Sociocultural pressure: a model of body dissatisfaction for young women

The aim of the study was to verify the influence of pressure from sociocultural agents on dissatisfaction with face and body in young women mediated by the internalization of the lean and muscular body and to identify the contribution of individual characteristics to this model. A total of 612 university female students participated of study. The students completed the Portuguese versions of the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-4 and of the Body Area Scale-Revised and a sociodemographic questionnaire. A hypothetical model was constructed using structural equation modeling to test the relationship between the variables. The model fit and the significance of the hypothetical paths were verified. The results provide evidence that the greater the pressure of sociocultural agents and the internalization of the lean body, the more women were dissatisfied with body and face appearance. The media contributed to a greater internalization of the muscular body, which reduced the body dissatisfaction. The practice of physical activity and a higher economic level contributed to a greater internalization of the muscular body, which reduced body dissatisfaction. A higher economic level also influenced the internalization of the lean body and increased the dissatisfaction with face and body. A higher body mass index contributed to a greater pressure from sociocultural agents, greater internalization of the lean body, and greater dissatisfaction with body and face. The relationships identified in the model can contribute to the development of strategies aimed at reducing body dissatisfaction and eating disorders in the population, such as body acceptance.

Keywords:
Body Image; Body Dissatisfaction; Women

Independent variable → Dependent variable	Initial model			Fitted model
Independent variable → Dependent variable	β	SE	p-value	β	SE	p-value
Pressure from family → Internalization of lean body	0.184	0.056	0.004 *	0.197	0.048	< 0.001 *
Pressure from family → Internalization of muscular body	-0.003	0.054	0.966	-	-	-
Pressure from peers → Internalization of lean fat body	0.278	0.059	< 0.001 *	0.253	0.054	< 0.001 *
Pressure from peers → Internalization of muscular body	0.083	0.055	0.243	-	-	-
Pressure from media → Internalization of lean body	0.252	0.043	< 0.001 *	0.266	0.042	< 0.001 *
Pressure from media → Internalization of muscular body	0.154	0.041	0.010 *	0.212	0.032	< 0.001 *
Internalization of muscular body → Dissatisfaction with face appearance	-0.120	0.100	0.147	-	-	-
Internalization of muscular body → Dissatisfaction with body appearance	-0.503	0.096	< 0.001 *	-0.450	0.080	< 0.001 *
Internalization of lean body → Dissatisfaction with face appearance	0.219	0.079	0.005 *	0.129	0.043	0.003 *
Internalization of lean body → Dissatisfaction with body appearance	0.855	0.081	< 0.001 *	0.810	0.071	< 0.001 *

Independent variable → Dependent variable	Sequential model			Final model
Independent variable → Dependent variable	β	SE	p-value	β	SE	p-value
Pressure from family → Internalization of lean body	0.192	0.053	0.003 *	0.181	0.052	0.004 *
Pressure from peers → Internalization of lean body	0.270	0.062	< 0.001 *	0.273	0.064	< 0.001 *
Pressure from media → Internalization of lean body	0.255	0.045	< 0.001 *	0.247	0.046	< 0.001 *
Pressure from media → Internalization of muscular body	0.244	0.031	< 0.001 *	0.248	0.031	< 0.001 *
Internalization of muscular body → Dissatisfaction with body appearance	-0.204	0.067	< 0.001 *	-0.152	0.057	0.004 *
Internalization of lean body → Dissatisfaction with face appearance	0.168	0.043	< 0.001 *	0.166	0.043	< 0.001 *
Internalization of lean body → Dissatisfaction with body appearance	0.545	0.057	< 0.001 *	0.512	0.052	< 0.001 *
Age → Pressure from Family	-0.077	0.017	0.052	-	-	-
Age → Pressure from peers	0.004	0.016	0.924	-	-	-
Age → Pressure from media	-0.053	0.017	0.192	-	-	-
Age → Internalization of lean body	0.038	0.014	0.339	-	-	-
Age → Internalization of muscular body	-0.002	0.012	0.963	-	-	-
Age → Dissatisfaction with facial appearance	-0.038	0.015	0.398	-	-	-
Age → Dissatisfaction with body appearance	-0.046	0.012	0.220	-	-	-
BMI → Pressure from family	0.509	0.010	< 0.001 *	0.494	0.010	< 0.001 *
BMI → Pressure from peers	0.356	0.009	< 0.001 *	0.340	0.009	< 0.001 *
BMI → Pressure from media	0.352	0.010	< 0.001 *	0.338	0.010	< 0.001 *
BMI → Internalization of lean body	-0.055	0.009	0.220	-	-	-
BMI → Internalization of muscular body	-0.118	0.008	0.006 *	-0.117	0.007	0.005 *
BMI → Dissatisfaction with face appearance	-0.058	0.009	0.183	-	-	-
BMI → Dissatisfaction with body appearance	0.202	0.007	< 0.001 *	0.188	0.007	< 0.001 *
Economic level → Pressure from family	0.043	0.060	0.273	-	-	-
Economic level → Pressure from peers	0.060	0.059	0.185	-	-	-
Economic level → Pressure from media	0.059	0.064	0.146	-	-	-
Economic level → Internalization of lean body	0.133	0.050	0.001 *	0.163	0.059	< 0.001 *
Economic level → Internalization of muscular body	0.066	0.043	0.094	0.082	0.044	0.040 *
Economic level → Dissatisfaction with face appearance	-0.023	0.053	0.600	-	-	-
Economic level → Dissatisfaction with body appearance	-0.013	0.047	0.740	-	-	-
Physical activity practice → Pressure from family	0.062	0.077	0.111	-	-	-
Physical activity practice → Pressure from peers	0.025	0.076	0.575	-	-	-
Practice of physical activity → Pressure from media	0.053	0.083	0.196	-	-	-
Practice of physical activity → Internalization of lean body	0.003	0.066	0.932	-	-	-
Physical activity practice → Internalization of the muscular body	0.373	0.063	< 0.001 *	0.369	0.061	< 0.001 *
Practice of physical activity → Dissatisfaction with face appearance	-0.059	0.068	0.177	-	-	-
Physical activity practice → Dissatisfaction with body appearance	0.062	0.070	0.184	-	-	-

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E-mail: cadernos@ensp.fiocruz.br

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[1] Correspondence
J. A. D. B. Campos Universidade Estadual Paulista. Rod. Araraquara-Jaú, Araraquara, SP 14800-903, Brasil. juliana.campos@unesp.br