaires were used: the Body Shape Questionnaire to assess body image concerns; the Bulimia Test-Revised to assess the main symptoms of bulimia; and the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire to identify disordered eating attitudes and behaviours. A chi-squared test was used to analyse differences in prevalence of body image concern and eating disorders, a t-test for the differences between men and women, and a one-way ANOVA to compare the different sports. The main findings were that 17.9% of the athletes presented severe or moderate body image dissatisfaction, and 18.2% (25.3% of the women) were above the clinical cutoff for body image concern. Women’s scores were higher than men’s (whole sample and ball games) in all variables except restraint. These results seem to point to the existence of a real problem that athlete, coaches, doctors, and institutions need to take into account.

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Eating attitudes and body image concerns among female athletes from aesthetic sports

Annales Kinesiologiae ◽

10.35469/ak.2020.242 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 3-16

Author(s):

Aleksandra Aleksić Veljković ◽

Dušanka Đurović ◽

Filip Biro ◽

Katarina Stojanović ◽

Predrag Ilić

Keyword(s):

Body Mass Index ◽

Body Image ◽

Body Shape ◽

Female Athletes ◽

Body Image Dissatisfaction ◽

Eating Attitudes ◽

The Body ◽

Eating Attitudes Test ◽

Body Image Concerns ◽

Aesthetic Sports

Purpose: Research has suggested that in female athletes from aesthetic sports the prevalence of disordered eating attitudes is higher than in female athletes from other sports, mainly due to sport related factors like extreme training and practicing sports associated with high pressure and the idea that “being thin leads to success”. The study was conducted to examine the prevalence of disturbed eating attitudes and their relationship with body image concerns in aesthetic and non-aesthetic female athletes. Methods: 54 female athletes from aesthetic sports (synchronized swimming, artistic and rhythmic gymnastics, and dance), as well as 66 female athletes from non-aesthetic sports (volleyball, track and field, and soccer), completed the Eating Attitudes Test, the Body Shape Questionnaire, and the Figure Rating Scale (a visual scale used to assess body image dissatisfaction and body image dissatisfaction in relation to sport). Results: The results indicated that aesthetic athletes scored significantly higher than those involved in non-aesthetic sports in Dieting, and in Body Image Dissatisfaction. Moreover, aesthetic athletes demonstrated significantly lower BMI mean scores. Significant correlations were found between Body Mass Index and Oral Control, Body Image Dissatisfaction and Body Image Dissatisfaction in relation to Sport, and between Eating Attitudes Test and the Body Shape Questionnaire results in aesthetic athletes. Furthermore, significant associations were found between Body Mass Index and Body Shape Questionnaire, Body Image Dissatisfaction and Body Image Dissatisfaction in relation to Sport, and Eating Attitudes Test and Body Shape Questionnaire in non-aesthetic athletes. Conclusion: The study confirmed the relationship between body image concerns and pathological eating attitudes among female aesthetic sport athletes.

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