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This study experimentally tested the effects of taking a one-week break from social media (SM) on body image and self-esteem among young women. Female undergraduate students (N = 66) were randomly assigned to either take a one-week break from SM or continue their normal use (control condition). State self-esteem and body satisfaction were measured at baseline (Time 1) and one week later (Time 2). As predicted, participants in the break condition reported higher body satisfaction and higher state self-esteem (total, performance, social, and appearance domains) at Time 2 than did those in the control condition, controlling for Time 1 scores. The benefits of taking a break from SM on body satisfaction were especially pronounced for women with higher baseline levels of thin-ideal internalization. The findings demonstrate the short-term benefits of taking a break from SM for one week on self-esteem and body image among young women.

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INTRODUCTION: There are documented inequities in eating disorders (EDs) by gender and race/ethnicity, yet, little is known about population-level prevalence of ED risk factors, symptoms, and diagnosis at the intersection of diverse gender and racial/ethnic identities. METHODS: Data from the Healthy Minds Study 2015-2019 (N = 251,310 U.S. university students) were used in a multilevel analysis of individual heterogeneity and discriminatory accuracy (MAIHDA). Participants were nested in 35 intersectional strata given by all combinations of 5 gender and 7 racial/ethnic categories. Multilevel logistic models with participants at level 1 and intersectional strata at level 2 were used to estimate stratum-specific predicted prevalence estimates for self-reported thin-ideal internalization, ED symptoms, and ED diagnosis. The variance partition coefficient (VPC) was calculated to quantify the contextual effect of the strata. RESULTS: There was considerable heterogeneity in the predicted prevalence of our ED outcomes across the strata (e.g., .3%-18.3% for ED diagnoses). There were large disparities in all three outcomes, with transgender participants of color having a higher predicted prevalence than expected based on the additive effects of gender and race/ethnicity. Moderation by race/ethnicity was also apparent, such that racial/ethnic disparities were wider within the cisgender groups relative to the transgender groups. VPCs indicated that ~10% of the total variance in ED outcomes was due to intersectionality between gender and race/ethnicity, over and above variance due to individual-level differences. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that gender and racial/ethnic disparities in EDs are interrelated, underscoring the need to develop preventive interventions centering health equity. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE: Despite evidence that sexism, racism, and cissexism (i.e., anti-transgender prejudice) can impact EDs risk, little research examines the social patterning of EDs at the intersection of diverse gender and racial/ethnic identities. Using data from a sample of 250,000 U.S. university students, this study found that gender and racial/ethnic disparities in eating disorder risk are interrelated, highlighting the need to develop health equity centered preventive interventions.

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The effects of photo-based platforms on body image concerns are well documented, yet it is unknown whether these effects replicate across video-based platforms such as TikTok. Thus, this experimental study aimed to examine the relationship between video-based platform use and body image. Women aged 18 to 21 (n = 421) were randomly assigned to watch two brief, consecutive TikTok videos in one of three conditions: (1) diet culture, (2) anti-diet, (3) neutral. Participants allocated to the anti-diet condition reported greater increases in weight and shape satisfaction as compared to the diet culture condition, and greater increases in state body appreciation and state intuitive eating as compared to the neutral condition. In addition, those allocated to the diet culture condition reported greater increases in restriction and urges to exercise, and smaller gains in positive mood, as compared to those in the neutral condition. Social media related rumination and thin-ideal internalization potentiated these effects.

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Abstract Introduction Interventions based on cognitive dissonance theory are the most effective for preventing eating disorders. Objective To identify the changes at one year follow-up of a universal prevention intervention in disordered eating behaviors (DEB), thin-ideal internalization (TII), and drive for muscularity (DM). Method A pre-experimental, pretest-posttest study was conducted on 602 university student subjects (76.1% women and 23.9% men) with an average age of 20.74 years at a public (30.6%) and a private university (69.4%) in Mexico City. A Split Plot ANOVA was performed with the intrasubject variable equal to each measurement (pretest, posttest, and follow-up), as well as the sex and body mass index (BMI) intersubject variables to analyze whether there was a significant interaction between these variables and the changes in dependent variables, as well as the changes through each measurement by group. Results In the intrasubject analyses, statistically significant differences were found for DEB through the various measurements, without taking the interactions into account. Statistically significant interactions were observed between each measurement and BMI, and between each measurement and sex and BMI for the DM variable. Discussion and conclusion Since a reduction of TII in women and DM in men was achieved, together with a decrease in DEB in women, the workshop can be said to have fully achieved its objectives for women and partly so for men.

Resumen Introducción Las intervenciones basadas en la teoría de la disonancia cognoscitiva son las más efectivas para la prevención de los trastornos de la conducta alimentaria. Objetivo Conocer los cambios a un año de seguimiento de una intervención de prevención universal en las conductas alimentarias de riesgo (CAR), interiorización del ideal estético de la delgadez (IED) y la motivación por la musculatura (MM). Método Se llevó a cabo un estudio pre-experimental pretest-postest en 602 (76.1% mujeres y 23.9% hombres) sujetos estudiantes universitarios con una edad promedio de 20.74 años en una universidad pública (30.6%) y una privada (69.4%) de la Ciudad de México. Se realizó un ANOVA split plot con la variable intrasujetos igual a cada medición (pretest, postest y seguimiento) así como el sexo y el índice de masa corporal (IMC) variables intersujetos, para analizar si existía una interacción significativa entre dichas variables y los cambios sobre las variables dependientes, así como los cambios a través de cada medición por grupo. Resultados en los análisis intrasujetos se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas para las CAR a través de las distintas mediciones, sin tomar en cuenta las interacciones. Se observaron interacciones estadísticamente significativas entre cada medición y el IMC, y entre cada medición con el sexo y el IMC para la variable MM. Discusión y conclusión Se logró la reducción de la IED en las mujeres y de la MM en los hombres, así como la disminución de las CAR en las mujeres por lo que se considera que el taller logra sus objetivos para las mujeres y parcialmente para los varones.

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BACKGROUND: This study tested whether the dissonance-based Body Project eating disorder prevention program reduced onset of subthreshold/threshold anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), binge eating disorder (BED), and purging disorder (PD) over long-term follow-up. METHODS: Data were combined from three prevention trials that targeted young women at high-risk for eating disorders (N = 1092; M age = 19.3). Participants were randomized to Body Project groups led by peer educators or expressive writing/educational controls and completed masked diagnostic interviews over 2- to 4-year follow-ups. Logistic regressions tested whether onset of each eating disorder over follow-up differed between Body Project and control participants. RESULTS: Peer-led Body Project groups produced a 46% reduction in onset of subthreshold/threshold BN and a 62% reduction in onset of PD relative to controls over follow-up. Rates of onset of subthreshold/threshold AN and BED did not significantly differ between peer-led Body Project participants and control participants. CONCLUSIONS: Results support the dissemination of the peer-led Body Project for reducing future onset of BN and PD. This study and recent research suggest that thin-ideal internalization, the risk factor for eating disorders targeted in the Body Project, may be more relevant for predicting onset of BN and PD compared to AN and BED. Findings support the development of a version of the Body Project aimed to reduce risk factors that have predicted future onset of all four types of eating disorders (e.g. overvaluation of weight/shape, fear of weight gain), which may more effectively prevent all eating disorder types.

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Abstract Introduction Adolescents are the group with the highest risk of developing disordered eating behaviors (DEB). Preventing this problem is of the utmost importance due to the physical and psychological consequences. Objective To evaluate the effects of a universal prevention program for disordered eating behaviors (DEB), thin ideal internalization (TII), drive for muscularity (DM), and sedentary lifestyle among Mexican adolescents. Method A quasi-experimental study with repeated measures (pre-test, post-test, six-month, and one-year follow-up) was carried out in a non-probabilistic sample of 523 adolescents (46.7% of females) aged 15-19 years (Mage = 16.07). We worked in two private high schools, one of them was designed as control group (CG), and the other as intervention group (IG). For both, female and male adolescents', data were collected using the Brief Questionnaire for Disordered Eating Behaviors (BQDEB) and the short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). To evaluate TII the Attitudes toward Body Figure Questionnaire was applied in females, while in males Drive for Muscularity Scale (DMS) was used. Results After one-year, repeated measures analyses of variance (ANOVAs) revealed a significant reduction of the mean DEBs scores both in female (p = .01) and male (p = .03) adolescents of the IG with respect to CG. In IG, females decreased significantly the mean TII score as well as the mean DM score in males. Physical Activity increased in IG females from pre-test to posttest; however, the effect was not maintained over time. Discussion and conclusion These findings have important implications for future interventions with Mexican adolescents. We must take sex differences into account to choose activities and strategies that will enhance the effects of the program.

Resumen Introducción Los adolescentes constituyen el grupo con mayor riesgo de desarrollar conductas alimentarias de riesgo (CAR). Prevenirlas es de suma importancia debido a las consecuencias físicas y psicosociales. Objetivo Evaluar los efectos de un programa de prevención universal en conductas alimentarias de riesgo (CAR), interiorización del ideal de delgadez (IID), obsesión por la musculatura (OM) y sedentarismo en adolescentes mexicanos. Método Estudio cuasi-experimental con medidas repetidas (pre-test, post-test, seguimiento a seis meses y un año) en una muestra no probabilística de 523 adolescentes (46.7% mujeres) de 15-19 años de edad (Medad = 16.07). Se trabajó en dos escuelas preparatorias privadas, una como grupo control (GC) y otra como grupo intervenido (GI). Para mujeres y hombres, los datos se recolectaron usando el Cuestionario Breve para Conductas Alimentarias de Riesgo (CBCAR) y la versión corta del Cuestionario Internacional de Actividad Física (IPAQ). Para evaluar el IID en mujeres, se utilizó el Cuestionario de Actitudes hacia la Figura Corporal (CAFC) y en hombres la Escala para Obsesión por la Musculatura (DMS). Resultados Después de un año, el ANOVA de medidas repetidas mostró una reducción significativa en la media de CAR, tanto en mujeres (p = .01) como en hombres (p = .03) del GI respecto al GC. En el GI, la media de IID en mujeres disminuyó significativamente, así como la media de OM en hombres. La actividad física aumentó en las mujeres del GI desde el pre-test hasta el post-test; sin embargo, el efecto no se mantuvo en el tiempo. Discusión y conclusión Estos hallazgos tienen implicaciones para futuras intervenciones con adolescentes mexicanos. Se deben tomar en cuenta las diferencias por sexo para elegir las actividades y las estrategias que potenciarían los efectos del programa.

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Motivational responses to food stimuli are relevant for eating disorders (EDs). Research examining reactions to food in EDs has been mixed, with some studies reporting enhanced appetitive responses, and others observing defensive responses, to food. Thin-ideal internalization, a socio-cognitive factor implicated in EDs, may relate to these mixed findings, as individuals with eating pathology may experience food as a threat to internalized ideals of thinness, despite its inherently appetitive qualities. In the present study, physiological reflexes measuring defensive (startle blink reflex) and appetitive (postauricular reflex) responding as well as self-report ratings were recorded while 88 women with and without eating pathology viewed images of high- and low-calorie food. Greater global eating pathology, but not thin-ideal internalization, was associated with negative self-report valence ratings and lower craving ratings of high-calorie food. In contrast, greater thin-ideal internalization and eating pathology both related to more positive self-report valence ratings of low-calorie food, with thin-ideal internalization accounting for some of the shared variance between low-calorie food ratings and eating pathology. Overall, thin-ideal internalization may represent a higher-order factor that may contribute to the relationship between conscious reactions to food and disordered eating.

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Objective: According to sociocultural theory, media is associated with detrimental effects on body image. Due to the popularity of social networking sites (SNS) and the prevalence of body image disturbance among young women, the association between them is worth further exploration. This study examined the relationship between photo activity on SNS and body dissatisfaction (BD) and the roles of thin-ideal internalization (TII) and body appreciation (BA) in this relation. Materials and Methods: A total of 746 Chinese female undergraduate students (mean age 20.34 ± 1.47 years) completed a questionnaire measuring SNS photo activity, TII, BD, and BA. Results: (1) Photo activity on SNS was positively associated with BD (r = 0.10, p < 0.01), and TII could mediate this relation (ß = 0.07, 95% CI = [0.04, 0.10]). (2) Both the direct effect of SNS photo activity on BD (ß = −0.08, p < 0.05) and the mediating effect of TII (ß = −0.09, p < 0.01) were moderated by BA. Specifically, these associations were more pronounced for students with lower BA. Conclusion: People exposed to ideal photos or images can shape women's body image perception via TII, whether in the age of traditional media or the Internet, and BA did not buffer the effect of ideal photos on internalization. Our findings could provide practical suggestions for rational photo activity on SNS and the intervention for BD.

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Feminist beliefs have been identified as a potential protective factor in the relationship between media awareness and thin-ideal internalization; however, the precise reason why feminist beliefs serve this role is unclear. A series of three studies examined the reasons why feminist beliefs may be protective in non-student samples, considering as possible explanations open-minded thinking, critical thinking, and media attitudes and literacy. Study 1 showed that the moderating role of feminist beliefs on the relationship between media awareness and thin-ideal internalization held in a non-undergraduate sample. Study 2 found that feminist beliefs and self-identifying as a feminist were related to open-minded thinking, critical thinking, and media attitudes and literacy. Study 3 found that most of these constructs did not serve the same moderating role as feminist beliefs. However, a complex relationship emerged when both feminist self-identification and media attitudes and literacy were considered simultaneously as moderators, adding to the literature emphasizing that self-identifying as a feminist has a protective role over and above that of merely holding feminist beliefs. These results suggest that feminist beliefs may be a unique combination of these constructs or that there may be yet a different reason why feminist beliefs are protective against thin-ideal internalization.

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BACKGROUND: A growing body of research has linked social media use to negative body image. AIMS: The present research aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Digital Bodies, a brief classroom-based intervention that aims to improve adolescents' body image. METHODS: British adolescents (N = 290; Age M = 12.81; SD = 0.40; Range = 12-13; Female = 151) were cluster randomized to intervention or waiting list control groups. Measures of body satisfaction, appearance ideal internalization (thin and athletic ideal internalization) and self-objectification were completed at baseline (T1), 1-week post-intervention (T2) and 8-week follow-up (T3). RESULTS: Multi-level modelling showed adolescents in the intervention group reported improved body satisfaction at T2, in comparison to the control, and crucially this effect was sustained at T3. Additionally, girls reported less thin ideal internalization at T2 relative to the control, but this effect was not sustained at T3. No other intervention effects were found. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the findings provide initial support for the efficacy of Digital Bodies as an intervention for improving adolescents' body satisfaction.

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Objective: The current study aimed to compare endorsement of the muscular- and thin-ideals alone, as well as simultaneous endorsement of both as representative of the fit-ideal and examine potential negative correlates of each type of ideal internalization. Participants: Participants were 300 female undergraduate students. Methods: Participants completed measures of internalization of the thin- and muscular-ideals, body dissatisfaction, body checking, and body avoidance. Results: Analyses revealed that approximately 24.9% of participants endorsed scores in the upper quartile on thin-ideal internalization, and 27.4% of participants fell in the upper quartile of muscular-ideal internalization, while 10.3% endorsed high internalization of both ideals. Analyses revealed that individuals endorsing only the thin-ideal reported significantly higher levels of body dissatisfaction and body avoidance than those endorsing the fit-ideal. Conclusions: Overall, findings suggested that thin- and muscular-ideal internalization present different patterns of association depending on whether an individual endorses one or both of these body ideals.

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Resumen En mujeres se ha reportado que a mayor índice de masa corporal (IMC), mayor interiorización del ideal estético de la delgadez (IIED), y mayor seguimiento de conductas alimentarias de riesgo (CAR). El objetivo de esta investigación consistió en determinar la presencia de CAR y de IIED en mujeres adolescentes de Hidalgo, México y su asociación tanto entre ellas como con el IMC, el porcentaje de grasa corporal (PGC), los tiempos de comida (TC) y la actividad física (AF). El estudio fue de tipo transversal con un diseño no experimental descriptivo y de asociación en una muestra no probabilística de 220 mujeres de preparatoria, de entre 14 a 18 años de edad (Medad= 15.9 ± .99), quienes respondieron una batería de cuestionarios validados. Para obtener el IMC, cada participante fue pesada y medida, mientras que el PGC se obtuvo por bioimpedancia eléctrica. Los resultados arrojaron que 17.3 % de la muestra presentó riesgo moderado y 15.5 % alto de CAR; mientras que 23.2 % registró riesgo de IIED. Se encontró que el IMC aumenta significativamente 2.7 veces el riesgo de IIED y de CAR 2.5 veces; la IIED incrementa 11.8 veces el riesgo de CAR (Odd Ratio; . < .05). Se concluye que, en la muestra de estudio, las CAR y la IIED están presentes; que a mayor IIED mayor riesgo de estas y que un exceso de peso corporal, basado en el IMC, aumenta el riesgo tanto de CAR como de IIED. Es necesario que los programas de prevención para mujeres adolescentes consideren lo anterior de manera conjunta para garantizar su éxito.

Abstract It has been reported that when females increase their body mass index (BMI), body thin-ideal internalization (BTII) increased too, as well as disordered eating behaviors (DEB). The aim of this study was to assess the presence of DEB and BTII in adolescent females from Hidalgo, Mexico. We also analyze the association between both variables, and between BMI, body fat percentage (BFP), meal times (MT) and physical activity (PA). A cross-sectional non-experimental descriptive and of association study was carried out in a no probabilistic sample of 220 high school females, aged from 14 to 18 (Mage= 15.9 ± .99). Self-reported validated questionnaires in Mexican samples were used to assess each one of the variables: the Brief Questionnaire for Risky Eating Behaviors, the Attitudes toward Body Figure Questionnaire, Risk Factors Associated to Eating Disorders for Mexican Pubescents Questionnaire (only the meal times factor was used) and the short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). BMI was obtained by measuring each subject's weight and height; the body fat percentage (BFP) was measured through Biolectrical Impedance. The protocol was revised and approved by the Ethics and Research Committee of Health Sciences Institute of the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo. Descriptive analyses were held, as well as Odd Ratio to estimate the risk association. Total sample showed 17.3 % of moderate risk and 15.5 % of high risk for developing DEB; 23.2 % of the sample reported risk for BTII. From the total of females with DEB (moderate and high risk) 68.6 % also scored risk of body thin-ideal internalization. According to the BMI, results showed that 29.5 % of the sample had overweight and obesity; meanwhile for the BFP in the same categories the value was 85 %. The analysis by BMI showed that adolescents with overweigh (50 % and 39.1 %, respectively) and obesity (47.4 % and 31.6 %, respectively) achieved the highest values for both, DEB and BTII. Interestingly, participants with normal BMI had also important percentages for DEB (26.9 %) as well as BTII (17.9 %). With respect to BFP, females with overweight (41.5 % and 24.4 %, respectively) and obesity (35.6 % and 25.3 %, respectively) had the highest percentages for both DEB and BTII. Again, adolescents with normal BFP showed percentages for DEB (6.4%) and BTII (9.7 %). Findings showed that 68.6 % of the participants with risk of IIED, "never" and "few times" used to eliminate the dinner, and that 80.5 % of the sample had low level for PA. We found that BMI increases significantly 2.7 times the risk of BTII as well as 2.5 times the risk of DEB; BTII increases 11.8 times the risk of DE (Odd Ratio; p < .05). From the present data, it can be concluded that DEB and BTII are present in the sample studied, and its prevalence were higher than other studies among Mexican females. We also concluded that overweight and obese subjects, for both BMI and BFP, were the ones that obtained the higher percentages of DEB and BTII. Finally, BMI increased significantly the risk of DEB and BTII, as well as BTII increased significantly the risk of DEB. It is necessary that female adolescent prevention programs take into account this in a joint way to guarantee their success.

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Self-compassion interventions have been suggested as a potentially more acceptable way to address body image distress compared to interventions that emphasize challenging (often firmly entrenched) thin-ideals. In the current randomized controlled trial, young adult women endorsing body image concerns were randomized to a self-compassion (SC) intervention consisting of one in-person session plus one week of self-guided practice (n = 50), a similarly-structured dissonance-based (DB) intervention (n = 50), or a waitlist (WL) control (n = 51). Both brief interventions were acceptable and were more effective than WL. The two interventions did not differ significantly from each other in reducing the global measure of body dissatisfaction, improving body appreciation, or reducing appearance-contingent self-worth. The DB intervention alone decreased thin-ideal internalization, but only among participants with initially high scores. More participants initially expressed a preference for the SC rationale, and at post-test SC participants reported a higher likelihood of recommending the intervention they had received to others. Change in self-compassion emerged as a possible mechanism of action within both interventions, suggesting it may be useful to integrate aspects of both approaches to enhance acceptability and provide the greatest benefits.

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In the age of social media, "likes" are increasingly considered a numerical indicator of popularity and a measure of self-worth. Using an online questionnaire, Australian women (N = 291) aged 18-55 years self-reported their reaction to Instagram removing the visibility of the number of likes from other people's posts, and completed measures of comparison and body image. Findings showed that the majority of participants were in favour of the removal (66.7 %), followed by those who were unsure (23.4 %). Interestingly, those who did not support the removal made significantly greater appearance comparisons based on likes than those who were in favour of the removal of the number of likes. Internalization of the thin ideal mediated the relationship between investment in and comparison with likes and body dissatisfaction. Results also demonstrated that women believe removing the visibility of the number of likes may facilitate a reduction in negative self-focus (comparisons and competitiveness) and improve mental health. Future research is needed to further investigate how the visibility of likes affects women's mental health and body image outcomes in other cultural contexts and across other social media platforms.

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PURPOSE: The sociocultural theory of eating disorders (EDs) posits that thin-ideal internalization may interact with social risk factors to influence ED development. Social appearance anxiety (SAA) is a potential social risk factor for EDs that may influence the relationship between thin-ideal internalization and EDs. METHODS: The current study (N = 525 adolescent females) examined whether SAA moderated the relationship between thin-ideal internalization and ED symptoms cross-sectionally and prospectively across one month. RESULTS: The interaction between thin-ideal internalization and SAA on ED symptoms was significant in both models, such that when SAA was higher, there was a significantly stronger relationship between thin-ideal internalization and ED symptoms. We also found that SAA uniquely, prospectively predicted ED symptoms. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that adolescents with high SAA and high thin-ideal internalization are more likely to exhibit higher ED symptoms. SAA both prospectively predicts ED symptoms and may amplify the relationship between thin-ideal internalization and EDs. This research highlights SAA as a social risk factor for ED development in adolescents. Interventions focused on SAA may optimize ED prevention in this population. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, evidence obtained from multiple time series with or without the intervention.

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AIMS: The current study sought to determine what factors inhibited psychologists, naturopaths and fitness instructors from detecting an eating disorder (ED), and the discipline differences across these factors. METHODS: Participants of the online study were 115 health practitioners who consisted of 35 psychologists, 50 naturopathic and 30 fitness practitioners. A vignette describing a female experiencing a sub-threshold bulimic variant without purging was presented alongside ED mental health literacy items such as assessing one's ability to detect a problem. Additional items examined factors that may inhibit detection, including practitioners' level of: thin-ideal internalization, orthorexia, health or fitness mindset (a newly developed scale measuring health and fitness obsessiveness) and gender role identity. RESULTS: A significant number of naturopaths and fitness instructors (20% and 33.3%, respectively) were found to have elevated orthorexia scores. Similarly, psychologists had the greatest tendency to internalize the thin-ideal (M = 3.60), which was comparable to levels seen in recent research for 20- to 21-year-old females with EDs. The two largest factors inhibiting ED detection were the strength of a health mindset and gender role identity. Practitioners who had higher health mindset scores or who associated with gender identities higher in masculinity traits (ie, either androgynous or masculine gender roles) were more likely to miss detecting an ED. CONCLUSIONS: While many present ED studies focus upon assessing and changing client cognitions, this study emphasizes the need for further research regarding training interventions to address practitioner cognitions and gender role biases, which may in turn improve ED detection.

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PURPOSE: Weight stigma is pervasive and is associated with numerous physical and psychological health consequences, including decreased body satisfaction. Understanding of contributing factors to weight stigma remains limited, although researchers have consistently documented the connection between weight controllability beliefs and weight stigma. Sociocultural factors, including thin-ideal internalization and related social-cognitive correlates, are in the nascent stages of exploration to further our understanding of weight stigma. METHODS: In this study, we tested an emerging sociocultural model of weight stigma, examining the influence of thin-ideal internalization and appearance-related comparisons on weight stigma, statistically controlling for weight controllability beliefs and accounting for thin-ideal environmental influences. Participants were 137 MTurk workers living in the United States. RESULTS: We found that increased thin-ideal information was associated with thin-ideal internalization, which in turn was related to both upward and downward appearance-related comparison tendencies. These comparisons were then significantly related to weight stigma, controlling for weight controllability beliefs. There were significant indirect effects of both upward and downward appearance-related comparison tendencies on the relation between thin-ideal internalization and weight stigma. CONCLUSION: These results extend limited prior research examining the association between the thin-ideal and appearance-related comparisons with weight stigma, and contribute to a more nuanced understanding of this complex phenomenon. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V, cross-sectional study.

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Through an experimental Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) design, we assessed the effects of fitspiration images (relative to neutral) on body image, mood and disordered eating and whether trait body dissatisfaction, thin-ideal internalization and pressures from the media, family and peers moderated these effects. After completing trait-based measures, 85 women were prompted via a mobile application 6 times daily for 7 days to view an image (fitspiration or neutral) and report on state levels of perceived pressures to attain an idealized physique, satisfaction with various body attributes, mood and eating behavior. When participants were exposed to fitspiration images, their perceived pressure to attain an idealized physique was significantly higher than after exposure to the control images. This effect was most pronounced for women experiencing pressure from the media. Furthermore, fitspiration images lowered the extent to which women felt that idealized physiques were attainable, and decreased satisfaction with current fitness. There were no significant effects on mood and disordered eating. Exposure to fitspiration content predicted only a few adverse outcomes in terms of negative body attributes and perceived pressures to attain a similar physique, suggesting that its content is not as detrimental as initially believed, but further research is needed.

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Rapid socioeconomic growth, Western acculturation, and thin-ideal internalization are theorized to be linked to dieting, weight concerns, and disordered eating in Arab countries. The purpose of this study was to examine eating pathology and the internalization of Western messages regarding the importance of thinness in a community sample of Kuwaiti women. Participants (N = 83) aged 18-35 years with BMIs between 17.58 and 24.88 (M = 21.30; SD = 1.83) completed measures of thin-ideal internalization and eating pathology. Results demonstrated that approximately 28% of the sample was at risk for eating pathology. Thin-ideal internalization was also found to significantly predict eating pathology. Study findings extend prior research on eating pathology in Arabic nations. This study is the first to examine the internalization of the thin-ideal in a community sample of Kuwait adult women and lends further support to the importance of continued research in this population.

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Negative weight bias emerges at an early age. Parents play an important role in the development of their children's attitudes. In particular, mothers who place great importance on physical appearance have young daughters who exhibit more weight bias. The extent to which mothers have internalized the importance of being thin influences their own level of weight bias. Because most studies have been conducted among mothers of young children, the presence of these associations within adult dyads is unclear. The present study explored the link between mothers' weight bias and their adult daughters' weight bias, taking into account their respective level of thin-ideal internalization. Two hundred and nineteen Canadian mother-daughter adult dyads completed online questionnaires. Mothers' beliefs about people of higher weight were significantly related to their daughters' weight bias. Greater daughters' thin-ideal internalization was associated with greater weight bias across all dimensions of bias. However, fear of getting fat was the only dimension of maternal bias associated with daughters' thin-ideal internalization. In conclusion, adult daughters' weight bias was modestly linked to their mothers' negative attitudes toward individuals of higher weight.

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