Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-m8qmq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-16T15:01:54.024Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The relationship between body-image and body-fat in adult women

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

D. A. Brodie  and
P. D. Slade
D. A. Brodie*
Affiliation:
School of Movement Science and Sub-department of Clinical Psychology, University of Liverpool
P. D. Slade
Affiliation:
School of Movement Science and Sub-department of Clinical Psychology, University of Liverpool
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr D. A. Brodie, School of Movement Science, University of Liverpool, P.O. Box 147, Liverpool L69 3BX.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Synopsis

Measures of body-fat or adiposity, body-image, and other psychological variables were obtained from a sample of 100 female volunteer subjects. The measures of adiposity included surface anthropometry, underwater weighing and a new electrical impedance method. Body-image measures were derived from two experimental techniques, namely the visual-size estimation (or calliper) method and a distorting-mirror, and also from a self-report body-satisfaction scale (BSS).

The main findings were that measures of adiposity were positively and significantly related to each other. But, that by contrast, measures of body-image separated out into three distinct sets, namely: (i) ‘mirror’ accuracy, (2) ‘callipers’ accuracy, and (3) ‘dissatisfaction/desire for change’. The ‘accuracy’ measures were found to be unrelated to measures of adiposity or other psychological variables: while the ‘dissatisfaction’ measures were found to relate to both of these. The implications of these findings for future studies of weight and eating disorder groups are discussed.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 18 , Issue 3 , August 1988 , pp. 623 - 631
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1988

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Allebeck, P., Hallberg, D. & Espmark, S. (1976). Body image – an apparatus for measuring disturbances in estimation of size and shape. Journal of Psychosomatic Research 20, 583–589.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Askevold, F. (1975). Measuring body image. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics 26, 71–77.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Beck, A. T., Ward, C. H., Mandelson, M., Mock, J. E. & Erbaugh, J. K. (1961). An inventory for measuring depression. Archives of General Psychiatry 4, 561–571.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bruch, H. (1982). Perceptual and conceptual disturbances in anorexia nervosa. Psychosomatic Medicine 24, 187–194.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cooper, P. J. & Taylor, M. (1987). The nature and assessment of body shape disparagement.Paper presented at the International Conference of Eating Disorders.Sydney, Australia(1986).Google Scholar
Crisp, A. H. (1970). Anorexia nervosa: feeding disorder, nervous malnutrition or weight phobia. World Review of Nutrition and Dietics 12, 452–504.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Freeman, R. J., Thomas, C. D., Solyom, L. & Hunter, M. A. (1984). A modified video camera for measuring body image distortion: technical description and reliability. Psychological Medicine 14, 411–416.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Garfinkel, P. E., Moldofsky, H., Garner, D. M., Stancer, H. C. & Coscina, D. V. (1979). Stability of perceptual disturbances in anorexia nervosa. Pyschological Medicine 9, 703–708.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Garner, D. M. & Garfinkel, P. E. (1981). Body image in anorexia nervosa: measurement, theory, and clinical implications. International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine 11, 263–284.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Garner, D. M. & Garfinkel, P. E. (1985). ‘Handbook of Psychotherapy for Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia’. Guildford Press: New York.Google Scholar
Garner, D. M., Garfinkel, P. E., Stancer, H. C. & Moldofsky, M. D. (1976). Body image disturbance in anorexia nervosa and obesity. Psychosomatic Medicine 38, 327–337.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Garner, D. M., Olmstead, M. P., Bohr, Y. & Garfinkel, P. E. (1982). The eating attitudes test: psychometric features and clinical correlates. Psychological Medicine 12, 871–878.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Katch, F. I. & McArdle, W. D. (1983). Nutrition, Weight Control and Exercise, pp. 111–113. Lea and Febiger: Philadelphia.Google Scholar
Keller, B. & Katch, F. O. (1985). Validity of bioelectrical resistive impedance for estimation of body fat in lean males. Abstract. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 17, 272.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lawlor, M. R., Crisman, R. P. & Hodgson, J. A. (1985). Bioelectrical impedance analysis as a method to assess body composition. (Abstract.) Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise, 17, 271.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lohman, T. G. (1981). Skinfolds and body density and their relationship to body fatness: a review. Human Biology 53, 181–225.Google Scholar
Lukaski, H. C., Bolonchuk, W. W., Johnson, P. E., Lykken, F. I. & Sandstead, H. H. (1984). Assessment of fat-free mass using bioelectrical impedance measurements of the human body. (Abstract.) American Society for Clinical Nutrition 40, 657–658.Google Scholar
Lukaski, H. C., Johnson, P. E., Bolonchuk, W. W. & Lykken, G. I. (1985). Assessment of fat-free mass using bioelectrical impedance measurements of the human body. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 41, 657–658.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Meerman, R. (1983). Experimental investigation of disturbances in body image estimation in anorexia nervosa patients, and ballet and gymnastic pupils, International Journal of Eating Disorder 2, 91–99.3.0.CO;2-Z>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Noble, B. J. (1986). Physiology of Exercise and Sports, pp. 351–352. Times Mirror/ Mosby College: St Louis.Google Scholar
Orbach, J. (1964). Psychophysical studies of body image. 1. The adjustable body-distorting mirror. Archives of General Psychiatry 11, 534–566.Google Scholar
Reitman, E. E. & Cleveland, S. E. (1964). Changes in body image following sensory deprivation in schizophrenic and control groups. Journal of Abnormal Psychology 68, 168–176.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Segal, K. R., Gutin, B., Presta, E., Wang, J. & Van Itallie, T. B. (1985). Estimation of human body composition by electrical impedance methods: a comparative study. Journal of Applied Physiology 58, 1565–1571.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Slade, P. D. (1982). Towards a functional analysis of anorexia nervosa. British Journal of Clinical Psychology 21, 167–179.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Slade, P. D. (1986). A review of body-image studies in anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. In Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimic Disorders (ed. Szmulker, G I et al. ), pp. 255–265. Pergamon Press: Oxford.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Slade, P. D. & Dewey, M. E. (1986) Development and preliminary validation of SCANS: A screening instrument for identifying individuals at risk of developing anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. International Journal of Eating Disorder 5, 517–538.3.0.CO;2-6>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Slade, P. D. & Russell, G. F. M. (1973). Awareness of body dimensions in anorexia nervosa: cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. Psychological Medicine 3, 188–199.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Slade, P. D., Dewey, M. E. & Newton, T. (1987). Development and preliminary validation of the body satisfaction scale (BSS). (Submitted for publication.)Google Scholar
Sturmey, P. & Slade, P. D. (1988). Body image and obesity: a critical, psychological perspective, To appear in Handbook of Eating Disorders, 2 (ed. Beaumont, P. J. V.), Elsevier: Amsterdam. (In the press.)Google Scholar