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Gender Differences in Body Image Perception, Weight Management Practices, and Food Choices of High School Students in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region
Author(s) -
Chongwatpol Pitipa,
Gates Gail
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.29.1_supplement.898.29
Subject(s) - underweight , demography , psychology , perception , scale (ratio) , body weight , body mass index , medicine , developmental psychology , overweight , social psychology , geography , sociology , neuroscience , cartography , pathology
The objective of this study was to assess body image perceptions and weight management practices among Thai adolescents. A questionnaire was distributed to grade 10‐12 students from 9 single and mixed gender schools located in Bangkok Metropolitan Region. 2082 questionnaires with height, weight, body image perception, food choices, physical activity level, and weight management practices were included in the analysis. Approximately 55% of students had a normal BMI, while 31.2% were underweight. Only 18.1% of females and 20.6% of males did not indicate thinness dissatisfaction using Stunkard's figure rating scale (FRS). More than 66% of females selected a thinner ideal figure than their current figure, while 15.9% wanted a bigger figure. In contrast, among males, 44.3% wanted a thinner figure, but 35.1% wanted a bigger figure. However, univariate analysis observed school type but not gender differences in the degree of body image dissatisfaction; students in single gender schools had more body dissatisfaction. Females reported using more weight management practices but less physical activity than males. Males reported healthier food choices than females, and participants in single gender schools had healthier food choices compared to mixed gender schools. In conclusion, females and males had similar levels of body dissatisfaction but a majority of females want to be thinner, while males want to be either smaller or bigger. These results support the contention that it may not be appropriate to calculate an average dissatisfaction score from FRS for males because they report a preference for both smaller and bigger figures; therefore, the average dissatisfaction score will result in underreporting of body dissatisfaction.