Body dissatisfaction among Chinese undergraduates and its implications for eating disorders in Hong Kong.
OBJECTIVE
To study the body dissatisfaction of Chinese undergraduates and its implications for eating disorders in Hong Kong.


METHODS
A large sample of 1,581 subjects completed a "Body Dissatisfaction Questionnaire" (BDQ) which included 25 items about various body parts and questions on body indices, body shape dissatisfaction, and dieting.


RESULTS
Whereas male subjects wanted to be taller and stronger in their upper body, the majority of female subjects felt fat in their lower body and were cognitively inclined to weigh less even though they were not obese. They desired a slimming of the stomach, thighs, waist and hip, but not the breasts. Body dissatisfaction was substantially intensified in females who reported a history of dieting in the previous year. Factor analysis of the BDQ affirmed the gender specificity and multidimensionality of body dissatisfaction.


CONCLUSIONS
The typically "Western" pattern of body dissatisfaction has overshadowed the traditional Chinese notions of female beauty based on the face and other nontruncal features. In the context of a rapidly urbanizing Chinese society, this will predispose more females to weight control behavior and eating disorders.
Lee
S
S
Department of Psychiatry, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong.
Leung
T
T
Lee
A M
AM
Yu
H
H
Leung
C M
CM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001828:Body Image; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D004038:Diet, Reducing / Q000523:psychology; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology*; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012945:Social Values; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology