Media influences on body image and disordered eating among indigenous adolescent Australians

Adolescence, Spring, 2005 by Marita P. McCabe, Lina Ricciardelli, David Mellor, Kylie Ball

Predictors of Body Image and Body Change Strategies

In order to determine the extent to which media messages predicted body image and body change strategies among the non-indigenous and indigenous groups, 12 standard multiple regressions were conducted. Analyses were conducted separately for the indigenous and non-indigenous populations to determine if the nature of the predictors was different for the two groups. The independent variables in each analysis were gender and media influences (media pressures to lose weight, increase weight, increase muscles), and the dependent variables were overall dissatisfaction with weight, shape, and muscles, and strategies to decrease weight, increase weight, and increase muscles.

Indigenous adolescents

For overall dissatisfaction with weight, F(4, 42) = 4.02, p < .01, [R.sup.2] = .28. The only variable that showed a unique contribution to dissatisfaction with weight was media messages about weight loss, [beta] = .59, p < .001. For overall dissatisfaction with shape, F(4, 42) = 4.45, p < .01, [R.sup.2] = .23. The variables that showed a unique contribution to dissatisfaction with shape were gender, [beta] = -.35, p < .05 (girls more dissatisfied), media messages about weight loss, [beta] = .57, p < .001, and media messages about increasing muscles, [beta] = -.34, p < .05. For overall dissatisfaction with muscles, F(4, 42) = 1.38, p > .05. For strategies to decrease weight, F(4, 42) = 5.00, p < .01, [R.sup.2] .32. The only variable that showed a unique contribution to strategies to decrease weight was media messages about weight loss, [beta] = .41, p < .01. For strategies to increase weight, F(4, 42) = 1.76, p > .05. For strategies to increase muscles, F(4, 43) = 2.46, p < .05, [R.sup.2] = .11. The only variable that showed a unique contribution to strategies to increase muscle was media messages to increase muscle, [beta] = .33, p < .05.

Non-indigenous Adolescents

For overall dissatisfaction with weight--F(4,42) = 4.07, p < .01, [R.sup.2] = .28. The only variable that showed a unique contribution to dissatisfaction with weight was media messages about weight gain, [beta] = -.36, p < .05; adolescents who displayed higher levels of weight dissatisfaction reported that they were less affected by media messages to gain weight. For overall dissatisfaction with shape--F(4, 42) = 2.84, p < .05, [R.sup.2] = .14. The only variable that showed a unique contribution to dissatisfaction with shape was gender, [beta] = .41, p < .05 (girls were more dissatisfied). For overall dissatisfaction with muscles--F(4, 42 = 1.20, p > .05. For strategies to decrease weight--F(4, 42) = 1.26, p > .05. For strategies to increase weight--F(4, 42) = 1.19, p > .05. For strategies to increase muscles--F(4, 42) = 2.84, p < .05, [R.sup.2] = .14. The single variable that showed a unique contribution to strategies to increase muscle was media messages to gain weight, [beta] = .33, p < .05.

DISCUSSION

The present study was designed to examine the extent to which there are differences in body image and body change strategies, as well as awareness of media messages related to body change strategies for indigenous and non-indigenous Australian adolescents from urban areas. The study was also designed to examine the extent to which these media messages predicted body image and body change strategies in these two cultural groups.