Association Between Body Image and Mental Health in Adolescents: A Social Issue
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21664/2238-8869.2023v12i3.p141-151Keywords:
body image dissatisfaction, depression, eating disordersAbstract
The construct of esthetic beauty is culturally and socially determined and widely disseminated by the media. The body image dissatisfaction (BID) is considered a public health problem, it is an important risk factor for disorders related to mental health, which is highly prevalent in adolescents and has an impact on social behavior. We aimed to evaluate the possible association between BID and the mental health aspects of depression and risk of eating disorders and identify the prevalence in adolescent boys and girls. The sample consisted of 308 adolescent students: 167 girls (54.2%) and 141 boys (45.8%). BID was identified by the silhouette scale. The Childhood Depression Scale (CDS) and Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) were used to assess MH. The chi-squared contingency test showed an association between body image and mental health variables in both sexes. Results: 70.1% of the girls and 76.6% of the boys exhibited BID. The girls demonstrated a significant association between body image and depressive symptoms (X(1) = 8.523; p = 0.004) and the risk of ED (X(1) = 14.281; p = 0.000). However, the boys exhibited no interactions between body image and mental health-related factors. Although BID was high in adolescents of both sexes, it may be a marker for depression and eating disorders in girls.
References
Aparicio-Martinez, P., Perea-Moreno, A. J., Martinez-Jimenez, M. P., Redel-Macias, M. D., Pagliari, C., & Vaquero-Abellan, M. (2019). Social Media, Thin-Ideal, Body Dissatisfaction and Disordered Eating Attitudes: An Exploratory Analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 16(21). doi:10.3390/ijerph16214177
Bighetti, F., Santos, C., Santos, J. E. R., & Ribeiro, R. (2004). Translation and validation of the Eating Attitudes Test in female adolescents in Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. J. bras. psiquiatr, 53(6), 339-346.
Boothroyd, L. G., Tovee, M. J., & Evans, E. H. (2021). Can realistic dolls protect body satisfaction in young girls? Body Image, 37, 172-180. doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2021.02.004
Carvalho, G. X., Nunes, A. P. N., Moraes, C. L., & Veiga, G. V. D. (2020). Body image dissatisfaction and associated factors in adolescents. Cien Saude Colet, 25(7), 2769-2782. doi:10.1590/1413-81232020257.27452018
Chae, J. (2017). Virtual makeover: Selfie-taking and social media use increase selfie-editing frequency through social comparison. Computers in Human Behavior, 1, 370-376. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.10.007
Coutinho M, Oliveira MX, Pereira DR, & IO., S. (2014). Indicadores psicométricos do Inventário de Depressão Infantil em amostra infanto-juvenil. Avaliação Psicológica, 13(2), 269-276.
de Souza Santos, S., Maciel, J., Fagundes, A., & Barbosa, K. (2020). Risk behaviors for eating disorders in adolescents at a public school. Revista o Mundo da Saúde, 44, 229-238.
Dion, J., Blackburn, M. E., Auclair, J., Laberge, L., Veillette, S., Gaudreault, M., . . . Touchette, E. (2015). Development and aetiology of body dissatisfaction in adolescent boys and girls. Int J Adolesc Youth, 20(2), 151-166. doi:10.1080/02673843.2014.985320
El Ansari, W., Dibba, E., & Stock, C. (2014). Body image concerns: levels, correlates and gender differences among students in the United Kingdom. Cent Eur J Public Health, 22(2), 106-117. doi:10.21101/cejph.a3944
Flores-Cornejo, F., Kamego-Tome, M., Zapata-Pachas, M. A., & Alvarado, G. F. (2017). Association between body image dissatisfaction and depressive symptoms in adolescents. Braz J Psychiatry, 39(4), 316-322. doi:10.1590/1516-4446-2016-1947
Fortes, L. S., Amaral, A. C., Almeida, S. S., Conti, M. A., & Ferreira, M. E. (2016). Psychometric qualities of the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) for Brazilian Male Adolescents. Psicol Teor e Pesqui, 32(3), 1-7.
Hatami, M., Taib, M. N., Djazayery, A., Mojani, M. S., & Mejlej, F. H. (2015). Relationship between body image, body dissatisfaction and weight status in Iranian adolescents. Global Epidemic Obesity, 3(1), 1-7.
Legey, S., Lamego, M. K., Lattari, E., Campos, C., Paes, F., Sancassiani, F., . . . Machado, S. (2016). Relationship Among Body Image, Anthropometric Parameters and Mental Health in Physical Education Students. Clin Pract Epidemiol Ment Health, 12, 177-187. doi:10.2174/1745017901612010177
Lim Y, & B., K. (2017). Body Mass Index, Body Weight Perception, and Depressed Mood in Korean Adolescents. J Korean Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry., 28, 31-37.
Lira, A. G., Ganen, A. P., Lodi, A. S., & Alvarenga, M. S. (2017). Social media consume, media influence and body dissatisfaction among Brazilian female adolescents. J bras psiquiatr, 66(3), 164-171.
Marques, F. A., Legal, E. J., & Höfelmann, D. A. (2012). Insatisfacción corporal y trastornos mentales comunes en adolescentes. Revista Paulista de Pediatria, 30(4), 553-561.
Mehta, V. (2007). Lively Streets: Determining Environmental Characteristics to Support Social Behavior. Journal of Planning Education and Research, 27(2).
Miao, Z., Wang, Y., & Sun, Z. (2020). The Relationships Between Stress, Mental Disorders, and Epigenetic Regulation of BDNF. Int J Mol Sci, 21(4). doi:10.3390/ijms21041375
Nowak, M. (1998). The weight-conscious adolescent: body image, food intake, and weight-related behavior. J Adolesc Health, 23(6), 389-398. doi:10.1016/s1054-139x(97)00263-2
Pelegrini, A., Coqueiro, R. S., Beck, C. C., Ghedin, K. D., Lopes, A. S., & Petroski, E. L. (2012). Insatisfação com a Imagem Corporal entre Adolescentes Estudantes: Associação com Fatores Sociodemográficos e Estado Nutricional. Cien Saude Colet., 19(4), 1201-1208.
Petroski, E. L., Pelegrini, A., & Glaner, M. F. (2012). [Reasons and prevalence of body image dissatisfaction in adolescents]. Cien Saude Colet, 17(4), 1071-1077. doi:10.1590/s1413-81232012000400028
Pizetta, Z. O., Barbosa, A., Santana, P. T., Marciano, G. C., Alves, N. D., & Ribeiro-Silva, R. (2015). Association of body image and eating disorders in adolescents in Minas Gerais (Brazil). Nutr clín diet hosp, 35(2), 48-56.
Ro, Y., & Hyun, W. (2012). Comparative study on body shape satisfaction and body weight control between Korean and Chinese female high school students. Nutr Res Pract, 6(4), 334-339. doi:10.4162/nrp.2012.6.4.334
Scagliusi, F. B., Alvarenga, M., Polacow, V. O., Cordas, T. A., de Oliveira Queiroz, G. K., Coelho, D., . . . Lancha, A. H., Jr. (2006). Concurrent and discriminant validity of the Stunkard's figure rating scale adapted into Portuguese. Appetite, 47(1), 77-82. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2006.02.010
Schmidt, C. W. (2007). Environmental connections: a deeper look into mental illness. Environ Health Perspect, 115(8), A404, A406-410. doi:10.1289/ehp.115-a404
Simbar, M., Nazarpour, S., Alavi Majd, H., Dodel Andarvar, K., Jafari Torkamani, Z., & Alsadat Rahnemaei, F. (2020). Is body image a predictor of women's depression and anxiety in postmenopausal women? BMC Psychiatry, 20(1), 202. doi:10.1186/s12888-020-02617-w
Soares Filho, L. C., Batista, R. F. L., Cardoso, V. C., Simoes, V. M. F., Santos, A. M., Coelho, S., & Silva, A. A. M. (2020). Body image dissatisfaction and symptoms of depression disorder in adolescents. Braz J Med Biol Res, 54(1), e10397. doi:10.1590/1414-431X202010397
Stefanova, E., Bakalar, P., & Baska, T. (2020). Eating-Disordered Behavior in Adolescents: Associations with Body Image, Body Composition and Physical Activity. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 17(18). doi:10.3390/ijerph17186665
Stunkard, A. J., Sorensen, T., & Schulsinger, F. (1983). Use of the Danish Adoption Register for the study of obesity and thinness. Res Publ Assoc Res Nerv Ment Dis, 60, 115-120.
Sujoldzic, A., & De Lucia, A. (2007). A cross-cultural study of adolescents--BMI, body image and psychological well-being. Coll Antropol, 31(1), 123-130.
Tiggemann, M., Hayden, S., Brown, Z., & Veldhuis, J. (2018). The effect of Instagram "likes" on women's social comparison and body dissatisfaction. Body Image, 26, 90-97. doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2018.07.002
Tillmann, S., Tobin, D., Avison, W., & Gilliland, J. (2018). Mental health benefits of interactions with nature in children and teenagers: a systematic review. J Epidemiol Community Health, 72(10), 958-966. doi:10.1136/jech-2018-210436
Vaquero-Cristóbal., Alacid, F., Muyor, J. M., & López-Miñarro, P. A. (2013). Imagen corporal: revisión bibliográfica / Body image: literature review. Nutr. hosp, 28(1), 27-35.
Vogel, S., & Schwabe, L. (2016). Learning and memory under stress: implications for the classroom. NPJ Sci Learn, 1, 16011. doi:10.1038/npjscilearn.2016.11
Bighetti, F., Santos, C., Santos, J. E. R., & Ribeiro, R. (2004). Translation and validation of the Eating Attitudes Test in female adolescents in Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. J. bras. psiquiatr, 53(6), 339-346.
Boothroyd, L. G., Tovee, M. J., & Evans, E. H. (2021). Can realistic dolls protect body satisfaction in young girls? Body Image, 37, 172-180. doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2021.02.004
Carvalho, G. X., Nunes, A. P. N., Moraes, C. L., & Veiga, G. V. D. (2020). Body image dissatisfaction and associated factors in adolescents. Cien Saude Colet, 25(7), 2769-2782. doi:10.1590/1413-81232020257.27452018
Chae, J. (2017). Virtual makeover: Selfie-taking and social media use increase selfie-editing frequency through social comparison. Computers in Human Behavior, 1, 370-376. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.10.007
Coutinho M, Oliveira MX, Pereira DR, & IO., S. (2014). Indicadores psicométricos do Inventário de Depressão Infantil em amostra infanto-juvenil. Avaliação Psicológica, 13(2), 269-276.
de Souza Santos, S., Maciel, J., Fagundes, A., & Barbosa, K. (2020). Risk behaviors for eating disorders in adolescents at a public school. Revista o Mundo da Saúde, 44, 229-238.
Dion, J., Blackburn, M. E., Auclair, J., Laberge, L., Veillette, S., Gaudreault, M., . . . Touchette, E. (2015). Development and aetiology of body dissatisfaction in adolescent boys and girls. Int J Adolesc Youth, 20(2), 151-166. doi:10.1080/02673843.2014.985320
El Ansari, W., Dibba, E., & Stock, C. (2014). Body image concerns: levels, correlates and gender differences among students in the United Kingdom. Cent Eur J Public Health, 22(2), 106-117. doi:10.21101/cejph.a3944
Flores-Cornejo, F., Kamego-Tome, M., Zapata-Pachas, M. A., & Alvarado, G. F. (2017). Association between body image dissatisfaction and depressive symptoms in adolescents. Braz J Psychiatry, 39(4), 316-322. doi:10.1590/1516-4446-2016-1947
Fortes, L. S., Amaral, A. C., Almeida, S. S., Conti, M. A., & Ferreira, M. E. (2016). Psychometric qualities of the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) for Brazilian Male Adolescents. Psicol Teor e Pesqui, 32(3), 1-7.
Hatami, M., Taib, M. N., Djazayery, A., Mojani, M. S., & Mejlej, F. H. (2015). Relationship between body image, body dissatisfaction and weight status in Iranian adolescents. Global Epidemic Obesity, 3(1), 1-7.
Legey, S., Lamego, M. K., Lattari, E., Campos, C., Paes, F., Sancassiani, F., . . . Machado, S. (2016). Relationship Among Body Image, Anthropometric Parameters and Mental Health in Physical Education Students. Clin Pract Epidemiol Ment Health, 12, 177-187. doi:10.2174/1745017901612010177
Lim Y, & B., K. (2017). Body Mass Index, Body Weight Perception, and Depressed Mood in Korean Adolescents. J Korean Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry., 28, 31-37.
Lira, A. G., Ganen, A. P., Lodi, A. S., & Alvarenga, M. S. (2017). Social media consume, media influence and body dissatisfaction among Brazilian female adolescents. J bras psiquiatr, 66(3), 164-171.
Marques, F. A., Legal, E. J., & Höfelmann, D. A. (2012). Insatisfacción corporal y trastornos mentales comunes en adolescentes. Revista Paulista de Pediatria, 30(4), 553-561.
Mehta, V. (2007). Lively Streets: Determining Environmental Characteristics to Support Social Behavior. Journal of Planning Education and Research, 27(2).
Miao, Z., Wang, Y., & Sun, Z. (2020). The Relationships Between Stress, Mental Disorders, and Epigenetic Regulation of BDNF. Int J Mol Sci, 21(4). doi:10.3390/ijms21041375
Nowak, M. (1998). The weight-conscious adolescent: body image, food intake, and weight-related behavior. J Adolesc Health, 23(6), 389-398. doi:10.1016/s1054-139x(97)00263-2
Pelegrini, A., Coqueiro, R. S., Beck, C. C., Ghedin, K. D., Lopes, A. S., & Petroski, E. L. (2012). Insatisfação com a Imagem Corporal entre Adolescentes Estudantes: Associação com Fatores Sociodemográficos e Estado Nutricional. Cien Saude Colet., 19(4), 1201-1208.
Petroski, E. L., Pelegrini, A., & Glaner, M. F. (2012). [Reasons and prevalence of body image dissatisfaction in adolescents]. Cien Saude Colet, 17(4), 1071-1077. doi:10.1590/s1413-81232012000400028
Pizetta, Z. O., Barbosa, A., Santana, P. T., Marciano, G. C., Alves, N. D., & Ribeiro-Silva, R. (2015). Association of body image and eating disorders in adolescents in Minas Gerais (Brazil). Nutr clín diet hosp, 35(2), 48-56.
Ro, Y., & Hyun, W. (2012). Comparative study on body shape satisfaction and body weight control between Korean and Chinese female high school students. Nutr Res Pract, 6(4), 334-339. doi:10.4162/nrp.2012.6.4.334
Scagliusi, F. B., Alvarenga, M., Polacow, V. O., Cordas, T. A., de Oliveira Queiroz, G. K., Coelho, D., . . . Lancha, A. H., Jr. (2006). Concurrent and discriminant validity of the Stunkard's figure rating scale adapted into Portuguese. Appetite, 47(1), 77-82. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2006.02.010
Schmidt, C. W. (2007). Environmental connections: a deeper look into mental illness. Environ Health Perspect, 115(8), A404, A406-410. doi:10.1289/ehp.115-a404
Simbar, M., Nazarpour, S., Alavi Majd, H., Dodel Andarvar, K., Jafari Torkamani, Z., & Alsadat Rahnemaei, F. (2020). Is body image a predictor of women's depression and anxiety in postmenopausal women? BMC Psychiatry, 20(1), 202. doi:10.1186/s12888-020-02617-w
Soares Filho, L. C., Batista, R. F. L., Cardoso, V. C., Simoes, V. M. F., Santos, A. M., Coelho, S., & Silva, A. A. M. (2020). Body image dissatisfaction and symptoms of depression disorder in adolescents. Braz J Med Biol Res, 54(1), e10397. doi:10.1590/1414-431X202010397
Stefanova, E., Bakalar, P., & Baska, T. (2020). Eating-Disordered Behavior in Adolescents: Associations with Body Image, Body Composition and Physical Activity. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 17(18). doi:10.3390/ijerph17186665
Stunkard, A. J., Sorensen, T., & Schulsinger, F. (1983). Use of the Danish Adoption Register for the study of obesity and thinness. Res Publ Assoc Res Nerv Ment Dis, 60, 115-120.
Sujoldzic, A., & De Lucia, A. (2007). A cross-cultural study of adolescents--BMI, body image and psychological well-being. Coll Antropol, 31(1), 123-130.
Tiggemann, M., Hayden, S., Brown, Z., & Veldhuis, J. (2018). The effect of Instagram "likes" on women's social comparison and body dissatisfaction. Body Image, 26, 90-97. doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2018.07.002
Tillmann, S., Tobin, D., Avison, W., & Gilliland, J. (2018). Mental health benefits of interactions with nature in children and teenagers: a systematic review. J Epidemiol Community Health, 72(10), 958-966. doi:10.1136/jech-2018-210436
Vaquero-Cristóbal., Alacid, F., Muyor, J. M., & López-Miñarro, P. A. (2013). Imagen corporal: revisión bibliográfica / Body image: literature review. Nutr. hosp, 28(1), 27-35.
Vogel, S., & Schwabe, L. (2016). Learning and memory under stress: implications for the classroom. NPJ Sci Learn, 1, 16011. doi:10.1038/npjscilearn.2016.11
Downloads
Published
2023-10-27
How to Cite
LEGEY, Sandro et al. Association Between Body Image and Mental Health in Adolescents: A Social Issue. Fronteiras - Journal of Social, Technological and Environmental Science, [S. l.], v. 12, n. 3, p. 141–151, 2023. DOI: 10.21664/2238-8869.2023v12i3.p141-151. Disponível em: https://periodicos.unievangelica.edu.br/index.php/fronteiras/article/view/6823. Acesso em: 16 may. 2024.
Issue
Section
Articles
License
This journal offers immediate free access to its content, following the principle that providing free scientific knowledge to the public, we provides greater global democratization of knowledge.
As of the publication in the journal the authors have copyright and publication rights of their articles without restrictions.
The Revista Fronteiras: Journal of Social, Technological and Environmental Science follows the legal precepts of the Creative Commons - Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International. 
