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A longitudinal investigation of the development of weight and muscle concerns among preadolescent boys

journal contribution
posted on 2006-04-01, 00:00 authored by L Ricciardelli, M McCabe, J Lillis, Kristina Thomas
The study examined the impact of body mass index (BMI), negative affect, self-esteem, and sociocultural influences in the development of weight and muscle concerns among preadolescent boys. Body dissatisfaction, importance placed on weight and muscles, weight loss strategies, and strategies to increase muscles were evaluated. Participants were 237 boys aged between 8 and 11 years who were tested at three assessment periods 8 months apart. The main predictor of boys’ body change strategies was their perceived pressures to modify weight and muscles from parents, peers, and the media. The other main predictor of boys’ body change strategies and the sole predictor of body dissatisfaction was BMI. Self-esteem and negative affect were found to be weak and generally nonsignificant predictors of boys’ body image concerns and body change strategies. Additional studies that examine the risk and protective factors associated with boys’ weight and muscle concerns are needed to assist in the development of prevention programs for preadolescent boys.

History

Journal

Journal of youth and adolescence

Volume

35

Issue

2

Pagination

168 - 178

Publisher

Springer

Location

Amsterdam, The Netherlands

ISSN

1573-6601

eISSN

0047-2891

Language

eng

Notes

Published online: 2 March 2006

Publication classification

C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal; C Journal article

Copyright notice

2006, Springer Science + Business Media, Inc.