Young People Dissatisfied with Body Image: Stress, Self-Esteem and Eating Problems

Abstract Young people are at risk for eating disorders. This study verified the relationships between body image (BI), perceived stress, self-esteem, eating behavior, and Body Mass Index (BMI) in 238 adolescents and young adults (14-20 years; 62.2% girls), using the Eating Attitudes Test, Perceived Stress Scale, Silhouette Matching Task, and Self-Esteem Inventory, measuring weight and height (BMI). Girls were at risk for eating disorders, greater concern about BI, more stress and lower self-esteem; boys showed desire to be more muscular. Results indicated that eating behavior and BMI were not associated, diverging from other studies; there were positive relationships between BI and BMI, and between diet factor and bulimia factor; and there were negative relationships between self-esteem and stress, and between BI and sex. We identified relations that may support preventive interventions, centered on variables such as anxiety about weight loss, stress and self-esteem in girls, and the desire to increase body mass in boys.

摘要：青少年群体存在进食障碍的患病风险。本研究纳入238名14~20岁的青少年与青年成人（女性占比62.2%），采用进食态度测验（Eating Attitudes Test）、知觉压力量表（Perceived Stress Scale）、轮廓匹配任务（Silhouette Matching Task）与自尊量表（Self-Esteem Inventory），并通过测量身高体重计算体质量指数（Body Mass Index, BMI），考察了身体意象（Body Image, BI）、知觉压力、自尊、进食行为与体质量指数之间的关联。研究结果显示：女性群体罹患进食障碍的风险更高，对身体意象的忧虑程度更强，感知到的压力更大且自尊水平更低；男性群体则表现出增加肌肉量的诉求。本研究发现进食行为与体质量指数并无关联，这与既往多数研究结论相悖；身体意象与体质量指数、饮食因子与暴食因子之间均呈正相关关系；而自尊与压力、身体意象与生理性别之间均呈负相关关系。本研究明确的相关关系可为预防性干预工作提供支撑，可针对女性群体聚焦于减重焦虑、压力与自尊等变量，针对男性群体则聚焦于提升体质量的意愿。