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Body dissatisfaction in California adolescents
Mary Ellen Wilkosz1, Jyu-Lin Chen, Christine Kenndey
1Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, California, USA. wilkosz@sonoma.edu
Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners
|February 2, 2011
Summary
High body mass index and poor general health significantly impact adolescent body dissatisfaction across diverse California youth. Interventions must address these factors, considering gender and ethnicity.
Area of Science:
- Adolescent Health
- Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Body dissatisfaction is a prevalent issue among adolescents.
- Understanding contributing factors across diverse populations is crucial for effective interventions.
- Previous research has not fully explored ethnic and gender variations in body dissatisfaction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine factors contributing to body dissatisfaction in ethnically diverse California adolescents.
- To determine if these factors vary by gender and race/ethnicity.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the 2005 California Health Interview Survey.
- Included 1807 White, Latino, and Asian American adolescents aged 12-17.
- Employed ordinal multiple logistic regression analysis, controlling for gender and ethnicity.
Main Results:
- High body mass index (BMI) and poor/fair general health status were identified as major contributors to body dissatisfaction.
- These primary factors were consistent across gender and ethnicity.
- Additional factors influencing body dissatisfaction demonstrated variations based on ethnicity and gender.
Conclusions:
- High BMI and poor general health are significant, universal predictors of body dissatisfaction in California adolescents.
- Targeted, gender- and ethnicity-specific interventions are necessary to effectively improve adolescent body image.
- Public health strategies should consider the interplay of BMI, general health, gender, and ethnicity in addressing body dissatisfaction.
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