• 복식문화연구
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• 제30권4호
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• pp.563-578
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• 2022

Society's emphasis on a thin body ideal may intensify an individual's negative perceptions of fatness. The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between sociocultural attitudes toward appearance (awareness and internalization of the female ideal) and anti-fat attitudes among middle-aged Korean women. In addition, the aim was to examine whether the body internalization of female ideals was a mediator in the proposed model. Participants included a sample of 264 middle-aged Korean women who completed a series of measures online. The following information was collected through online questionnaires: awareness and internalization of the female ideal, attitudes toward fat, body weight perception, and demographics. Data were analyzed using correlation analysis, descriptive analysis, factor analysis, and structural equation modeling. The measurement model and the structural model testing provided an acceptable fit to the data, and all proposed pathways in the research model were statistically significant. Awareness of the female ideal was significantly and positively associated with internalization, and it significantly and positively predicted both constructs of anti-fat attitudes. Additionally, awareness of the female ideal was significantly and positively indirectly associated with attitudes toward fat people-dislike and willpower mediated by internalization. Overall, these findings suggest that society's emphasis on female appearance and a thin body can ultimately result in significant stigmatization of overweight/obese individuals. This study emphasizes the importance of establishing a healthy appearance standard to reduce anti-fat prejudice.

• 여성건강간호학회지
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.126-136
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• 2011

Purpose: The increase of cosmetic surgery procedures is partly motivated by more positive attitude toward cosmetic surgery as a means of improving physical appearance. In this study factors expected to predict need for cosmetic surgery were examined. Methods: A descriptive design was used with 321 high school girls who completed a questionnaire about sociocultural attitudes toward appearance, body image, self-esteem, and need for cosmetic surgery. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was performed to examine factors affecting need for cosmetic surgery. Results: Bivariate correlations showed that need for cosmetic surgery was positively correlated with internalization and awareness of sociocultural attitudes toward appearance, and appearance orientation in body image and negatively correlated with self-esteem and ideal body mass index (BMI). Multiple regression showed that the predictive variables explained 22.1% in need for cosmetic surgery. The significant factors influencing need for cosmetic surgery were greater internalization and awareness of sociocultural attitudes toward appearance, better appearance evaluation and higher appearance orientation in body image, lower self-esteem, and lower ideal BMI. Conclusion: Overall, results of this research suggest that prevention of media influence and body image disturbances, and promotion of self-esteem are very important to young women.

• 복식
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• 제52권3호
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• pp.75-85
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to find out the interrelationship of awareness of body type and clothing behavior. The questionnaires were collected from 457 middle and high school girls is Seoul. The samples were divided into two groups according to their awareness of body type. In total 'high-aware group'(that is, more aware their body type than normal) was 54.9%, but in high school-girls 'high-aware group' was 60.1%. The ideal height and weight did not differ regardless of their body type. Even though their real weight is normal and under the average, the awareness of body type was very severe. The distortion of body type was observed. The more she were aware their body type, the more felt risks of clothing purchase. Also 'high-aware group' considered symbolic function of clothing more seriously. The satisfaction of clothing were partly influenced by the awareness of body type. The factor analyses of clothing satisfaction of two groups ended with different factors.

• 동서간호학연구지
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.54-59
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• 2008

Purpose: To investigate self-esteem according to differences between real and ideal Body Mass Index (BMI) in female college students. Methods: Subjects were 587 female students in Korea. Data was collected by using a developed questionnaire through pretesting. Results: Actual number (46.7%) and actual number (5.1%) of participants were defined as being underweight and overweight, respectively. Nearly all participants expression high dissatisfaction with their body shape. Averages of 1.02, 2.97, 7.81 were revealed for underweight, normal weight and overweight group differences between real and ideal BMI. Those who were defined as overweight exhibited significantly self-esteem than those who were defined as underweight. Conclusions: The belief that body shape is heavier than actually the case may be prevalent among female college students in Korea. This difference between the real and ideal BMI negatively influences self-esteem. Programs aimed at improving body image awareness an self-esteem among female college students are needed.

• 한국의류산업학회지
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• 제13권4호
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• pp.523-530
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• 2011

This study aims to make a comparison between variables influencing female college students' body shame and appearance change intention in individualist culture(Germany) and collectivist culture(Korea, China), that which variable among individual's physical character(BMI), psychological character(public self-image), and sociocultural pressure has the biggest influence in each culture. The findings of the research are as follows. 1. The German group of female college students had the highest BMI, and there were no difference between Korean and Chinese group. Public self-consciousness, sociocultural pressure, ideal appearance attitude, body shame, and appearance change intention were highest in Korea and lowest in Germany. 2. The variables that affected body shame were powerful in the order of sociocultural pressure, appearance internalization, BMI, and appearance awareness in the Korean group of female college students. In the Chinese group, the order was sociocultural pressure, appearance internalization, and public self-consciousness. On the contrary, in the German group the order was appearance internalization, appearance awareness, sociocultural pressure, and public self-consciousness. 3. The variables that affected appearance change intention were powerful in the order of sociocultural pressure, body shame, and appearance awareness in the Korean group of female college students. In the Chinese group, the order was sociocultural pressure, body shame, and appearance awareness, and in the German group, the order was appearance internalization, body shame, and BMI.

• 대한영양사협회학술지
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• 제15권3호
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• pp.232-252
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• 2009

This study investigated dieting behavior, awareness of body shapes, and eating disorders in female adolescents according to age and BMI. The Eating Attitude Test for Korean Adolescents (EAT-26KA) and sociocultural standards were used to measure eating disorders and sociocultural attitudes related to appearance, respectively. In addition, the BDI (Beck Depression Inventory) scale was used to measure the correlation between disordered eating and depression. The data were collected from 390 female adolescents living in Seoul and were analyzed using SPSS15.0. The results indicated that subjects wanted to be thinner despite having a normal body weight (BMI 19.35${\pm}$2.73). They also thought of themselves as fat and with desires to be slimmer, and viewed "diet and exercise" as the best way to lose weight. About 67.4% of the respondents had tried a diet and had experienced dizziness, anorexia, and general exhaustion while dieting. Also, 5.1% of the subjects were classified as eating disorder and suffered from stress to be thin. In addition, 85.0% of the subjects with eating disorder had tried a diet due to "appearance". They thought that "being underweight" was an ideal body image and considered themselves fat, although their BMIs were in the normal range (19.94${\pm}$2.02). In terms of symptoms during dieting, many of the subjects dealing with an eating disorder felt dizzy, had low energy, and were depressed. In conclusion, we must educate young females about healthy eating and positive body image to prevent the development of adolescent eating disorders.