Data Sheet 1_Nutrition knowledge, attitudes toward physical activity and malnutrition as predictors of social appearance anxiety: a structural equation modeling approach.zip

BackgroundSocial appearance anxiety (SAA) has emerged as a critical psychosocial concern among young adults, influenced by various behavioral and cognitive factors. Despite growing recognition of the role of health literacy, limited research has examined how nutrition knowledge may influence SAA through indirect pathways.
ObjectiveThis study aimed to examine the predictive role of nutrition knowledge on social appearance anxiety, with a particular focus on the mediating effects of physical activity attitudes and malnutrition.
MethodsA cross-sectional design with a convenience sample of 338 university-level athletes (Mage = 22.04, SD = 3.46) was employed. Participants completed validated measures of nutrition knowledge, attitudes toward physical activity, malnutrition, and SAA. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to analyze direct and indirect pathways. Model fit indices and bootstrapping methods were used to test mediation effects.
ResultsNutrition knowledge was negatively associated with SAA (β = −0.19, p < 0.001). However, this direct relationship lost significance when physical activity attitudes and malnutrition were introduced as parallel mediators. Mediation analysis revealed significant indirect effects of nutrition knowledge on SAA through both physical activity attitudes (β = −0.30, p < 0.001) and malnutrition (β = −0.42, p < 0.001), supporting a full mediation model. The final model explained 27% of the variance in social appearance anxiety and demonstrated satisfactory fit indices (e.g., RMSEA = 0.065; CFI = 0.93).
ConclusionThe findings underscore the importance of targeting both behavioral (physical activity) and physiological (malnutrition) mediators when addressing the impact of nutrition knowledge on social appearance anxiety. Interventions designed to reduce SAA should incorporate components that enhance nutritional literacy and promote positive lifestyle behaviors to improve mental and physical well-being among young adults.

背景：社交外貌焦虑（Social Appearance Anxiety, SAA）已成为青年群体中亟待关注的重要社会心理问题，其受多种行为与认知因素共同影响。尽管学界对健康素养（Health Literacy）的作用愈发重视，但目前鲜有研究探讨营养知识如何通过间接路径对社交外貌焦虑产生影响。
目的：本研究旨在探究营养知识对社交外貌焦虑的预测作用，重点考察运动态度与营养不良的中介效应（Mediation Effect）。
方法：本研究采用横断面设计（Cross-sectional Design），以便利抽样（Convenience Sample）选取338名高校运动员作为研究对象（平均年龄M=22.04，标准差SD=3.46）。所有参与者完成了经过信效度检验的营养知识、运动态度、营养不良及社交外貌焦虑相关量表测评。本研究采用结构方程模型（Structural Equation Modeling, SEM）分析直接与间接路径，并通过模型拟合指数（Model Fit Indices）与Bootstrap法（Bootstrapping）检验中介效应。
结果：营养知识与社交外貌焦虑呈显著负相关（β=-0.19，p<0.001）。但当将运动态度与营养不良作为平行中介变量纳入模型后，该直接关联不再具有统计学显著性。中介效应分析结果显示，营养知识可分别通过运动态度（β=-0.30，p<0.001）与营养不良（β=-0.42，p<0.001）两条路径对社交外貌焦虑产生显著间接影响，证实了完全中介模型（Full Mediation Model）的合理性。最终模型可解释27%的社交外貌焦虑变异量，且各项拟合指数均表现良好（如近似误差均方根（Root Mean Square Error of Approximation, RMSEA）=0.065；比较拟合指数（Comparative Fit Index, CFI）=0.93）。
结论：本研究结果表明，在探讨营养知识对社交外貌焦虑的影响时，需同时关注行为层面（运动态度）与生理层面（营养不良）的中介变量。旨在缓解社交外貌焦虑的干预方案，应纳入提升营养素养、倡导积极生活方式的相关内容，以改善青年群体的身心健康水平。