scholarly journals The Relation between the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance and the Lifestyle and Self-Esteem of Adolescents

Author(s):  
Rasa Mickūnienė ◽  
Simona Pajaujienė ◽  
Rasa Jankauskienė

Background. The adolescents seeking to conform to the ideal appearance associate the reduction of weight with smoking and alcohol consumption (Haley, Hedberg, & Leman, 2010) or go on a diet instead of increasing their physical activity (Liechty, 2010). The adolescents dissatisfied with their body have lower self-esteem (Neumark-Sztainer  et  al.,  2006).  In  this  study  we  assumed  that  the  sociocultural  attitudes  towards  appearance  would  be associated  with  adolescents’  harmful  lifestyle  and  lower  self-esteem.  Research  aim  was  to  disclose  the  relation between the sociocultural attitudes towards appearance of adolescents and their lifestyle and self-esteem.Methods. The research was carried out in Kaunas schools (n = 16) using the method of written survey. In total, 805 adolescents were surveyed, 329 (41.1%) out of them were boys. The mean age (SD) of the respondents was  17.23  (0.6)  years.  Instruments:  Sociocultural  Attitudes  Towards  Appearance  Questionnaire-3  SATAQ-3-L (Thompson, van den Berg, Roehrig, Guarda, & Heinberg,  2004), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Questionnaire (Rosenberg, 1989). Physical activity (PA) was determined using the questions from the international study Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children. The frequency of dieting and having harmful habits were determined by individual questions. Results. The weight of the majority of adolescents (75.5%) was normal. The numbers of adolescents were as follows: those who smoked (39.8%), consumed alcohol (80.5%), were on diet (36.8%), and had low levels of physical activity (74.4%). The adolescents who smoked, consumed alcohol and were on diet had significantly higher scores  in  all  SATAQ  subscales.  Physically  active  adolescents  were  more  striving  to  meet  the  Internalization  of athletic body image. In the groups of boys and girls, BMI was related to more frequent sociocultural pressures  (p < .01) and more frequent dieting (p < .01). In the group of boys, the frequency of smoking was related to lower self-esteem (p < .05). In the group of girls, sociocultural pressures were related to lower self-esteem (p < .05). Conclusion. The sociocultural attitudes towards appearance of adolescents are related to more harmful lifestyle and lower self-esteem. Therefore, health literacy of the adolescents has to be increased by teaching proper attitudes towards their bodies, appropriate diet, and exercising.Keywords: sociocultural attitudes towards appearance, body image, lifestyle, physical activity, self-esteem.

2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 97
Author(s):  
Monika Übner ◽  
Kandela Õun ◽  
Merle Mägi

In 2013/2014, a study on students’ health behaviour was conducted in Estonia. In 2016, a school-aged children’s lifestyle study was carried out in Pärnu City and Pärnu County. The survey explored the students’ relations with their family and friends, family affluence, physical activity, use of alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis. 2,512 respondents participated in the study, 48% of them were boys and 52% girls. The respondents mainly had a family with two biological parents and their family financial status was mostly “good”. About half of the respondents played computer games 0.5–3 hours a day, but those who were physically active spent less hours behind the computer and had higher family financial status. Respondents who were not physically very active met friends less frequently. In communication with friends, they used more social media. The questionnaire included several questions about risk behaviours. If the respondent had one bad habit, this was likely to lead to other bad habits, too.


2009 ◽  
pp. 69-84
Author(s):  
Amanda Nerini

- The present study analyses the relation among media influence, self esteem and body dissatisfaction in a group of preadolescent boys and girls. 243 preadolescents with the mean age of 12 were involved. The group consisted of 127 boys and 116 girls. They were asked to complete the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-3 (SATAQ-3; Thompson et al., 2004), the Body Shape Questionnaire (Dowson e Henderson, 2001) and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965). Preadolescent females reported higher levels of body dissatisfaction than preadolescent males. They also scored higher in three SATAQ-3 subscales: whether media are important source of information about being attractive, internalization of a media thin ideal and perceived media pressures to be thin. Body mass index and internalization of a thin ideal emerged as significant predictors of body dissatisfaction for both sexes. Perceived media pressures predict body dissatisfaction only among girls.Key words: media influence, self-esteem, body dissatisfaction, preadolescenceParole chiave: influenza dei media, autostima, insoddisfazione corporea, preadolescenza.


2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (9) ◽  
pp. 937-947 ◽  
Author(s):  
Avery Ironside ◽  
Leah J. Ferguson ◽  
Tarun R. Katapally ◽  
Heather J.A. Foulds

Cultural connectedness has been associated with increased self-esteem and mental health among Indigenous Peoples. Physical activity is an important contributor to health, although the importance of culture as a determinant of physical activity for Indigenous Peoples in Canada is unclear. The purpose of this study is to evaluate differences in cultural connectedness between Indigenous adults in Canada achieving high and low physical activity levels. Questionnaires evaluated cultural connectedness and physical activity. Indigenous adults were classified into high and low physical activity groups at the specific group mean and as meeting or not meeting musculoskeletal activity guidelines of twice per week. First Nations and specifically Cree/Nehiyaw First Nations adults who were more physically active reported greater identity, spirituality, traditions, exploration, commitment, affirmation/belonging, and overall cultural connectedness. Cultural connectedness elements of commitment, exploration, identity, affirmation/belonging, traditions, spirituality, and overall cultural connectedness were not different between high and low physical activity Métis adults. Musculoskeletal activity was not associated with any elements of cultural connectedness among any Indigenous identity. Cultural connectedness is a protective factor for physical activity among First Nations and Cree/Nehiyaw First Nations adults, but not among Métis adults in Canada. Novelty Musculoskeletal activity was not associated with cultural connectedness. Cultural connectedness is a protective factor of physical activity for First Nations adults. Moving away from one’s home community was associated with lower cultural connectedness for Indigenous Peoples.


Author(s):  
Rasa Jankauskiene ◽  
Migle Baceviciene ◽  
Simona Pajaujiene ◽  
Dana Badau

The present study aimed to assess the-prevalence of health-compromising eating and physical activity behaviours, and to test their associations with physical activity, internalisation of sociocultural attitudes towards appearance, and body image in a sample of adolescents of both genders. A total sample of 736 adolescents (437 or 59.4% were girls) participated in the study. The participants ranged in age from 16 to 19 years (x = 17.2, SD = 0.6). The sample completed a questionnaire measuring body mass index, the risk of eating disorders, body image, internalisation of sociocultural ideals of appearance, health-compromising eating behaviours (HCEB), and health-compromising weight control related to physical activity behaviours (HCPAB). Logistic regressions were used to assess the associations between the study variables and predictors of HCEB and HCPAB. The results of the study showed a relatively high prevalence of HCEB with a significantly higher prevalence in girls and participants with a higher BMI. The study also demonstrated that the prevalence of adolescent HCPAB was higher than HCEB. The internalisation of sociocultural attitudes towards appearance and body image concerns were higher in the HCEB and HCPAB groups. Female gender (OR = 1.88; 95% PI = 1.10–3.18), HCPAB (OR = 1.19; 95% PI = 1.10–1.28), a preoccupation with being overweight (OR = 3.43; 95% PI = 2.52–4.66), and body weight evaluation as too high (OR = 2.40; 95% PI = 1.57–3.68) were significant predictors of HCEB. More frequent physical activity (OR = 3.02; 95% PI = 1.76–5.17), HCEB (OR = 1.22; 95% PI = 1.11–1.32), and perceived pressures to conform to popular beauty ideals (OR = 1.51; 95% PI = 1.12–2.03) predicted higher HCPAB. HCPAB is an important variable associated with adolescents’ body image, physical activity, and weight control. The results of the present study are important for health promotion and education programs addressing adolescents’ healthy lifestyle, weight control, and body image concerns.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle L. Segar ◽  
John A. Updegraff ◽  
Brian J. Zikmund-Fisher ◽  
Caroline R. Richardson

The reasons for exercising that are featured in health communications brand exercise and socialize individuals about why they should be physically active. Discovering which reasons for exercising are associated with high-quality motivation and behavioral regulation is essential to promoting physical activity and weight control that can be sustained over time. This study investigates whether framing physical activity in advertisements featuring distinct types of goals differentially influences body image and behavioral regulations based on self-determination theory among overweight and obese individuals. Using a three-arm randomized trial, overweight and obese women and men (aged 40–60 yr,n=1690) read one of three ads framing physical activity as a way to achieve (1) better health, (2) weight loss, or (3) daily well-being. Framing effects were estimated in an ANOVA model with pairwise comparisons using the Bonferroni correction. This study showed that there are immediate framing effects on physical activity behavioral regulations and body image from reading a one-page advertisement about physical activity and that gender and BMI moderate these effects. Framing physical activity as a way to enhance daily well-being positively influenced participants’ perceptions about the experience of being physically active and enhanced body image among overweight women, but not men. The experiment had less impact among the obese study participants compared to those who were overweight. These findings support a growing body of research suggesting that, compared to weight loss, framing physical activity for daily well-being is a better gain-frame message for overweight women in midlife.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kiley Tyler ◽  
Megan MacDonald ◽  
Kristi Menear

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by impairments in social communication deficits and the presence of restricted and repetitive behaviors, interests, or activities. Literature comparing the physical activity and fitness of children with ASD to typically developing peers is in need of attention. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the physical activity and fitness of school-aged children with ASD (N=17) in comparison to typically developing peers (N=12). Participants with ASD completed diagnostic and developmental assessments and a series of physical fitness assessments: 20-meter multistage shuttle, sit-and-reach test, handgrip strength, and body mass index. Physical activity was measured using accelerometry and preestablished cut-points of physical activity (Freedson et al., 2005). MANCOVA revealed significant between-group effects in strength (P=.03), while ANCOVA revealed significant between-group effects in sedentary (P=.00), light (P=.00), moderate (P=.00), and total moderate-to-vigorous (P=.01) physical activity. Children with ASD are less physically active and fit than typically developing peers. Adapted physical activity programs are one avenue with intervention potential to combat these lower levels of physical activity and fitness found in children with ASD.


Open Medicine ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 679-684 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vidmantas Vaiciulis ◽  
Saulius Kavaliauskas ◽  
Ricardas Radisauskas

AbstractTo evaluate the possibilities of physical activity in developing inmates’ healthy lifestyle and social skills. The research, which was conducted in 2009 in Pravieniskes First and Second Correction Houses, was local and cross-sectional using a written questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of four groups of questions/statements: I — demographic questions; II — questions/statements about inmates’ physical (sports) activities (was created for this study) and III — assessment of inmates’ social skills. And IV — assessment of inmates’ self esteem. Sufficiently physically active inmates (n=185) comprised 57.8 percent of the total number of respondents. Inmates’ physical activity statistically significantly (p<0.05) correlates with their younger age. Secondary education is prevailing in the group of physically active inmates, while primary — lower secondary education predominates in the group of physically inactive inmates (n=135). Only less than 6 percent of inmates have higher education. The average age of physically active inmates is statistically significantly lower than that of physically inactive inmates, 26 and 31.6 years respectively (p=0.01). The analysis of inmates’ contentment with their psychological state and satisfaction with health care services, food quality, and conditions for sports activities showed that physically active inmates are more critical about these factors than physically inactive inmates. Only the contentment with psychological state in physically active inmates is statistically significantly higher than in inactive inmates. Out of eleven social skills assessed in the study, only two skills (ability to initiate conversation with a stranger and sense of responsibility) are statistically significant (p<0.05). The probability that the convicts who have a strong sense of responsibility tend to be more physically active than the inmates who do not consider themselves responsible is 7.4 times higher. The study results showed that self-esteem in physically active inmates is statistically significantly higher that in physically inactive inmates (p=0.033). Low self-esteem was not determined in any inmates.


2020 ◽  
Vol 31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafael Ming Chi Santos Hsu ◽  
Jaroslava Varella Valentova

Abstract Despite the well-known benefits for health, low levels of physical activity (PA) remain a public health issue. Research on motives for engaging in different PA shows differences in motives for Sports and Exercises. However, few studies addressed motives using more categories of PA. In this research, we investigated motives for four categories of PA (Individual Sports, Collective Sports, Exercises, and Body/Movement Practices), and possible effects of sex and age among 1,420 physically active individuals. Respondents answered the Motivation for Physical Activity Measure Revised. Intrinsic motives were higher for Sports, while Exercisers were motivated more extrinsically. Body/Movement Practices, although being composed of several activities defined by previous studies as Exercises, showed a motivational pattern closer to Sports. Fitness/Health motivation increased with age, while Appearance motivation decreased. Regarding sex, women reported higher Interest/Enjoyment than men. Our results can have implications for physical activities promotion, especially considering more categories than Sports/Exercises in the context of different motives.


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