Factors of body dissatisfaction among lebanese adolescents: the indirect effect of self-esteem between mental health and body dissatisfaction
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Date
2022
Authors
Al-Musharaf, Sara
Rogoza, Radosław
Mhanna, Mariam
Soufia, Michel
Obeid, Sahar
Hallit, Souheil
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Abstract
Background: Body dissatisfaction (BD) rates are alarmingly high, especially among adolescents, thus. Having a bet‑
ter understanding of correlates associated with BD seems to be an important issue in this developmental context.
Furthermore, as adolescence is an essential time in the development of self-perception and self-esteem the current
study assesses factors associated with BD among Lebanese adolescents and evaluates the indirect efect of self esteem between depression/anxiety/stress and BD.
Methods: This is a cross-sectional study among 555 Lebanese adolescents, ages 15–18, who completed an online
survey incorporating BD, socioeconomic status, weight and height, physical activity index, Rosenberg Self Esteem
Scale, Beirut Distress Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality
Index and Global Physical Activity Questionnaire.
Results: The results of a stepwise linear regression, taking the body dissatisfaction score as the dependent variable,
showed that higher BMI (B=0.47), feeling pressured by media/TV to lose weight (Beta=2.80), higher depression
(Beta=0.39), exercising to lose weight (Beta=1.84) and following a diet to lose weight (Beta=1.58) were signifcantly
associated with more body dissatisfaction, whereas higher self-esteem (Beta=-0.11) and more psychological distress
(Beta=-0.21) were signifcantly associated with less body dissatisfaction. Self-esteem played an indirect role in the
associations between anxiety and body dissatisfaction and stress and body dissatisfaction.
Conclusions: BD is common among young Lebanese adolescents. Treating adolescents with low self-esteem and
psychological issues is crucial in preventing anticipated BD and future eating disorders.
Citation
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BMC Pediatrics, 2022, vol. 22, art. 302.