scholarly journals Differences in body dissatisfaction, weight-management practices and food choices of high-school students in the Bangkok metropolitan region by gender and school type

2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (7) ◽  
pp. 1222-1232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pitipa Chongwatpol ◽  
Gail E Gates
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Body Dissatisfaction ◽  
Weight Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Food Choices ◽  
Metropolitan Region ◽  
School Type ◽  
Single Gender ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Mixed Gender

AbstractObjectiveThe present study aimed to compare body dissatisfaction, food choices, physical activity and weight-management practices by gender and school type.DesignA questionnaire was used to obtain height, weight, body image perception using Stunkard’s figure rating scale, food choices, physical activity and weight-management practices.SettingNine single- and mixed-gender schools located in Bangkok Metropolitan Region, Thailand.SubjectsStudents in 10th–12th grade, aged 15–18 years (n2082).ResultsOnly 18 % of females and 21 % of males did not indicate body dissatisfaction. About 66 % of females selected a thinner ideal figure than their current figure. Among males, 44 % wanted a thinner figure, but 35 % wanted a bigger figure. However, univariate analysis found differences by school type but not gender in the degree of body dissatisfaction; students in single-gender schools had more body dissatisfaction. Females reported using more weight-management practices but less physical activity, while males reported healthier food choices. Participants in single-gender schools had healthier food choices compared with those in mixed-gender schools. Adolescents who were at increased risk of a greater degree of body dissatisfaction were females, attended single-gender schools, had lower household income, higher BMI and less physical activity.ConclusionsMost participants reported being dissatisfied with their current body shape, but the type and level of dissatisfaction and use of weight-management practices differed by gender and type of school. These findings suggest that programmes to combat body dissatisfaction should address different risk factors in males and females attending single- and mixed-gender schools.

“This cage that I’m stuck inside”: Autistic adults’ perceptions of weight management, body weight, and body image

Autism ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 136236132110069
Author(s):  
Sean Healy ◽  
Carly Pacanowski ◽  
Lauren Kennedy ◽  
Iva Obrusnikova
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Body Image ◽  
Body Weight ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Weight Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Medical Professionals ◽  
Autistic Adults

Personal beliefs and attitudes about body weight and body image are important determinants of weight management practices. To inform efforts to prevent and treat obesity among autistic adults, this study examined how autistic adults perceive weight management, body weight, and body image. Eleven adults participated in semi-structured interviews. Consistent with an interpretive paradigm, an interpretative phenomenological analysis methodology was employed, resulting in four themes: (a) Mental and physical health: direct and indirect interactions, (b) ASD traits and health-related behaviors, (c) Body dissatisfaction: Unrealistic ideals and misperceptions, and (d) Sources of information. This study’s findings have several implications for research and practice. First, participants viewed overweight and obesity as just one component of a holistic perspective of health. A dynamic, bidirectional relationship between mental health and physical health, including overweight/obesity was described, leading us to posit that the promotion of mental health is crucial for the promotion of overall health among autistic adults. Second, body dissatisfaction was pervasive among participants in this sample. This finding requires future research as it may be an important target for intervention, with relevance for mental health and weight management practices. Finally, interactions with medical professionals regarding weight management were perceived to be inadequate. Lay abstract Our beliefs and feelings about our bodies and our body weight influence our weight management behaviors, such as physical activity and eating behaviors. These beliefs and feelings are largely shaped by how we interact with, and compare ourselves to, people in our lives. Due to the social traits associated with autism, autistic adults may have different perceptions of body weight, body image, and weight management than neurotypical adults. To explore this, for the first time, we interviewed 11 autistic adults. The participants’ perceptions can be summarized in four findings. First, the participants viewed overweight and obesity as just one part of their overall health. Participants described how their mental health and physical health, including overweight/obesity, were closely connected. Second, some traits related to autism made weight management difficult; for example, eating and physical activity were negatively impacted by social anxiety, sensory sensitivity, obsessiveness, and a strong desire for routine. Third, participants were generally dissatisfied with how they looked. This was primarily due to a disconnect between how they felt their body looked and how it actually looked in real life. Other people, including on social media, also negatively influenced how they perceived themselves. Fourth, and finally, participants described how they got most of their weight management-related information online. Medical professionals were frequently described as being unprepared to provide them assistance related to weight management.

scholarly journals A Narrative Review on Female Physique Athletes: The Physiological and Psychological Implications of Weight Management Practices

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 682-689 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nura Alwan ◽  
Samantha L. Moss ◽  
Kirsty J. Elliott-Sale ◽  
Ian G. Davies ◽  
Kevin Enright
Keyword(s):  
Weight Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Female Athletes ◽  
Narrative Review ◽  
Low Energy ◽  
Energy Availability ◽  
Intensive Training ◽  
Aesthetic Appearance ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Low Energy Availability

Physique competitions are events in which aesthetic appearance and posing ability are valued above physical performance. Female physique athletes are required to possess high lean body mass and extremely low fat mass in competition. As such, extended periods of reduced energy intake and intensive training regimens are used with acute weight loss practices at the end of the precompetition phase. This represents an increased risk for chronic low energy availability and associated symptoms of relative energy deficiency in sport, compromising both psychological and physiological health. Available literature suggests that a large proportion of female physique athletes report menstrual irregularities (e.g., amenorrhea and oligomenorrhea), which are unlikely to normalize immediately postcompetition. Furthermore, the tendency to reduce intakes of numerous essential micronutrients is prominent among those using restrictive eating patterns. Following competition, reduced resting metabolic rate, and hyperphagia, is also a concern for these female athletes, which can result in frequent weight cycling, distorted body image, and disordered eating/eating disorders. Overall, female physique athletes are an understudied population, and the need for more robust studies to detect low energy availability and associated health effects is warranted. This narrative review aims to define the natural female physique athlete, explore some of the physiological and psychological implications of weight management practices experienced by female physique athletes, and propose future research directions.

scholarly journals A comparison of activity levels of girls in single-gender and mixed-gender physical education

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 231-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Wallace ◽  
Duncan Buchan ◽  
Nicholas Sculthorpe
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Vigorous Physical Activity ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Single Gender ◽  
Point Scale ◽  
Perceived Effort ◽  
Actigraph Accelerometer ◽  
Level Of Activity ◽  
Physical Activity Levels ◽  
Mixed Gender

This study examined whether single-gender or mixed-gender PE lessons were more conducive to increasing the physical activity levels of girls. One hundred and twenty girls (12–15 years) wore a wGT3x+ActiGraph accelerometer while participating in basketball games. Time spent in low (LPA), moderate (MPA), vigorous (VPA), and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were compared between a single-gender and mixed-gender PE lesson. Perceived effort and enjoyment of each lesson were also captured using a three-point scale following the intervention. Girls were found to spend significantly more time in MVPA ( p = 0.01) and VPA ( p = 0.006) in the single-gender environment. Furthermore, girls spent significantly less time in LPA ( p = 0.014). Although girls believed that their effort did not alter with the addition of boys, they did show a preference for taking part in a single-gender environment. Results of this study suggest that segregating PE classes for game-based activities could lead girls to achieve greater health benefits through a higher level of activity.

scholarly journals Assessment of Weight Management Practices among Adults in the United Arab Emirates

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amita Attlee ◽  
Nour Atmani ◽  
Viktor Stromtsov ◽  
Fatima Ali ◽  
Rim Tikarly ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Weight Management ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Medical Condition ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Sociodemographic Variables ◽  
Number Of Patients

With a rise in global incidence of overweight and obesity, the number of patients seeking weight management (WM) advice is likely to increase. Our aim was to explore the prevalence of WM practices and investigate association of WM goals with sociodemographic variables and practices among United Arab Emirates (UAE) adults. An exploratory, cross-sectional research was conducted on 1275 adult males and females, residing in UAE. A structured questionnaire was administered. WM goals to lose/maintain/gain weight were reported in 88.3% participants. WM goals were significantly associated with age, sex, marital status, education, current body weight perception, and medical condition. Out of 21 selected WM practices, popular strategies included increasing physical activity (52.9%), eating less fat (51.1%), consuming fewer calories (43.3%), joining gym (27.5%), skipping meals (26.1%), and consuming natural herbs and teas (20.7%). Visiting dietitian (12.3%) ranked ninth in the order of preference. Males focused on physical activity, gyms, and wellness centers and females on calories counting, dietitian visits, meals replacement, skipping meals, and natural herbs/teas. Married adults reported eating less fat (54.3% versus 47.3%, p=0.020); singles opted calories counting, gyms, and meals replacement. Frequent referral sources were friends (37.8%) and Internet (32.1%). Most UAE adults had WM goals that were associated with sociodemographic variables and WM practices. Awareness about the ill-effects of unhealthy WM practices and importance of dietitian’s consultation are imperative.

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