Thin, muscular, and fit-ideals: Prevalence and correlates in undergraduate women. Issue 8 (17th November 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wagner, Allison F.; Bennett, Brooke L.; Stefano, Emily C.; Latner, Janet D.
• Is Part Of: Journal of American college health. Volume 70:Issue 8(2022)
• Page Start: 2476
• Page End: 2482
• Publication Date: 2022-11-17
• Subjects: Body ideals -- body image -- fit-ideal internalization -- muscular-ideal internalization -- thin-ideal internalization; College students -- Health and hygiene -- United States -- Periodicals; College students -- Health and hygiene -- Periodicals; College students -- Mental health -- Periodicals; Universities and colleges -- Health promotion services -- Periodicals; 362.10883781980973
• DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2020.1865981
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0744-8481

Abstract

Abstract: 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.