Body image profiles combining body shame, body appreciation and body mass index differentiate dietary restraint and exercise amount in women

Anita Raspovic; Ivanka Prichard; Agus Salim; Zali Yager; Laura Hart

doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2023.05.007

Body image profiles combining body shame, body appreciation and body mass index differentiate dietary restraint and exercise amount in women

Body Image. 2023 Sep:46:117-122. doi: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2023.05.007. Epub 2023 Jun 6.

Authors

Anita Raspovic¹, Ivanka Prichard², Agus Salim³, Zali Yager⁴, Laura Hart⁵

Affiliations

¹ School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne 3086, Australia. Electronic address: a.raspovic@latrobe.edu.au.
² Health & Exercise Science, College of Nursing & Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide 5001, Australia; SHAPE Research Centre, Flinders University, Adelaide 5001, Australia; Caring Futures Institute, Flinders University, Adelaide 5001, Australia.
³ Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3010, Australia.
⁴ Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne 3001, Australia.
⁵ School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne 3086, Australia; Centre for Mental Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3010, Australia.

PMID: 37290141
DOI: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2023.05.007

Abstract

This project aimed to establish whether meaningful body image profiles (BIPs) could be identified across measures of body shame, body appreciation, and body mass index (BMI), and whether these profiles could differentiate key health behaviours. Data came from 1200 adult women who responded to an online body image survey. Latent profile analysis was used to identify BIPs based on relative levels of body shame, body appreciation and BMI. Differences in dietary restraint and weekly exercise amount were investigated according to BIP membership. Latent profile analysis revealed four unique BIPs; 1. Appreciative BIP (AP-BIP); 2. Medium Shame BIP (MS-BIP); 3. High Shame BIP (HS-BIP) and 4. Average BIP (AV-BIP). Dietary restraint and exercise amount differed significantly according to BIP in most comparisons. Women in the High Shame BIP exhibited the highest dietary restraint and lowest exercise. Women in the Appreciative BIP exhibited the lowest dietary restraint and highest exercise. Body shame and body appreciation intersect with BMI to form unique profiles (BIPs) that differentiate dietary restraint and exercise. Using BIPs to tailor interventions designed to promote healthful diet and exercise should be considered in public health initiatives.

Keywords: Body appreciation; Body image; Body mass index; Body shame; Diet; Exercise.

MeSH terms

Adult
Body Image* / psychology
Body Mass Index
Diet*
Exercise
Female
Humans
Shame